In a significant update to its news ecosystem, Google News will transition fully to auto-generated publication pages starting March 2025. This change, initially announced in April 2024, aims to streamline the publisher workflow and enhance the overall user experience.

This shift means that publishers will no longer be able to manually create or customize publication pages in Google News. Instead, Google’s systems will automatically generate pages, pulling content directly from publishers’ websites based on factors like relevance, authority, and timeliness.

So, what does this mean for news publishers? Let’s break it down.

Key Changes in Google News Auto-Generated Pages

1. No More Manually Created Publication Pages

Previously, publishers could customize their Google News pages using Publisher Center, adding sections, logos, and other branding elements. With this update:

  • Manual pages will be removed from Google News.
  • Publisher Center customization tools for Google News will be retired.
  • The Google News box will no longer be available in Publisher Center.

2. How Does This Affect Visibility in Google News?

The good news is that eligibility criteria remain unchanged. Publishers’ content that meets Google’s content policies will still be eligible to appear in Google News and other Google news surfaces.

Google’s ranking systems will continue to evaluate content based on:

  • Relevance (How well the article matches search intent)
  • Prominence (How significant the content is in the news cycle)
  • Authority (The trustworthiness and expertise of the source)
  • Timeliness (How recent and up-to-date the information is)
  • Location & Language (Ensuring relevance to users in different regions)

This means that publishers should focus on producing high-quality, authoritative, and relevant content to maintain or improve their ranking in Google News.

3. Special Sections Will Be Removed

Custom-created sections on Google News landing pages, previously managed through Publisher Center, will no longer be available. This change is designed to simplify publisher workflows and create a more streamlined user experience.

4. Logo & Title Customization Changes

Publishers will no longer have control over how their logos and publication titles appear in Google News. Instead:

  • Google will use favicons (small icons associated with a website) for publisher logos.
  • Google will automatically use the site’s name as the publication title.

To ensure their branding remains intact, publishers should:

✅ Define a favicon for display in Google Search results.
✅ Provide an accurate site name

to Google Search.

However, publishers can still submit logos for Google News Featured and Reader Revenue Manager via Publisher Center.

How to Maintain a Strong Presence in Google News

With these changes, publishers must adapt their strategies to maintain visibility in Google News. Here are some tips:

  1. Optimize for Google Search — Since Google News will pull content automatically, ensuring your site follows SEO best practices is crucial.
  2. Publish High-Quality Content — Content should be authoritative, well-researched, and aligned with Google’s news ranking factors.
  3. Enhance Website Branding — Update favicons and site names to ensure brand visibility remains strong.
  4. Stay Compliant with Google’s Content Policies — Follow Google’s guidelines to ensure eligibility in news rankings.
  5. Monitor Performance — Regularly check Google Search Console and Google News Publisher Center for insights on how your content is performing.

Top News Submission Sites for Extra Exposure

Apart from Google News, publishers can submit their content to top news aggregation platforms to boost traffic and visibility. Here are five recommended sites:

  1. Bing News — Microsoft’s alternative to Google News, offering visibility on Bing search results.
  2. Yahoo News — A popular news aggregator with millions of daily readers.
  3. News360 — An AI-driven platform that curates news content for personalized feeds.
  4. Flipboard — A content discovery platform that allows publishers to share news stories in magazine-style formats.
  5. Feedly — A powerful RSS feed aggregator that helps distribute content to a wider audience.

Final Thoughts

Google News’ transition to auto-generated feed pages marks a major shift for publishers. While it removes some customization options, it also streamlines content distribution and ensures a consistent user experience.

To stay ahead, publishers should focus on content quality, SEO optimization, and branding while leveraging alternative news submission platforms for greater reach.

Top Submission Sites