Google’s Top Stories feature has been experiencing a malfunction that has led to international news publishers outranking local publishers in search results. This issue has been observed not only in the UK but also in the US and other countries. The surge in visibility for international publishers in the Top Stories carousel has raised concerns among SEO experts and news publishers.
The problem has been ongoing for several months, and Lily Ray, VP of SEO strategy and research at Amsive, has been tracking similar issues in the US. She has received messages from people around the world experiencing the same problem. The content displayed by international publishers often doesn’t make sense for local readers, and this impacts the user experience.
The data from NewzDash supports the observation that international publishers have seen a significant increase in visibility in the Top Stories carousel. For example, The Times of India’s visibility in the US increased fourfold since November 2023. The New York Times and The Washington Post also saw significant increases in visibility in the UK’s Top Stories carousel.
Google has acknowledged the issue with non-local news sources appearing in the Local News block and stated that they are working on an update to address it. However, they have not specifically addressed the issue with Top Stories. Google’s algorithms consider a user’s location to deliver relevant information, but international publications may still get visibility in the Top Stories carousel if their content is original, helpful, and high-quality.
The increasing presence of international publishers in the Top Stories carousel raises concerns about the impact on local news publishers’ revenue. The limited slots available in the carousel mean that giving visibility to international publishers takes away opportunities for local publishers during significant events such as elections. Google needs to strike a better balance and prioritize local context and relevance in its ranking algorithms.
Some argue that US and UK publishers may have contributed to the issue themselves by targeting international audiences and making their content less country-centric. This has opened the doors for other global publishers to enter the US and UK markets. While international publishers have every right to appear in the Top Stories carousel, they should not be the primary news source for local events.
In an increasingly competitive search environment, news publishers should focus on the quality of their journalism, strengthen their brand identity, and prioritize building a secure audience. Chasing after Google clicks may work in the short term, but building a unique news brand is crucial for long-term success.
Overall, Google’s malfunction in the Top Stories feature has raised concerns among news publishers and SEO experts. The issue highlights the need for Google to improve its algorithms to prioritize local context and relevance. News publishers must also adapt their strategies to focus on quality journalism and building a strong brand to navigate the unpredictable nature of search traffic.
