How to Get Indexed in Google News: Step-by-Step Guide for Publishers

Getting indexed in Google News is the goal of every news publisher. Whether you run a local newspaper, a niche industry blog, or a major media outlet, Google News can be one of your largest traffic sources.

This guide walks you through every step of the process, from initial technical setup to maintaining your Google News presence long-term.

Step 1: Implement NewsArticle Schema

The first step is implementing NewsArticle structured data on all your article pages. This JSON-LD markup tells Google that your page contains a news article and provides the metadata Google needs to index it correctly.

At minimum, include these fields in your NewsArticle schema:

• headline
• image (1200px+ wide)
• datePublished
• dateModified
• author (Person with name and url)
• publisher (Organization with name and logo)

After implementing, validate using Google's Rich Results Test at search.google.com/test/rich-results.

Step 2: Set Up Your News Sitemap

A news sitemap is a special XML file that lists your most recent articles (published in the last 48 hours) with publication metadata. Submitting this to Google Search Console tells Google to prioritize crawling these URLs.

Most major CMS platforms have plugins that auto-generate news sitemaps:

• WordPress: Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or The SEO Framework all include news sitemap features
• Ghost: Includes a basic sitemap; may need customization for news format
• Custom CMS: Generate dynamically using your publishing timestamp data

Submit your news sitemap at Search Console > Sitemaps. Also add it to your robots.txt:

Sitemap: https://yourdomain.com/news-sitemap.xml

Step 3: Ensure Technical Compliance

Before applying to Google News, verify:

• All article pages load over HTTPS
• No noindex tags on article pages
• Googlebot is not blocked in robots.txt
• Pages load in under 3 seconds (mobile)
• No login walls on article content
• Canonical URLs are set correctly

Use our free Google News SEO Toolkit to run a comprehensive technical audit of your articles.

Step 4: Apply to Google News Publisher Center

Visit publishercenter.google.com and click "Add publication." You'll need to verify ownership of your website (similar to Google Search Console verification).

Fill in all publisher information accurately:

• Publication name (must match your site's actual name)
• Website URL
• Country
• Language
• Content categories (select up to 5 that best describe your coverage)

Google reviews new publisher applications. The review process can take a few days to a few weeks. During this time, your articles may still appear in Google News search results (if technically compliant), but you won't have full Publisher Center benefits.

Step 5: Set Up Publisher Center Properties

Once approved, configure your Publisher Center properties:

Publication Details

• Upload your publication logo (used in Google News display)
• Add a description of your publication
• Set your publication's primary content categories

Content Settings

• Configure which sections of your site are news content vs. other pages
• Exclude non-news pages (about pages, contact pages, category archives) from News indexing

Step 6: Monitor Performance in Google Search Console

After setup, monitor your Google News performance in Search Console:

• Performance > News: Shows impressions and clicks specifically from Google News
• Performance > Discover: Shows performance in Google Discover feed
• URL Inspection: Check individual article URLs for indexing status
• Sitemaps: Monitor your news sitemap for errors

Step 7: Maintain Your Google News Presence

Getting indexed is just the beginning. Maintaining strong Google News performance requires ongoing attention:

• Consistent publishing: Publish fresh content regularly. Inactive publications can lose News prominence.
• Quality over quantity: Focus on original, well-reported stories rather than thin rewrites of wire service content.
• Monitor for errors: Check Search Console weekly for new coverage errors or sitemap issues.
• Update schema as Google evolves: Google updates its structured data requirements periodically. Run our validator quarterly to catch any new requirements.
• Author pages: Build out author profile pages with credentials, bios, and social links to strengthen E-E-A-T signals.

Common Reasons for Google News Rejection

If your application is rejected or your content stops appearing in Google News, common causes include:

• Content that doesn't qualify as news (opinion, marketing, entertainment-only)
• Missing or invalid structured data
• Deceptive or sensationalist content
• Thin, low-quality, or duplicate content
• Poor site technical health (slow loading, mobile issues)
• Lack of editorial transparency (no about page, no author information)

If rejected, address the issues and wait at least 30 days before reapplying.