How To Add Google’s Preferred Sources Button To Your Website

Google’s new Preferred Sources embed removes one motion from the method of including a publication as a Most well-liked Supply.

With the embed, a reader provides the positioning and returns to the article. A deeplink sends the reader to Google’s supply preferences instrument, the place the positioning nonetheless must be chosen and confirmed.

This straightforward information exhibits the right way to add the button to your web site and gives WordPress widget code you need to use.

What Google’s Most well-liked Sources Function Does

Most well-liked Sources impacts what a person Google consumer sees after choosing your publication. It doesn’t enhance your website’s rankings for everybody or assure that your articles will seem in Top Stories.

Based on Google’s documentation, it’s accessible globally for Prime Tales within the languages the place Google Search is out there. Most well-liked sources can be highlighted in AI Overviews and AI Mode the place these experiences can be found.

See additionally: Google’s Liz Reid: Personalization Can Help Small Publishers

Examine Eligibility Earlier than You Add The Button

First, seek for your publication in Google’s source preferences tool. If it doesn’t seem there, including the button won’t remedy the eligibility situation.

Google helps domains and subdomains, however not subdirectories. These are legitimate targets:

  • instance.com
  • information.instance.com

This isn’t a legitimate goal:

If the publication lives on a subdomain, use that host somewhat than assuming the basis area is interchangeable.

Add The Normal Most well-liked Sources Button

Google recommends its customary JavaScript implementation as a result of it’s localized mechanically and returns the reader to the web page the place they began.

Normal Button Vs. Deeplink: What I Noticed

I examined each routes on cellular. With the embedded button, Google opens a publication-specific affirmation web page. The supply is already recognized, the reader faucets Add, and Google returns them to the article. After the preliminary click on in your web site, it’s a single-action move.

The embed button opens a publication-specific page where the reader only needs to tap Add.
The embed button opens a publication-specific web page the place the reader solely must faucet Add. (Picture from writer, August 2026)

The deeplink is completely different. It opens the overall Supply preferences display with the publication search stuffed in, however the reader nonetheless has to pick the publication’s checkbox. Google additionally doesn’t mechanically return them to the article. In follow, the embed removes one further motion, so it creates much less friction.

Google Source preferences page showing Search Engine Journal with unchecked selection box
Picture from writer, August 2026

The deeplink opens the overall Supply preferences web page, the place the reader nonetheless wants to pick the publication.

Because of this I might use the usual button on a web site whether it is potential. The deeplink nonetheless is smart in e mail, social posts, or a CMS the place the script can’t be added.

Load the library as soon as from the appliance shell, theme, or a small website plugin, ideally within the doc’s :