The mechanical setup that's table stakes
The high-resolution Discover card variant requires images at 1200x675 minimum, referenced in Article schema's image property as a full URL, and either max-image-preview:large in the robots meta or default-permissive robots configuration. Sites missing this default to the smaller card variant which receives materially less engagement. We've audited sites where adding this single fix doubled Discover impressions within 60 days.
Beyond the image setup: ensure clean mobile UX (no intrusive interstitials, fast loading, no layout shift), publish consistently in your topic category (Discover favours sites with topical depth over sites publishing one-off pieces), and maintain Author schema with named experts (Discover heavily weights demonstrable expertise signals).
Why your content might never surface
Discover is structurally a consumer entertainment surface. News, technology, business, sports, lifestyle, food, travel, and entertainment all see strong Discover surfacing. B2B services, narrow professional categories (law, accounting, dental), local services without lifestyle angles, and specialised professional content rarely surface meaningfully regardless of optimisation effort.
Check Search Console: if the Discover report doesn't appear under Performance, you're below the impression threshold. After 60+ days of consistent quality publishing in a Discover-friendly topic with proper image and schema setup, sites typically start surfacing. After 6+ months of zero impressions despite quality content, the topic itself is the issue and effort is better spent on other channels.