Google Preferred Sources Tip: Help Your Readers Add Your Blog

Blogger is a wonderful, budget-friendly way to run a website, and Google has added a small feature that can help your readers find you more easily: Preferred Sources. It lets readers pick their favorite websites, and a simple link can help your blog benefit from it.

When a signed-in reader selects your site as a Preferred Source, your content becomes more likely to appear in their "Top Stories" results, marked with a "preferred" badge. In AI Mode and AI Overviews, your content can also be highlighted with that badge for readers who chose you. It is not a guaranteed top spot, but it is a direct vote of trust from your audience.

Most readers will never find this setting on their own, so today I'll show you how to build a shortcut link and ask your audience to use it.

This visual comparison shows how getting your readers to save your blog as a preferred source helps independent creators bypass unfair SEO competition and get featured in Google AI

Ad Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate and referral links. If you make a purchase or sign up through these links, I may receive a small commission or bonus at no extra cost to you. See the policies page for full details.

 Quick Navigation Menu

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• 1. How Preferred Sources Work
• 2. Check Eligibility and Build Your Link
• 3. Crafting the Perfect Reader Call-to-Action
• 4. Other Habits That Help Your Visibility
• Let's Hear From You!

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1. How Preferred Sources Work

• Readers sign in to Google and choose the sites they want to see more often in Top Stories.
• For those readers, your content is more likely to appear, with a "preferred" badge.
• In AI Mode and AI Overviews, your content can be highlighted with the same badge for readers who selected you.
• It only affects the readers who choose you. It does not change your rankings for everyone else.
• The strategy depends on building real, repeat readers who care enough to add you.

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2. Check Eligibility and Build Your Link

You do not need coding skills for this. Google uses a simple link format that you can adapt to your own domain in a few seconds.

Step 1: Check that your site is eligible. Not every site can be added. Go to google.com/preferences/source, signed in to Google, and search for your domain. If your blog does not show up, the link below will not work for readers yet.

Step 2: Build your link.

• Start with Google's preferences link: https://google.com/preferences/source?q=
• Add your bare domain right after q=. Leave out https:// and www..
• Use a domain or subdomain only. Subdirectories such as example.com/folder are not accepted.
• Blogger example: https://google.com/preferences/source?q=canadianbloggertips.blogspot.com
• If you use a custom domain, put that domain after q= instead.

Step 3: Test it. Open the finished link while signed in to Google. You should see a prompt to add your site. A plain incognito window will not work for this, because you need to be signed in.

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3. Crafting the Perfect Reader Call-to-Action

Most readers want to support independent creators, but they need simple instructions. The extra step many people miss is ticking the checkbox next to your domain, so mention it. Place a short note at the end of your posts or in your newsletter.

Here is an HTML snippet you can paste into Blogger's HTML view:

<p><b>&#10024; Quick Tip:</b> Want my latest Canadian blogging tutorials to show up more often for you on Google? <a href="https://google.com/preferences/source?q=canadianbloggertips.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Add Canadian Blogger Tips as a Preferred Source on Google</a>, then sign in and tick the box next to canadianbloggertips.blogspot.com.</p>

Google also offers a JavaScript button that lets readers add your site in one tap and return to your page. The plain link above is the simpler choice if your platform makes custom scripts awkward.

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4. Other Habits That Help Your Visibility

Preferred Sources is a bonus, not a substitute for a well-built site. These habits support your reach everywhere.

• Clean HTML Layouts: Keep markup simple so browsers and assistive tools read your pages cleanly.
• Descriptive Image ALT Text: Briefly describe each image. Shorter descriptions are generally easier for screen readers and crawlers to handle.
• Clear Semantic Organization: Use logical heading levels (H2, then H3) so your structure is easy to follow.
• Track Reader Behavior: Use a tool like Google Analytics to see which posts readers actually engage with.

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Let's Hear From You!

• Did you know Google lets readers choose preferred sites for Top Stories and AI answers?
• Is your blog showing up in Google's Preferred Sources tool?
• Leave a comment to share your experience with our blogging community!

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About the Author

Su is a seasoned Canadian blogger who creates dedicated spaces to help content publishers navigate SEO strategies, affiliate relationships, and smart digital monetization tactics.

Connect with Su: linktr.ee/Sister_Su_Buys

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✨ Quick Tip: Want my latest Canadian blogging tutorials to show up more often for you on Google? Add Canadian Blogger Tips as a Preferred Source on Google, then sign in and tick the box next to canadianbloggertips.blogspot.com.

2026 Blogger SEO Image Tips

The Power of ALT Text: Why Every Blogger Should Use It

Wondering how to increase the SEO for your blog posts? Do you want to ensure your content is accessible to all readers? Are you looking for simple ways to drive more organic traffic to your site?

Don’t worry—improving your blog’s reach and inclusivity is easier than you think, and it all starts with a simple habit that many creators overlook.

Mastering ALT text in Blogger: A simple way to boost your SEO and make your blog accessible to everyone.

Affiliate Disclosure:

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or sign up through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

How to Increase Blogger Image SEO Using ALT Text

Want to increase your blog SEO? The solution lies in mastering ALT descriptions. They say a picture paints a thousand words—but to a web crawler, an image without an ALT description is just a big empty space. Since Google’s crawlers can’t "see" an image the way humans do, they rely on these descriptions to categorise your media, helping your blog rank in Image Search and ensuring visually impaired visitors using screen readers can fully enjoy your narrative.

Blogger Quick Tip: Master Your ALT Text

Adding ALT text in Blogger is a simple habit that yields massive long-term results. To update an image, click on it, select "Edit" (the gear icon), and fill out the "Alt Text" field using these professional best practices to improve user behaviour:

• Be Succinct and Specific: Aim for under 125 characters. Screen readers often stop reading after this point, so make every word count.
• Context is King: Describe what is happening in the image. Instead of "Dog," try "Golden Retriever puppy playing with a red ball in the grass."
• Skip the Fluff: Avoid starting with "Image of..." or "Photo of...". The screen reader already identifies it as an image, so dive straight into the description.
• Optimise, Don't Overstuff: Weave in relevant keywords naturally. For example, if your blog is about gardening, "Pruning shears cutting a rose stem" is better for SEO than just "Cutting flowers."
• Functional Descriptions for Links: If an image acts as a button or link, the ALT text should describe the destination (e.g., "Download our free SEO checklist") rather than just the visual elements.

Example HTML for a Linked Image

For those who prefer working in the HTML view, here is how a properly optimised linked image should look:

<a href="https://blogspot.com">
  <img src="seo-guide-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Read our comprehensive SEO guide for Canadian bloggers" />
</a>

By taking thirty seconds to add an ALT description, you transform a silent placeholder into an accessible, searchable, and professional asset for your blog.

Pro-Tip: Need ALT descriptions for images generated quickly? Try using AI on Google Search. Here’s a prompt that works well: "Create an ALT description for this image and put it in a code box for easy copying."

I'm praying this post will be useful to you. Questions? Please pop a note in the comments below and let me know what’s on your mind.

Su

Blogger SEO Tutorial - Make Your Images Searchable!

Wondering How to Make Your Blogger Images Searchable? 

Canadian Bloggers who properly tag their Blogger pictures help search engines more easily index their sites. Have you been wondering how to tag your photos? This post has a tutorial showing how to make useful tags for your Blogger images that may help increase your search engine ranking on Google, Bing or other search engines.

Note: This blog has referral links that benefit our writers when you use them. Thank you! Want to blog with us? Please pop a note in the comments below and let us know

Blogger Help by Google gives the following outdated instructions for tagging your photos.