One of my recent articles covered Google's decision to sunset its Publisher Center. I certainly understand why that may have some questioning the value of optimizing for Google News. But I'm not just continuing to optimize for it – I'm doubling down on my efforts.

The Changing Landscape of Google News

After Google's announcement, I went back to basics to review all my current news-related SOPs. When revisiting Google's “Understanding How News Works on Google” article, I gained a deeper insight into some of the evergreen concepts discussed. The key takeaway? Prominence, especially in the realm of original reporting, is more important than ever. They also reference being “highly cited” as a factor, which in my mind, speaks directly to backlinks and digital PR.

This aligns perfectly with what I believe to be a significant part of the Helpful Content Update (HCU): the information gain score patent features disclosed several years back. In light of this, my strategy has shifted towards even greater differentiation of content.

Why Optimization Still Matters

1. Original Reporting is now King: Google is placing a premium on original, unique content. This isn't just about being first to a story – it's about adding value that no one else is providing.
2. Visibility in a Crowded Space: Despite the changes, Google News remains a powerful traffic driver. Being included can expose your content to millions of readers.
3. Trust and Authority are Non-Negotiable: Google's emphasis on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) isn't going anywhere. Optimizing for Google News inherently means optimizing for these crucial factors.
4. It's a Holistic Approach: The strategies we use for Google News optimization benefit our overall search performance and visibility in other Google products like Discover.

It's about being the best answer to your audience's questions.

Strategies That Are Working

Based on recent observations and results, here are the key areas I'm focusing on:

Information Gain

This is about adding truly unique data to new or existing content. Some effective tactics include:

• Conducting and incorporating surveys/polls
• Securing exclusive interviews
• Compiling expert roundups

These strategies provide information that simply can't be found elsewhere, giving our content a significant edge.

Targeting Unique Audiences

I'm identifying specific niche target audiences that aren't being well-served by current search results. Then, I'm crafting content that caters directly to these underserved groups. This not only helps with relevance but also with engagement metrics.

Opinion-Based Content with a Personal Touch

I'm doubling down on highlighting personal expertise and experience. This means:

• Using more “I,” “me,” “we,” and “us” language
• Incorporating personal anecdotes and insights
• Showcasing unique perspectives that only come from deep experience in the field

This approach not only humanizes the content but also differentiates it from the sea of AI-generated articles flooding the web.

Leveraging Expert Contributions

I continue to be a big proponent of expert contributions via platforms like Connectively (HARO) or Qwoted, Facebook polls, and Reddit discussions. These not only add unique perspectives but also bring in that crucial element of authority that Google craves.

Building Branded Search and Social Signals

By focusing on creating a strong brand presence and encouraging social sharing, we're sending powerful signals to Google about the relevance and importance of our content.

By focusing on these key areas – information gain, unique audience targeting, opinion-based content, expert contributions, and brand building – we're not just optimizing for Google News. We're creating content that's inherently more valuable, more engaging, and more likely to succeed across all of Google's properties. However, these content-level strategies are just part of the equation. To truly excel in Google News, we need to consider how Google evaluates not just individual articles, but entire news sources.

Source Rank: The Hidden Powerhouse of News SEO

While my previous strategies focus on content-level optimization, it's crucial to understand that Google's approach to news ranking goes deeper – right to the source level. Google patent US20120158711A1 titled “Systems and methods for improving the ranking of news articles” reveals a sophisticated system for evaluating and ranking news sources, which I believe plays a significant role in how individual articles perform in Google News.

This “Source Rank” concept aligns perfectly with my emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). According to the patent, Google evaluates news sources based on a wide range of factors, including:

1. Productivity: The number and frequency of articles published
2. Article Quality: Factors like average article length and writing style
3. Coverage Importance: The significance of the stories covered
4. Breaking News Performance: How quickly the source reports on emerging stories
5. User Engagement: Traffic and usage patterns
6. Reputation: Human opinions and industry recognition (e.g., awards)
7. Resources: Staff size and number of news bureaus
8. Originality: The inclusion of unique named entities in articles
9. Topical Breadth: The range of subjects covered
10. Global Reach: International diversity of readership

This multi-faceted approach to source evaluation reinforces why I place such high importance on building overall site authority and credibility. It's not just about optimizing individual articles; it's about elevating the entire news operation to meet these high standards.

Implications for News SEO Strategy:

1. Consistent Quality: Maintain a regular publishing schedule of high-quality, well-researched articles.
2. Emphasis on Original Reporting: Prioritize breaking news and unique angles on stories.
3. Comprehensive Coverage: Aim for depth in your niche while also demonstrating breadth where appropriate.
4. User Experience: Focus on engaging your audience and encouraging return visits.
5. Brand Building: Work on increasing your publication's visibility and reputation within your industry.
6. Resource Investment: Consider how to expand your news gathering and reporting capabilities.
7. Global Perspective: If relevant to your niche, consider how to broaden your international appeal.

By aligning our optimization efforts with these source-level factors, we're not just chasing algorithm updates – we're building news operations that are inherently more valuable to both search engines and readers. This approach creates a virtuous cycle: as our Source Rank or Source Score improves, our individual articles are more likely to perform well, which in turn further enhances our overall source authority.

In light of this, my dedication to optimizing for Google News isn't just about short-term traffic gains. It's about building a robust, authoritative news source that stands the test of time and algorithm changes. By focusing on these fundamental qualities of excellent journalism and news distribution, we position ourselves for long-term success in the digital news ecosystem.

The Path Forward

While the mechanics of getting into Google News have changed, the core principles haven't. It's all about providing unique, valuable content that serves your audience better than anyone else.

By focusing on these areas – information gain, unique audience targeting, opinion-based content, expert contributions, and brand building – we're not just optimizing for Google News. We're creating content that's inherently more valuable, more engaging, and more likely to succeed across all of Google's properties.

In this new landscape, the sites that will thrive are those that go the extra mile to provide real value. It's not about gaming the system – it's about being the best answer to your audience's questions.

So yes, I'm still optimizing for Google News. But more than that, I'm optimizing for the future of digital content. A future where quality, uniqueness, and genuine expertise reign supreme. And in my book, that's a future worth investing in.