It's never quite clear what you're going to get when you punch a query into Google.

Sometimes, you’re presented with a classic list of links - what SEO pros call a SERP (Search Engine Results Page). News publishers have classically tried very hard to appear as high up on this list as possible. But sometimes users will see a sponsored link first. And - to the disdain of news publishers everywhere - Google’s AI Overview is now clawing up the attention, summarising the answer at the top and pushing website links further down.

For Maddie Shepherd, SEO director at CBS News and Stations, this unpredictability is the new normal. Speaking at yesterday's (21 October 2025) News and Editorial SEO Summit 2025, she says newsrooms must be both artists and scientists in their approach to earning every click. She shared a set of best practices for newsrooms.

First, you need to understand the three factors that decide where a news page ranks.

This last pillar is crucial. Google’s systems, including a feature called Navboost, pay close attention to "long clicks". This is when users click a result and stay on the page for a long time, rather than quickly bouncing back. The more your story keeps readers engaged, the more likely Google is to show it to others.

Shepherd's data shows that CBS' 50 top performers on Google Discover -

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