Google News is undergoing significant enhancements to improve the experience of local news. One of the updates includes a revamped Following tab, which will now function as a content feed.
Google Unveils New 'Following' Feature For Readers
Previously, the tab only allowed users to access various feeds without displaying actual content. However, this will change soon as Google plans to show users up to three articles with headlines, publication names, and images.
Users will have the ability to customize their feed by adding topics, sources (publications), and locations, per Phone Arena. The articles shown on this page will be determined through ranking algorithms similar to those used in Google News. These improvements will first roll out globally to Google News for Android, followed by iOS later this year.
Google News Showcase
Another notable update is the introduction of the News Showcase licensing program in the United States, according to 9to5Google. The company will compensate participating news organizations for their content, which will be prominently displayed in a carousel format with panels for each site. The selected stories will appear in Google News and Discover.
As part of this program, Google will pay news organizations to provide readers with limited access to their paywalled content. The initial launch of News Showcase in the US will include over 150 news publications, with more than 90% of them being local or regional.
In addition to these updates, the Google News Initiative is forming partnerships with five news associations in the US. These partnerships will provide financial grants and training to nearly 1,000 local publications, helping them overcome technological challenges and develop strategies for audience growth, individual giving, and sponsorship revenue.
Related Article: Google News Gets a Massive Redesign! More Local Stories This Time?
Google Rebrands Subscribe Tool With Reader Revenue Manager
The Subscribe with Google tool, which simplifies subscription offerings, is now being rebranded as the Reader Revenue Manager. Users can conveniently subscribe to paid services using their Google Account and benefit from automatic sign-in.
The Reader Revenue Manager will introduce a new survey feature that allows readers to provide feedback on their interests and demographics. This tool will expand its availability to the Asia-Pacific region and other regions this summer, building upon its existing availability in the US and several Latin American countries.
These updates aim to enhance the local news experience, support news organizations, and provide users with personalized and accessible content within Google News.
Google's Material You Gets Redesign
In a previous story by Android Police, the search engine titan has rolled out the latest change in the Material You design. The feature now boasts a dedicated navigation bar on the bottom with pill-shaped indicators. This will tell you about the tabs you're opening and you should see them if the live update is already up on your end.
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