How to Get Your WordPress Posts into Google News (Latest 2025 Guide)

Getting your WordPress posts into Google News used to be a manual process. You could apply through Google Publisher Center, wait for approval, and manage your publication settings from a dashboard.

That system is completely gone now.

In 2025, Google News works very differently—and if you’re still following old tutorials, they won’t help anymore. This guide explains how Google News works today and what you should actually do to increase your chances of appearing there.

What Changed with Google News in 2025?

Google has removed the option to manually submit a website to Google News.

There is no application form, no approval button, and no Publisher Center signup for new publishers anymore. Instead, Google now automatically discovers and evaluates websites based on content quality, structure, and trust signals.

In simple words:

You don’t “apply” to Google News anymore.
Google decides—automatically.

If your WordPress site publishes high-quality, news-worthy content and is technically sound, Google may include your posts in Google News and Top Stories on its own.

How Google Chooses WordPress Posts for Google News

Google uses automated systems to crawl, understand, and rank news content. To be considered eligible, your site needs to meet a few important criteria.

1. Publish Real, News-Worthy Content

Google News is not for general blogs, tutorials, or evergreen articles.

It focuses on:

• Breaking news

• Timely updates

• Industry or niche news

• Local or regional reporting

Your content should be original, fact-based, and time-sensitive. Opinion pieces and rewritten content rarely perform well.

2. Follow Google’s Content Quality Guidelines

Google pays close attention to trust and clarity.

Make sure your posts:

• Are written by real authors

• Have clear headlines

• Avoid copied or AI-spun content

• Don’t mislead readers

Sites that show strong editorial signals and consistency are more likely to be picked up automatically.

3. Keep Your WordPress Site Technically Clean

Even great content can be ignored if Google can’t read it properly.

Your site should:

• Allow Googlebot access (don’t block it in robots.txt)

• Use clean, readable URLs

• Load fast and work well on mobile

• Use proper HTML structure

Article schema is optional, but it helps Google better understand your posts.

4. Use a Google News-Focused XML Sitemap

This is one of the most important technical steps.

Google News prefers a sitemap that lists only recent articles, usually published within the last 48–72 hours. This helps Google find fresh content quickly.

You can generate a Google News sitemap using WordPress plugins like:

• Rank Math SEO

• AIOSEO

• XML Sitemap & Google News plugin

• Yoast SEO (with News add-on)

Once enabled, the sitemap updates automatically whenever you publish a new post.

Step-by-Step: Prepare WordPress for Google News

Here’s a simple, practical workflow you can follow.

Step 1: Enable a Google News Sitemap

Install a plugin that supports Google News sitemaps, then:

• Turn on the News Sitemap feature

• Include only your news posts (usually regular Posts)

• Check the sitemap URL (commonly /sitemap-news.xml)

This helps Google discover your latest articles faster.

Step 2: Optimize Every News Post

Each post should:

• Have a clear and accurate headline

• Show the correct publish date and time

• Include a featured image

• Use proper SEO metadata (title, description, Open Graph)

If your post looks incomplete or poorly structured, Google may skip it.

Step 3: Publish Consistently

Google favors websites that publish news regularly.

You don’t need to post every hour, but consistency matters. A few quality posts per week is far better than random publishing.

Freshness is a strong signal for Google News.

Step 4: Build Authority and Engagement

Because inclusion is automatic, trust signals matter a lot.

Focus on:

• Getting backlinks from relevant websites

• Sharing your posts on social media

• Keeping users engaged (time on page, shares, comments)

The stronger your authority, the better your chances of appearing in Google News and Top Stories.

Step 5: Monitor Performance (No Approval Dashboard)

There is no Google News approval panel anymore.

Instead, use:

• Google Search Console to monitor indexing and sitemap status

• Google Analytics to track traffic from Google News

If your posts qualify, they’ll start appearing automatically.

Helpful WordPress Tools

Some plugins can make this process easier:

• XML Sitemap & Google News – Creates dedicated news sitemaps

• Rank Math SEO – Built-in Google News sitemap support

• AIOSEO – Advanced SEO and news sitemap features

• GN Publisher – Google News-compatible RSS feeds (still useful, but optional)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ❌ Trying to manually submit your site (it’s no longer possible)

• ❌ Relying only on RSS feeds

• ❌ Publishing low-quality or rewritten content

• ❌ Expecting instant results

Not every post will appear in Google News, and that’s normal. Google continuously evaluates relevance, freshness, and authority.

Final Thoughts

Getting WordPress posts into Google News in 2025 is no longer about forms or approvals—it’s about quality, consistency, and technical clarity.

If you:

• Publish real news content

• Keep your site clean and crawlable

• Use a proper news sitemap

• Build authority over time

Google News will find you automatically.