Google’s llms.txt guidance conflicts with internal Lighthouse audits

Image credit: Abondance

Google’s official guidance on the llms.txt file for AI agents contradicts its internal Chrome Lighthouse audits, creating confusion among web developers and SEO professionals.

While Google has explicitly stated that the llms.txt file does not influence search engine rankings, the Chrome Lighthouse tool now includes detection of this file within its new ‘Agentic Browsing’ audits.

John Mueller, a Search Advocate at Google, clarified that the llms.txt file and specific markdown pages on developers.google.com are designed to assist AI coding tools in reading documentation, not for SEO purposes.

Mueller emphasized a distinction between website ‘discovery,’ which relates to SEO, and ‘functionality,’ which describes how AI agents interact with a site once found, according to his statements.

For non-technical websites, Mueller explicitly stated that creating an llms.txt file or markdown versions of content would not be beneficial for SEO or sales.

Industry experts, including Lily Ray and Crystal Carter, noted the conflicting signals from Google regarding the utility of the llms.txt file.

John-Henry Scherck and Joost de Valk also highlighted the discrepancy between Google’s public SEO advice and the internal tool’s new audit criteria.

The inclusion of llms.txt detection in Lighthouse audits suggests an internal Google initiative to encourage its adoption for AI agent interactions, despite the file’s lack of SEO impact.

Source: Abondance