Google AI Overviews: Preferred Sources Double CTR

Google has extended its Preferred Sources feature into AI Overviews and AI Mode. This means users can now designate websites as preferred, and links from those sites will display a visible badge in Google's AI-generated answers. What's interesting is that Google's figures show this doubles click-through rates. A product manager at Google Search, Duncan Osborn, confirmed that any website publishing fresh content is now eligible. Previously, this feature was mainly for news sites. Users select their preferred sources in Google Search personalization settings. These selections then determine which links receive the badge across various Google platforms. Google states users have already selected over 345,000 unique sources. The bottom line is that while this rewards publishers with existing loyal audiences, it offers little to newer, smaller sites struggling with discoverability. This development highlights the ongoing shift in how information is accessed and distributed through AI search.