
To submit your website to Google News, you'll need to create a sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console. This will help Google understand your website's structure and content.
Google News uses a specific set of guidelines to determine which websites are eligible to be included in their news section. Your website must meet their requirements, which include having a clear and consistent news section, publishing news articles on a regular basis, and having a reputable and trustworthy source of information.
First, make sure your website has a clear and consistent news section that is easily accessible to users. This will help Google understand what type of content you're publishing and whether it's suitable for their news section.
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Content Preparation
To help Google understand your content, you'll want to add labels to your news articles. This is especially important if you publish opinion pieces, user-generated content, satire, press releases, or blog posts.
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You can start by adding content labels on the Publisher Center homepage. Select "Add content labels" from the "More options" dropdown menu.
To add labels, you'll need to follow these steps: select the relevant tags from the list, enter the URL for the area on your site where the content is published, and click "Add".
Do You Need to Submit?
You don't need to submit your site to Google News, thanks to new technology that automatically includes eligible sites.
Google no longer requires manual submission due to this technology.
Just because you can automatically appear in Google News doesn't mean you'll be included.
To increase your chances, manually submit to Google News.
If you're using the Yoast SEO plugin, you might get an alert about submitting manually.
If this caught your attention, see: Free Directories to Submit Website
Content Classification
Content Classification is a crucial step in preparing your content for Google News. You can help Google understand what's original journalistic content and what might not be by adding content labels.

If you publish opinion pieces, user-generated content, satire, press releases, or blog posts, you should add content labels. This will help Google distinguish between different types of content.
You can add content labels by following these steps: on the Publisher Center homepage, under More options, select Add content labels. Then, under Area content labels, click + Area content labels, and enter the URL for the area on your site where the content is published, like exampletimes.com/opinion. Next, select the relevant tags and click Add.
To be eligible for the Fact Check label, your article should meet certain criteria. Can readers easily understand what was checked, and what conclusions were reached? Is the analysis traceable and transparent about sources and methods, like using citations and references to primary sources? Does the article title indicate that a claim is under review, state the conclusions reached, or specify that the article contains fact-checked content? Has your news site published fact-checked content in the past?
Here are some key questions to ask yourself:
- Can readers easily understand what was checked, and what conclusions were reached?
- Is the analysis traceable and transparent about sources and methods, like using citations and references to primary sources?
- Does the article title indicate that a claim is under review, state the conclusions reached, or specify that the article contains fact-checked content?
- Has your news site published fact-checked content in the past?
Google News Submission
To submit your site to Google News, you'll need to fill out specific information in the Google Publisher Center. This includes a description of your site, category, primary language, website URL, point of contact, and Google Analytics code.
You'll also need to verify that your publication is principally and permanently located in the country you've selected. This involves clicking the 'Add Publication' button and then verifying that you own the website through Google Search Console.
To add your WordPress site to Google News, you can start by logging in to the Google Publisher Center and clicking the 'Add your publication' link. From there, you can enter the URL and name of your WordPress blog, select its home country and primary language, and certify that your publication is located in the country you've selected.
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How to Submit
To submit your site to Google News, start by going to Google's Publisher Center and clicking on "Add publication". You'll need to fill out some specific information, including a description of your site, the category that best describes it, and your primary language.
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You'll also need to provide your website URL, point of contact, and Google Analytics code. Make sure to agree to the terms and conditions before publishing.
To add your WordPress site to Google News, log in to your account and click on "Get started with Publisher Center". From there, click on "Add your publication" to continue.
You'll need to enter the URL and name of your WordPress blog, select its home country and primary language, and certify that your publication is principally and permanently located in the country you've selected.
If you haven't already verified with Google that you own the website, you'll be asked to do that now. To verify ownership, click on the "Open Search Console" link and follow the guide on how to add your WordPress site to Google Search Console.
