What is Google Discover? #
- Discover is a part of Google Search that shows users content tailored to their interests, based on their Web & App Activity.
- Content appears automatically if it’s indexed by Google and meets Discover content policies — no special tags or markup required.
- Older content can appear if it’s still relevant and helpful.
- Eligibility doesn’t guarantee appearance in Discover.
How Content Shows Up in Discover #
- Content is personalized to user interests, spanning articles, videos, and other formats.
- Google filters out content that is irrelevant or potentially confusing (e.g., job applications, petitions, satirical content without context).
- SafeSearch applies, so inappropriate content won’t show.
Best Practices to Increase Your Chances in Discover #
- Use clear, descriptive page titles that aren’t clickbait.
- Include high-quality, large images (at least 1200 px wide) to attract attention — avoid logos as main images.
- Avoid misleading or exaggerated previews in titles, snippets, or images.
- Avoid content designed to provoke outrage, morbid curiosity, or titillation.
- Focus on timely, unique, and well-told stories or insights.
The “Follow” Feature in Discover #
- Allows signed-in users (currently in select countries and languages) to follow websites and get updates in the Following tab.
- Uses your site’s RSS or Atom feed by default.
- If you have a feed, link it in your site’s <head> section to optimize Follow:
<link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” href=”https://example.com/rssfeed”>
- You can specify different feeds for different sections (e.g., business, technology) for better targeting.
- Make sure your feeds:
- Are not blocked by robots.txt
- Stay updated regularly
- Have clear <title> and <link> elements for each item
- Are not blocked by robots.txt
Why Discover Traffic May Vary #
- Traffic depends on users’ changing interests and behavior.
- Discover content types and Google’s algorithms evolve regularly.
- Updates to Google Search can impact Discover traffic.
- Treat Discover traffic as supplemental to keyword-driven search traffic.
Monitoring Discover Performance #
- Use the Discover performance report in Google Search Console to track impressions, clicks, and CTR over the last 16 months.
- The report covers Discover traffic across all surfaces, including the Following tab.