Getting listed on Google News can drive significant traffic and exposure for a news publisher. Ranking highly in Google News search results exposes articles to large numbers of readers actively seeking out news on particular topics. Additionally, Google News articles benefit from enhanced branding and attribution, as the source publication name and logo appear prominently alongside headlines in search results. Given that Google accounts for over 90% of the search engine market share globally, inclusion in Google News can be a vital channel for reaching audiences online.
However, having a website with news content does not guarantee a listing on Google News. Publishers must meet specific Google News inclusion criteria related to the frequency of publication, standards of journalism, and technical elements. Given the importance of Google News as a discovery platform, it is well worth the effort for eligible news providers to optimize their sites for consideration.
Gaining inclusion in Google News requires applying Google to demonstrate how your site meets Google News publisher standards. Key criteria include publishing original, timely news content, adequate publishing volume based on frequency, proper formatting and coding of content pages and feeds, and maintaining site security and performance. As part of the application process, you must provide details on factors ranging from company ownership to content categories covered to user engagement flows for your readers. Once Google approves, your content may appear in Google News search results. However, being listed does not guarantee top ranking or high traffic numbers; continually optimize your news presentation and coverage to drive visibility and readership over time.
What is Google News?
Google News is a specialized search platform from Google that aggregates news content from online publications. It has modules that allow users to find news by topic, region, popularity, and more. Google utilizes advanced algorithms and some manual curation to determine which articles and news sites to include in Google News and how to rank them.
Appearing prominently on Google News can drive many readers to a publication’s articles. This makes getting included and properly optimized in Google News a major priority for news providers online.
Benefits of appearing on Google News
Key benefits a news publisher receives from Google News inclusion are:
- Increased website traffic and new readers – As a heavily used news aggregator, Google News drives large volumes of visits.
- Enhanced brand visibility and exposure – Logos and site names are prominently displayed along with headlines.
- Greater perceived credibility – Being vetted and selected for Google News lends legitimacy.
- Indexing priority – Getting content indexed fast by Google Search.
- Monetization opportunities – Google AdSense integration is possible once established.
Appearing in Google News results pages provides significant reader discovery and engagement value for eligible news publications.
Guidelines and criteria for inclusion
Google has precise publisher guidelines that sites must meet for inclusion consideration. These include:
- Publishing original, timely news content able to engage readers.
- Posting new content on a regular schedule, at least weekly.
- Ensuring the website is fully secure through SSL implementation.
- Proper tagging and formatting of news article pages and XML site feeds.
- Sufficient publication archive and content volume based on frequency.
- Diversity in content with multiple core topic areas.
Google evaluates websites thoroughly against these and additional criteria. Once a site reliably meets the guidelines, Google may approve it for news display.
Preparing Your Website
Content quality and relevance – The most fundamental requirement for Google News eligibility is publishing high-quality news content that engages readers. Ensure articles provide original reporting, timely facts, and unique insights relevant to current events. Write accurately, objectively, and from diverse viewpoints on issues of importance. Enhance content through rich media like videos and images. The focus should remain on in-depth news coverage versus casual blogs, columns, or microblogs.
Site structure and organization – Optimizing site architecture and navigation also improves the user experience while signaling planned publishing priorities to Google. Categorize articles clearly into topic sections users can browse, like Politics, Business, Technology, etc. Create distinct category pages listing the latest content. Enable sorting/filtering of articles by date, relevancy, and popularity. Implement site search, allowing readers to find past coverage. Carefully organize menus and design the interface to make key content categories extremely accessible.
Technical considerations (e.g., site speed, mobile-friendliness) – Google evaluates technical health metrics like site speed, mobile optimization, stability, and security. Check that pages load quickly, even with images/media enabled. Enable caching/compression to accelerate performance. Make the site design fully responsive for all mobile devices. Conduct testing to ensure robust infrastructure and maximum uptime. Set up dedicated news sitemaps outlining articles for Google. Implement SSL security across all site pages and enable HTTPS access. Resolve any errors flagged through webmaster tools. Optimizing technical elements helps provide users with fast, consistent access to content.
Creating News Sitemaps
What are news sitemaps?
Sitemaps are XML files that list URLs included within a website to facilitate indexing by search engines. News sitemaps are specialized sitemap files tailored for news content. News sitemaps highlight recently published articles to Google through useful metadata like article publication dates, section categories, keyword tags, etc. Creating and submitting news sitemaps is a direct way for publishers to have their latest news fully indexed by Google News.
How do you generate and submit news sitemaps?
There are XML generators that can auto-create news sitemaps by crawling a site for new pages based on configured settings. For precise control, news sitemaps can be manually output as XML files encompassing essential metadata on the latest articles. As new articles get posted, the sitemap must be continually updated and resubmitted to index these additions promptly. For ease, install a plugin that dynamically outputs an updated sitemap when new posts occur. Have a script run daily to submit your main news sitemap file directly to Google for immediate consideration.
Best practices for news sitemaps
Follow these key best practices when producing news sitemaps:
- List recent articles less than 2 days old prominently within the sitemap, properly tagged.
- Include meaningful classifications by news section name like Politics, Business, etc.
- Set reasonable limits on sitemap URLs based on site publication frequency/volume.
- Link to supporting sitemaps for complementary content types like category listings.
- Host the sitemap file at the root domain level for accessibility.
- Submit sitemaps frequently via Google Search Console integration.
Well-formatted news sitemaps signal your commitment to facilitating news discovery and access to Google’s systems.
