Google Discover adds social posts, YouTube Shorts and a new “Follow” feature

Google is updating its Discover feed to show more than just web articles. In the coming weeks, Discover will begin surfacing social media posts from platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) alongside YouTube Shorts. Google says users liked seeing a mix of content — videos and social posts — in addition to articles.

What’s new

• Social posts from platforms such as Instagram and X will appear in Discover.
• YouTube Shorts will be included directly in the feed.
• New feed customization: users can follow creators or publishers to see more content from them and tap a creator’s name to preview social posts and articles before following.

These features are rolling out in the coming weeks. The follow/preview behavior is similar to a recent Search feature that lets people set preferred news sources.

Why it matters

The changes make Discover more of a mixed-media feed and give users more control over the content they see. For creators and publishers, the Follow button could drive recurring traffic from Discover.

Sources & further reading

• Search Engine Journal — coverage of the update
• Android Police — details on the rollout
• Google Developers — Discover overview

Have you used Discover recently? What mix of content (articles, videos, social posts) do you prefer? Share your thoughts below.