Google recently made a significant change, removing the option to manually add publications to the Google Publisher Center. Google’s algorithms will now decide when to review and add publications. While access to customization features is still available to existing publishers, it`s only for a short time!
Google wrote:
Google’s update on publication pages:
“Starting today (April 25, 2024), publishers can no longer add publications to the Publisher Center.” Google added they are “making this change as part of a transition to roll out automatically created publication pages later this year.”
Meaning you can no longer manually add publications to Google’s Publisher Center; instead, you’ll see this:
Google’s explanation for removing the feature is that, previously, publishers could manually create their source page to allow users to follow on Google News.
And “The new process is transitioning to a fully automated system of discovery and inclusion.”
Google also said:
“Publishers with manually created publication pages will continue to have access to customization features until later this year when pages will shift to being automatically created. Users will continue to be able to follow their favorite publications.”
The result is that later this year, publishers may see their publications disappear from the Google Publisher Center.
One question people are asking is, will this impact Google News?
In reply, Google wrote:
What does this mean for appearing in Google News and news surfaces?
“Content from publishers that adheres to our content policies is automatically eligible for consideration in Google News and across News surfaces.”
“Having a publication in the Publisher Center does not guarantee its content will appear across Google surfaces. Our systems automatically identify and rank eligible content based on factors like relevance, prominence, authoritativeness, freshness, location, and language.”
Many people are disappointed because Google claimed it would improve the news publisher’s acceptance process.
However, removing the manual publication feature makes things even more confusing for publishers already operating in a complex environment!
What people are saying about it:
Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, replied to the confusion issue on X; he wrote:
The reasons for change
What does this mean for appearing in Google News?
Google’s new documentation explains that sites wanting to show on Google News must abide by its content policies.
Google algorithms will decide if the content is eligible to appear on Google News and other news surfaces.
The new system will be in place later this year.
Google also said:
“Having a publication in the Publisher Center does not guarantee its content will appear across Google surfaces. Our systems automatically identify and rank eligible content based on factors like relevance, prominence, authoritativeness, freshness, location, and language.”
Read Google’s recent update on publication pages for further information on Google News eligibility.
When he is not writing content, Terry can be found on his boat in Italy or chilling in his villa in Spain.
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