Here are the required details you'll need to submit your site to Google News:
- Description of your site
- Category that best describes your site
- Primary language
- Website URL
- Point of contact
- Tracking (your Google Analytics code)
Before submitting your publication, you can test how it will be displayed in Google News by following it.
Submit YouTube Video
To submit your YouTube video content to Google News, log in to Publisher Center and click on the Content tab from the top menu bar.
To add your video content, you'll need to create a New Section. You can add links from your YouTube playlist or channel, or even embed YouTube videos directly into your articles or feed via an iframe or media RSS tags.
Regularly review your crawl errors and fix any issues as quickly as possible. This will ensure that your site doesn't have any 404 errors.
Related reading: Schema Markup for Video
WordPress Configuration
To configure your WordPress site for Google News, you'll need to create a Google News sitemap. This is a file that lists all your website content and helps Google find new articles and display them in the search results.
A Google News sitemap is different from a regular XML sitemap, as it only includes news articles and allows search engines to quickly discover content that needs to appear in the news section.
You can use the AIOSEO pro version to create a Google News sitemap, which includes features like redirection manager and schema markup. The free version of AIOSEO also allows you to get started, but it doesn't come with the news sitemap.
To create a Google News sitemap with AIOSEO, navigate to All in One SEO » Sitemaps from your WordPress dashboard and click on the ‘News Sitemap’ tab. Then, click the ‘Activate News Sitemap’ button and make sure the toggle for ‘Enable Sitemap’ is switched on.
Create Friendly URLs
Creating friendly and readable URLs is crucial for both your audience and search engines like Google. Google looks at the whole page for clues, including the URL, and will have trouble understanding random character URLs.
In fact, URLs are one of the first places Google looks. So, make sure your site's URLs are SEO-friendly and unique.
Creating unique URLs for each page is essential so Google and other search engines can understand their content. It's SEO 101. Take your time when choosing URLs, as changing them later could cause problems.
Here are some things to keep in mind when creating friendly URLs:
- Make sure your URLs are easy to read and understand.
- Use descriptive words that tell the user what the page is about.
- Avoid using random characters or numbers.
Configure Settings
To configure your WordPress settings for Google News, you'll need to create a Google News sitemap. This sitemap will help Google find your new articles and display them in search results. It's essential to note that a Google News sitemap is different from a regular XML sitemap, and it only includes news articles.
To create a Google News sitemap, you can use the All in One SEO plugin, specifically the AIOSEO pro version, which includes the Google News sitemap feature. You'll need to navigate to the All in One SEO » Sitemaps tab in your WordPress dashboard and click on the News Sitemap tab.
Once you've activated the news sitemap, you'll need to enable the toggle for 'Enable Sitemap' and add your Publication Name, which will be used in the Google News Publisher Center. You can also select which content to include in the news sitemap under Post Types, such as posts, pages, and events.
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Here are the settings you'll need to configure for your Google News sitemap:
You can also customize your Google News publication settings by adding a Section title, RSS feed URL, and choosing who can view this section. This will help you define your publication's content and accessibility.
Why WordPress
WordPress is a great platform for news websites because getting your site to show up in the Google News section can instantly boost your organic traffic.
You can reach new audiences by being listed in Google News, which will help build credibility and authority for your brand. Your news site will likely be shown next to big brands like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and more.
Being featured in Google News can have a positive impact on your WordPress SEO, with more websites picking up your content as a source that provides backlinks. This will result in improved website rankings for other keywords.
You don't need to submit your news website to be eligible for Google News, as publishers who meet their criteria are now automatically considered for inclusion.
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Contact Page Required
To get listed in Google News, you need to have a contact page on your site. This page should include your name, email address, and physical address.
You can't just leave out this information, as Google News will not list sites that don't have a way for users to contact the owner.
Here's what you need to include on your contact page:
- Name
- Email address
- Physical address
Make sure to keep this information up to date, as it's a requirement for getting listed in Google News.
