About the Google Preferred Source Link Generator
Google Search lets people choose their preferred sources, so that stories from those sites show up more often for them in Top Stories. Google gives site owners a deep link that opens this setting with their site already filled in: https://google.com/preferences/source?q= followed by the domain. This tool builds that link for your domain or subdomain, removes any page path (which isn't eligible), and gives you a ready-made button in HTML and a Markdown link for newsletters, social posts and your website. Choosing you remains up to each reader.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Google Preferred Source Link Generator
- 1Type your website address, such as example.com.
- 2Change the button text if you like.
- 3Copy the link, or test it in a new tab.
- 4Copy the HTML button for your website, or the Markdown for a newsletter.
- 5Add it near your other follow and share buttons.
Where to place the link
Readers are most likely to act right after reading something they liked, so the end of articles and the newsletter footer work well. Many publishers also add it to their follow us row next to social networks and to a short post explaining what it does.
A short message for readers
People may not know the feature exists. A one-line explanation helps, for example: Want more of our stories in Google? Add us as a preferred source. Keep the button text clear and action-based.
What qualifies
Google lists these points about eligibility.
- Domain-level sites such as https://www.example.com/
- Subdomains such as https://news.example.com/
- Not subdirectories such as https://www.example.com/blog
- Your site appears in the tool only if Google has it in its sources
Testing your link
Press Test the link: it opens Google's preference page in a new tab. If your site doesn't appear, check the spelling and try with or without www, whichever your site normally uses. New sites may need time before Google lists them.
Measuring the effect
Add a UTM tag to the page where the button sits, not to the Google link itself, and watch traffic from Google News and Top Stories in Search Console over the following weeks. Results build up slowly as readers opt in.
HTML button details
The HTML snippet is a plain link styled inline, so it works in any website builder, blog platform or email template without extra CSS. It opens in a new tab and uses rel=noopener for safety. Change the colours in the style attribute to match your site, or remove the style entirely and use your own button class.
Phone and computer
Generate the link on any device and paste it straight into a post, newsletter or CMS. A link is only half the job; the page it points to matters too. Add proper tags with the Meta Tag Generator, mark up articles with the Schema Markup Generator, and track which post brought visitors with the UTM Builder.
Features
- Builds Google's official deep link
- Strips paths that aren't eligible
- Works with subdomains
- HTML button and Markdown link
- Test link button
- Nothing is sent to us
Frequently asked questions
What are preferred sources on Google?
A Google Search setting that lets people pick news sites they like. Content from those sites is more likely to appear for them in the Top Stories section for relevant searches.
What is the preferred source link?
https://google.com/preferences/source?q= followed by your domain, for example https://google.com/preferences/source?q=example.com. It opens the preference page with your site already searched.
Can I link a section of my site?
No. Only domains and subdomains are eligible, such as example.com or news.example.com, not example.com/blog. The tool removes paths for that reason.
Will this make my site rank higher?
No. It only helps readers who choose your site see more of it themselves. Rankings for everyone else don't change.
Is the feature available everywhere?
Google has rolled it out gradually by country and language. If your readers can't see the option yet, the link simply opens Google's settings page.
Can I use Google's logo on the button?
Be careful with Google's brand. The button here is plain text; follow Google's brand guidelines if you want to use its logo or official badge.