Publishers enrolled in Google News Showcase can now select the stories that appear in Google News’ local news panels.
Local news sources may see increased visibility and traffic from standard search results and Google News Showcase, according to a recent Google announcement. The company said that its ranking system has been updated to help users find stories from "authoritative, relevant local news sources."
The improved ranking mechanism would enable local news publications to feature alongside major publications in Top Stories. Also, publishers can now pick which content to display in the local news panels on Google News.
Additionally, Google revealed, it has begun allowing publishers to monitor how readers interact with Showcase content in real-time. This can help publishers respond swiftly to current events, provide context for stories, and add related panels to popular stories.
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