HOW CAN YOU INCREASE INDEXATION & RETENTION IN GOOGLE NEWS SERPs?

We hypothesize that the Google News SERP is selective in displaying content, and simply being Google News-approved does not guarantee visibility in the News SERP. The specific topic and nature of the content likely impact the content’s chances of appearing in Google News and how long it remains there. Previous tests have shown a 30-50% index rate for guest posts that were not necessarily “newsworthy,” with some dropping from the News SERP within a month. By focusing on “newsworthy” topics, we aim to improve Google News SERP indexation and retention.

Additionally, we modified our previous Google News test to make a key change in our testing approach – removing Google Business Profile map embeds from our guest posts. We believe that including a map embed may negatively impact indexation, as multiple platforms restrict map embeds due to known indexing difficulties and potential effects on the host site. While we do not have extensive data to confirm this yet, our initial results suggest that removing the map embed has contributed to improved indexation rates.

To test this hypothesis, we created multiple guest posts on Google News-approved websites, with two major changes from our previous test:

1. Eliminating Google Business Profile Map Embeds – Previous posts included embedded maps, which we suspect may have contributed to lower indexation rates and reduced retention in Google News.
2. Shifting from General Blog Posts to “Newsworthy” Announcements – Our previous posts were general, evergreen blog-style articles. The new content for this test was formatted as company news releases covering service expansions, innovations, and partnerships.

Comparison of Content Approaches

Previous General Blog-Style Guest Posts (Lower Indexation Rates)

Our earlier guest posts followed a standard informational blog format, focusing on generic towing-related topics such as:

• “How to Choose a Reliable Towing Service Company for Emergencies”
• “The Benefits of Hiring a Local Emergency Towing Service Company”
• “What to Look for in a 24/7 Towing Service”
• “How Towing Services Ensure Vehicle Safety During Transport”
• “Why You Should Have a Towing Service Company on Speed Dial”

These posts contained general advice and consumer-oriented guidance, but did not present a strong “news” angle. While these articles provided useful information, they were less likely to be considered “newsworthy” by Google News algorithms. We suspect this is leading to lower indexation rates.

New “Newsworthy” Guest Posts (Higher Indexation Rates)

In contrast, our new batch of guest posts focused on timely, company-specific announcements, including:

• “Towing Company Launches Long-Distance Towing Services Across the Region”
• “Company Introduces 24-Hour Emergency Lockout Service for Drivers”
• “Towing Service Expands with New Locations Across the State”
• “Company Strengthens Safety Protocols to Prioritize Traveler Security”
• “Towing Company Announces Strategic Partnerships with Airlines and Hotels”

These test articles followed a press release format, making them more appealing to Google News algorithms. They highlighted specific business initiatives, service improvements, and industry collaborations, helping to establish them as “newsworthy” content.

Test Parameters:

• Niche: Towing
• Test Properties: Business website in the towing industry
• Tracking Method: Manual daily tracking via spreadsheet
• Keywords: General towing-related terms (not the primary focus of this test)
• Service Used: Google News Links (Pending Live)

Challenges & Considerations: One of the biggest challenges was crafting “newsworthy” topics within the towing industry. In our previous tests, the traditional informational posts did not perform well in Google News. However, we believe content structured as press releases or company announcements may see improved indexation. Additionally, while we believe the removal of map embeds may play a role in improvement, further testing is needed to confirm this hypothesis. The hypothesis is built on the idea that many platforms restrict map embeds, likely due to known indexation difficulties or their potential impact on site authority.

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