# Google Preferred Sources: Let Readers Prioritize Your Site > SEObolt Pro embeds Google's Preferred Sources button on WordPress posts so readers see your content prioritized in Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. - Canonical: - HTML version: --- - [Overview](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/) - [Features](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/) [All Features](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/) [Content Analysis](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/content-analysis/) [Schema Markup](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/schema-markup/) [GEO Score](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/geo-score/) [AI Integration](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/ai-integration/) [Content AI](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/content-ai/) [Analytics](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/analytics/) [Page Builders](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/page-builders/) [Preferred Sources](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/preferred-sources/) - [Compare](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/compare/) [All Comparisons](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/compare/) [vs Rank Math](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/vs-rank-math/) [vs Yoast](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/vs-yoast/) [vs AIOSEO](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/vs-aioseo/) [vs SEOPress](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/vs-seopress/) - [Pricing](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/pricing/) - [Extras](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/pricing/) [AI Credits](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/pricing/#ai-credits) [Add-Ons](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/pricing/#add-ons) - [Guides](https://royalplugins.com/blog/) [Perfect SEO Score](https://royalplugins.com/blog/wordpress-perfect-seo-score/) [WooCommerce SEO](https://royalplugins.com/blog/woocommerce-seo-complete-guide/) [Agent Readiness](https://royalplugins.com/blog/agent-readiness-guide/) - [Docs](https://royalplugins.com/support/seobolt/) Overview All Features -- Content Analysis -- Schema Markup -- GEO Score -- AI Integration -- Content AI -- Analytics -- Page Builders -- Preferred Sources Compare vs Rank Math vs Yoast vs AIOSEO vs SEOPress Pricing Extras — AI Credits — Add-Ons Guides — Perfect SEO Score — WooCommerce SEO — Agent Readiness Documentation New in 2.4.165 Google shipped an embeddable button on August 20, 2026 which lets readers hand-pick the publishers they want prioritized in Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. SEObolt Pro ships full native support for it, with auto-inject on posts, a Gutenberg block, a shortcode, plus a no-JS deep-link for newsletters and social. Backed by Google's own data: readers are **2× more likely** to click through to a preferred source. [Get SEObolt Pro](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/pricing/) A Reader-Chosen Signal ## The Button That Turns Fans Into Ranking Signals When your reader clicks the Preferred Sources button on your site, Google records your domain as one of *their* preferred sources. From that moment on, Google surfaces your content higher in **their** Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode results whenever they run a relevant query. It's not a general ranking boost, so it doesn't change what strangers see. It changes what your **loyal readers** see. Google's own data shows readers are **twice as likely** to click through to a preferred source when one's available. 3 Google surfaces (Top Stories, AI Overviews, AI Mode) 2× CTR uplift on preferred sources 600K+ Sources selected since launch 3 Placement options (auto-inject, block, shortcode) AI Overviews and AI Mode are absorbing an increasing share of the clicks which used to go to publisher sites. Preferred Sources is Google's answer, so your readers can explicitly opt in to seeing your work more often. Every button click is a durable relationship signal which survives ranking-algorithm changes. See It In Action ## One Settings Tab, Four Sections All configuration lives in **SEObolt → Settings → Preferred Sources**, so you can enable auto-inject, pick your post types, verify eligibility, grab the newsletter fallback URL, and see a live preview of the actual Google button, all in one place. ![SEObolt Pro Preferred Sources settings tab with auto-inject toggle, post-type selector, eligibility check, deep-link generator, and live button preview](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/images/seobolt-preferred-sources-settings.png) Three Ways to Place It ## Auto-Inject, Block, or Shortcode: Your Call Auto-inject is the fastest path to shipping the button sitewide. When you want per-post control, use the Gutenberg block or the shortcode. Every method renders the same native Google button. ### Auto-Inject Check **Enable Auto-Inject** and every published post gets the button. Pick post types (Posts, Pages, Products, any custom type), placement (end of content or after the first paragraph), and default theme. - Zero per-post work - Post-type filter - Placement + theme control ### Gutenberg Block Add the **Preferred Source Button (SEObolt)** block inside the editor. Pick theme (light / dark / auto) and locale from the sidebar. Live server-side render on the frontend. - Visual placement - Per-post theme override - Editor-safe placeholder ### Shortcode Drop `[seobolt_preferred_source]` into classic editor, Elementor, Divi, or Beaver Builder text widgets. Optional `theme` and `lang` attributes. - Universal page-builder support - Template file friendly - Theme + locale attrs ### Newsletter Fallback URL Google's script won't load in email clients or on most social platforms. SEObolt generates a plain deep-link URL you can paste anywhere, so readers who click it land on Google with your domain pre-filled. - Email footer safe - Social bio ready - No JavaScript needed Who Qualifies ## Eligibility: Bare Domains & Subdomains Only Google's Preferred Sources tool accepts only **domain-level** and **subdomain-level** sites. Subdirectory installs (like `example.com/blog`) aren't eligible. SEObolt reads your `home_url()` and tells you immediately whether you qualify, with a link to Google's own source-preferences tool for independent verification. | Site shape | Example | Eligible? | | --- | --- | --- | | Bare domain | `example.com` | ✓ Yes | | Subdomain | `blog.example.com` | ✓ Yes | | Subdirectory install | `example.com/blog` | × No | | Multisite subsite (path-based) | `example.com/tenant1` | × No | If you're on a subdirectory install and want to use Preferred Sources, the fix is a site move to the root domain, since SEObolt's plugin can't work around Google's eligibility rules. The Reader Experience ## What Your Readers See & Click The rendered button is Google's native UI, a white pill with the multicolored G logo and the text **“Add to Preferred Sources.”** It looks identical across every site because Google serves it directly via `publisher.js`. 1 ### Reader clicks the button Signed-in Google users see a confirmation toast; unauthenticated users get a sign-in prompt first (preference is stored per Google account). 2 ### Google records your domain Their preferred-sources list is updated instantly. No round-trip through your server, since it all happens between the reader's browser and Google. 3 ### They stay on your page The click returns them to where they were reading, so there's no context switch to google.com. Original launch behavior bounced users off-site; the September 2026 update stays in-place. 4 ### Your content surfaces first for them From that moment forward, your articles are prioritized in *their* Top Stories carousel, AI Overviews citations, and AI Mode conversational responses whenever they run a relevant query. Google's data: 2× higher click-through when a preferred source is available. ## Related SEObolt Features [### GEO Score 40+ factor scoring for AI citation optimization. Pair with Preferred Sources for full AI visibility coverage.](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/geo-score/) [### Schema Markup Builder 67 structured-data templates. Article + NewsArticle schema pairs naturally with Preferred Sources for news publishers.](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/schema-markup/) [### 57-Point SEO Analysis Preferred Sources helps loyal readers find you. SEO Analysis helps everyone else find you first.](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/content-analysis/) [### SaaS Analytics Dashboard Track LLM Rankings, GEO Score trends, and off-site brand signals in one cloud dashboard.](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/features/analytics/) [Read the full setup guide →](https://royalplugins.com/support/seobolt/preferred-sources/) ## Ship the Button in Under 5 Minutes Preferred Sources is included with every SEObolt Pro license. Enable auto-inject, save, and every published post gets the button, with no code, no theme edit, no dev handoff. [View Pricing](https://royalplugins.com/seobolt/pricing/) [Read Setup Guide](https://royalplugins.com/support/seobolt/preferred-sources/)