Google’s John Mueller answered a query about llms.txt associated to duplicate content material, stating that it doesn’t make sense that it could be seen as duplicate content material, however he additionally acknowledged it may make sense to take steps to stop indexing.
LLMs.txt
Llms.txt is a proposal to create a brand new content material format commonplace that giant language fashions can use to retrieve the primary content material of an online web page with out having to cope with different non-content knowledge, resembling promoting, navigation, and the rest that isn’t the primary content material. It provides internet publishers the power to offer a curated, Markdown-formatted model of a very powerful content material. The llms.txt file sits on the root degree of an internet site (instance.com/llms.txt).
Opposite to some claims made about llms.txt, it isn’t in any manner comparable in function to robots.txt. The aim of robots.txt is to manage robotic habits, whereas the aim of llms.txt is to offer content material to massive language fashions.
Will Google View Llms.txt As Duplicate Content material?
Somebody on Bluesky requested if llms.txt may very well be seen by Google as duplicate content material, which is an effective query. It may occur that somebody exterior of the web site would possibly hyperlink to the llms.txt and that Google would possibly start surfacing that content material as an alternative of or along with the HTML content material.
That is the query requested:
“Will Google view LLMs.txt information as duplicate content material? It appears stiff necked to take action, on condition that they know that it isn’t, and what it’s actually for.
Ought to I add a “noindex” header for llms.txt for Googlebot?”
Google’s John Mueller answered:
“It might solely be duplicate content material if the content material had been the identical as a HTML web page, which wouldn’t make sense (assuming the file itself had been helpful).
That mentioned, utilizing noindex for it may make sense, as websites would possibly hyperlink to it and it may in any other case change into listed, which might be bizarre for customers.”
Noindex For Llms.txt
Utilizing a noindex header for the llms.txt is a good suggestion as a result of it’s going to stop the content material from getting into Google’s index. Utilizing a robots.txt to dam Google will not be obligatory as a result of that can solely block Google from crawling the file which can stop it from seeing the noindex.
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