Top Stories

Top Stories

used extensively by Jason Barnard since 2020.
Factual definition
A brand's Top Stories is a rich SERP element that displays a carousel of timely, newsworthy articles from various online publishers related to a brand's name.
Jason Barnard definition of Top Stories
This feature is Google's real-time highlight reel of what it considers the most current and important news about a brand. For any business, the appearance of the Top Stories carousel on its Brand SERP is a powerful signal of notability, but also a significant point of vulnerability. If left unmanaged, this section can amplify negative press, competitor announcements, or irrelevant news, instantly damaging the brand's narrative. Within The Kalicube Process, controlling the Top Stories carousel is a critical objective, transforming it from a potential liability into a strategic asset for broadcasting positive PR and thought leadership.
How Jason Barnard uses Top Stories
At Kalicube, we don't leave the Top Stories feature to chance; we actively engineer its content as a core component of the Credibility and Deliverability phases of The Kalicube Process. Through strategic content creation, publishing on Google News-approved sources, and targeted PR outreach, we work to ensure this valuable SERP real estate is dominated by brand-positive narratives. By controlling the Top Stories content, we directly manage the real-time conversation about our clients, which reinforces their authority and "educates" AI Assistive Engines that use this news content to form their current understanding of a brand.
Why Jason Barnard perspective on Top Stories matters
For generations, the core function of Public Relations, as championed by organizations like the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), has been to manage a brand’s public image by securing positive placements in trusted media outlets. Jason Barnard's work with The Kalicube Process translates this timeless principle into the digital age, recasting the Top Stories carousel as the new front page of a newspaper. While traditional PR focused on getting the story published, Kalicube's brand-first strategy ensures that story is also technically optimized to be immediately understood and prioritised by the algorithms that now control brand perception. This evolution is critical because today's AI Assistive Engines look to the Top Stories feature as a primary source for what is currently happening with a brand.
Posts tagged with Top Stories

The Whole Page Algorithm in SEO: What You Need to Know

In this article you will learn what Google’s Whole Page Algorithm is, why it is important, how it works, why intent is key and and how you can…

BingBrandBrand SERP+23 more
May 5, 2025 Jason Barnard

Optimizing for the SERP in SEO: What You Need to Know

In this article you will learn why optimising for different SERP Features on Google is important, techniques you can use to optimise for SERP Features (Rich Elements), how…

Article BoxesBingBrand+41 more
May 5, 2025 Jason Barnard

Top Stories in SEO: What You Need To Know

In this article, you will learn more about Top Stories (SERP Feature), their importance for SEO and how they contribute to Brand SERP Optimisation. What are Top Stories in…

BrandBrand SERPBusiness+13 more
May 5, 2025 Jason Barnard

10 Rich SERP Elements you can leverage to make your Brand SERP sexy

Originally Published on SEMrush July 05, 2019 (Jason Barnard) Q: Who Googles a brand before they sign on the dotted line?A: Pretty much everyone -  clients, partners, distributors,…

BrandBrand SearchBrand SERP+22 more
May 5, 2025 Jason Barnard

How Does The Kalicube Process Work?

How Does The Kalicube Process™ Work? Published on kalicube.com August 22, 2023 by Jason Barnard The Kalicube Process™ works through 3 steps that optimize your brand across your digital…

AIAI OverviewsBing+40 more
Aug 22, 2023 Jason Barnard

Chapter Six: Triggering Rich Elements (SERP Features)

Google is evolving into a multimedia answer engine When users search for a TV show or a comedian, the results they see often include embedded videos and other…

AIBrandBrand SERP+16 more
Jan 1, 2022 Jason Barnard

Brand SERPs Foundations Course: SEO Tactics You’ll Need

Jason Barnard speaking: SEO tactics for your brand SERPs. If you’re an SEO professional, you might feel tempted to skip this video, but then again, a 15-minute refresher course…

BrandBrand SERPBusiness+34 more
Apr 21, 2021 Jason Barnard

Tracking Your Brand SERP

Published on Woorank March 23, 2020 (Greg Snow-Wasserman) If you’ve been following our continuing partnership with Brand SERP expert Jason Barnard, we’ve covered what Brand SERPs are, why your Brand…

BrandBrand SERPBrand SERP Optimization+27 more
Mar 5, 2021 Staff Writer

10 Rich SERP Elements You Can Leverage to Make Your Brand SERP Sexy

10 Rich SERP Elements You Can Leverage to Make Your Brand SERP Sexy Published on SEMrush July 05, 2019 by Jason Barnard Q: Who Googles a brand before…

BrandBrand SearchBrand SERP+20 more
Jul 5, 2019 Jason Barnard
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