Optimization and Best Practices
To get your website listed on Google News, you need to optimize all your pages. This includes making your headlines a priority, as they need to include relevant keywords for your audience, include numbers if possible, and be compelling.
Content quality is also crucial. Google News requires unique, high-quality content that is well written and engaging. You should publish on a regular basis and make sure your content is timely.
Here are some key best practices to follow:
- Publish unique, high-quality content.
- Content must be well written and engaging.
- Publish on a regular basis.
- Content must be timely.
Separating your content so that only news articles are submitted to Google News is also important. This means excluding articles such as how-tos and job postings.
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Optimizing Images
Optimizing images is crucial for search engine optimization, and Google places a lot of emphasis on them when it comes to Google News.
Make sure your images have relevant and descriptive titles and captions, as this helps search engines understand what the image is about.
Use the Schema.org Image property on each image, as this provides additional context to search engines.
The og:image tag is also essential, and with tools like Rank Math, setting the social image for a post can make this process as simple as a few clicks.
Good quality and reasonably sized images are also important, as Google doesn't want to display low-quality or tiny images in its search results.
Here's a quick rundown of the key takeaways:
- Use relevant and descriptive titles and captions for your images.
- Apply the Schema.org Image property to each image.
- Use the og:image tag on each image.
- Ensure your images are of good quality and reasonably sized.
Article Schema
Article Schema is a crucial part of optimization and best practices. Google doesn't allow a person as the publisher for news articles, so Rank Math automatically adds an "Organization" publisher for Article Schema.
To use Article Schema correctly, you should only use it for factual news content. Using it for regular content might result in an error in the rich results test by Google.
For news articles, you can set the type as News Article in Rank Math, which includes a fully compliant News Sitemap generator. This is a requirement for your site to be featured in Google News and Google Discover.
If you've configured your post type to be included in the News Sitemap, Rank Math will set the Schema Type to NewsArticle by default.
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Best Practices for Your
To get your site listed on Google News, you need to publish unique, high-quality content that's well-written and engaging.
Content must be timely, so make sure you're publishing on a regular basis to keep your site up-to-date.
Additional reading: Optimize Site for Google
Craft your titles as news articles that describe the topics, keeping in mind they're not written like blog articles.
Separate your content so that only news articles are submitted to Google News, excluding articles like how-tos and job postings.
Use relevant images and consider having multiple authors to make your content more diverse.
Having a professional theme and Contact and About pages will also help make your site look like a news site.
Set up Google Analytics and learn how to use it to track your website traffic.
Here are the key requirements for submitting your site to Google News:
By following these best practices, you'll be well on your way to getting your site listed on Google News and increasing your website traffic.
Troubleshooting and Tips
To get your website on Google News, you need to have a sitemap. Make sure it's submitted to Google Search Console and that it includes all your articles.
Keep in mind that Google News requires a link to your website's homepage on your sitemap. This ensures that Google can crawl and index your website properly.
Use the Google News application to create a sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console. This will help you avoid any issues with crawling and indexing.
Free of Technical Errors
Your site must be free of technical errors. Google News won't list sites that are difficult to use, or that frequently experience technical issues.
Make sure your site is mobile-friendly, as more and more people are accessing the internet on their smartphones. This means your site should be easily viewable on a small screen.
Technical errors can be frustrating for users, and they can also impact your site's credibility. If your site is hard to navigate, people will likely leave and not come back.
Regularly check your site for any errors or issues that might be causing problems. This will help you identify and fix any problems before they become major issues.
Take a look at this: Seo Technical Audit Service
Why Not?
You might be wondering why your site isn't showing up in Google News, even after following all the requirements.
If your site doesn't have a News Sitemap, you won't be eligible for display in Google News.
You need to submit a News Sitemap to be considered for inclusion in Google News.
In fact, not having a News Sitemap is the most likely reason your site isn't appearing in Google News.
To fix this, you can refer to the article for more information on setting up a News Sitemap using Rank Math.
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