Publisher Center Submission
Signing up for Google Publisher Center
The Google Publisher Center is the dedicated online portal publishers must use to formally apply for Google News inclusion consideration. Register your own individual account tied to your publication domain by providing info like name, email, website, etc. Confirm the sign-up through email verification for secure access.
Verifying ownership of your website
Before being able to submit to Google News, you must prove direct ownership/admin-level access to the website seeking inclusion. Do this by adding verification meta tags Google provides on request to place on your site code. You can also verify ownership through existing Google Search Console account linkage or file upload confirmation.
Submitting your site for inclusion
The key submission form requires outlining critical details, including:
- Full organization and contact information
- Observation of publishing best practices
- Website publishing details confirming news focus
- Links to existing online social media presences
- Description of audience and content focus areas
Take care to provide accurate details, meeting eligibility standards across all sections. Enable allowing Google access to any linked social media accounts/pages tied to the site for further verification.
With the form fully completed and submitted for admin review, Google will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the website content and policies against Publisher Center guidelines. This determines your approval status and potential next steps for inclusion consideration in Google News search results.
Following Google’s Guidelines
Understanding Google News content policies
Google outlines specific content policies that news publishers in their network must adhere to. It is critical publishers continually follow these policies once approved. Core guidelines cover areas like:
- Fact-based, original news reporting only
- Regular publishing schedule with new content
- Proper attribution to reputable sources
- Distinct news focus on promotional material
- High-quality article presentation and performance
Review all current Google policies in-depth to ensure compliance.
Avoiding common mistakes and violations
Publishers risk removal if found violating the content guidelines significantly. Some common issues are:
- Republishing content without licensing or permission
- Paywall restrictions limiting access to new articles
- Lacking authorship attribution or plagiarizing work
- Promoting misinformation without fact-checking
- Employing manipulative techniques like keyword stuffing
Avoid these and other methods violating standards of quality or integrity.
Maintaining quality and relevance over time
The level of news coverage and reader engagement must be maintained long-term, not just during the inclusion process. Continue cultivating a loyal readership through insightful news on current developments on your established topics. Refresh website presentation periodically with updated themes. Monitor site performance and promptly address any technical difficulties that occur.
By adhering to Google’s publisher policies as an ongoing priority, your publication can retain its well-earned presence within Google News.
Optimizing for Visibility
Using relevant keywords and headlines
With so many articles aggregated, Google News rankings come down to relevance and added reader value. Make the content stand out through strong keyword optimization. Research the most common and long-tail search queries around your news topics and incorporate them smartly into headlines/text to match demand. Populate meta descriptions indicating the specifics covered to entice expanded reads.
Implementing structured data markup
Apply markup schemas like JSON-LD or Microdata to annotate published articles with machine-readable data. Specifically, define the page focus, featured image, author name, date posted, etc. Properly marking up pieces aids semantic understanding. Test markup validity through structured data testing tools.
Encouraging backlinks and social signals
While links/social shares don’t impact Google News rankings directly, they can improve domain authority positioning core content in standard Google results. Promote your best reporting through channels like social media, email newsletters, and influencer outreach. Make links to your articles from mainstream publications a priority where possible to build a reputation. High-performance landing pages will continue attracting recurring interest over time through reader referrals.
The visibility in Google News relies both on technical conformance and engendered end-user enthusiasm around exciting new products. By coordinating across marketing, reporting, and technology groups, publications can greatly expand their reach.
Monitoring and Maintenance
Tracking performance in Google News
Leverage available analytics dashboards within Google Publisher Center and Google Search Console to monitor progress. Review top pages indexed, impressions registered, and click performance for each headline. See which news categories and authors produce the most compelling content. Use Google Alerts to notify you when featured prominently for key story terms. Check Google News search explicitly to spot any issues with specific page indexing or article display treatment. Update content, site architecture, or outreach initiatives according to findings.
Making adjustments based on feedback and data
Collect reader feedback around the relevance and uniqueness of news coverage. If audiences point out gaps in news focus or quality, address them accordingly through added reporting/editing resources. Similarly, expand on content verticals that exhibit high engagement levels with opportunities for increased coverage. Let consumption metrics and Satisfaction metrics guide editorial planning and areas needing technical improvement.
Staying informed about updates and changes
Criteria for inclusion evolve, so keep abreast of Google’s postings within its newscaster help center. As Google News display algorithms get updated, refresh optimization efforts per the latest guidance on visibility tactics. Prepare the site as necessary for anticipated policy changes like upcoming core updates or added mobile page speed weighting. Sign up for Google Publisher Center notifications so rule revisions relevant to accepted sites get promptly communicated for review.
Consistent fine-tuning and adaptation based on continual tracking are vital for sustaining a vibrant long-term presence within Google News and reaping the ongoing benefits.
Conclusion
Gaining a coveted spot within Google News search requires intensive planning and execution across website content, technical capabilities, and publisher policies. Key focuses covered include meeting eligibility standards, optimizing site architecture for news, producing consistent, engaging content, submitting metadata through sitemaps, verifying with Google Publisher Center, and maintaining quality benchmarks long-term. Final success recommendations include deeply understanding Google News reader preferences, enabling easy multi-platform content access, prominently highlighting the latest breaking stories, having the capacity for increased publishing velocity, and consulting Google support channels for ideas. Appearing within such competitive listings demands continual iteration beyond a one-time effort; by closely monitoring performance metrics for new optimization opportunities around aspects like page design, coverage gaps, author expansion, and technical upgrades, publications willing to adapt experience the greatest visibility rewards in Google News over time.
