Google Reveals Preferred Source Subscriber Counts to Site Owners

Google Search Console is now notifying site owners about how many users have selected their domains as preferred sources. These emails provide a snapshot of user engagement, showing the number of people who have chosen a particular site as a preferred source on Google. The message highlights that preferred sources allow users to see more content from their favorite publications across features like Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode.

The email includes a specific count of preferred source selections as of October 5, 2026, and encourages site owners to add an interactive button to their web pages. This button enables users to easily add the site as a preferred source. Google also recommends upgrading any existing static image buttons to the new JavaScript button for a smoother user experience.

Additionally, Google has included a two-minute survey in the email to gather feedback on the preferred sources reporting. The survey asks about awareness of the preferred sources feature, the clarity of the email, the usefulness of the user count data, and preferences for future reporting. Site owners are encouraged to participate to help shape the development of these tools.

Several industry experts have noted the significance of this new feature. For instance, Kyle Sutton mentioned that the data helps correlate known click-through rates with user selections. Others, like Nati Elimelech and Glenn Gabe, have observed the novelty of the email notifications and expressed interest in seeing this data integrated directly into Google Search Console.