> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.backblogger.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The llms.txt file is a waste of time and your SEO agency is pushing it anyway - URL: https://blog.backblogger.com/the-llms-txt-file-is-a-waste-of-time-and-your-seo-agency-is-pushing-it-anyway/ - Published: 2026-10-12T01:36:45.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-12T02:00:03.000Z - Author: Gabriella Jimenez - Tags: Technical SEO ## The file nobody uses is costing you money right now You're probably burning hours on a task that does absolutely nothing. I've watched marketing teams blow entire sprints building the llms.txt file — perfect formatting, proud publish, and then... flat AI visibility. Nothing moves. Here's the uncomfortable truth. Google's John Mueller said outright that no AI system currently uses this file. That was last year. Nothing has changed. And agencies are still selling it as a critical new tactic for . Victorious dropped a bombshell on their recent podcast. Their argument: most technical work done for AI search just duplicates what a working SEO program already does. That's not a small distinction. It changes how we budget our year. ![A close-up view of a modern laptop screen displaying lines of code in dark mode. A hand rests near the keyboard with natural lighting from a window on the left side emphasizing focus and technical detail without any visible text or logos.](https://blog.backblogger.com/content/images/2026/10/a-close-up-view-of-a-modern-laptop-1-1.webp "technical SEO implementation") ## What the September update actually means for your site The fourth major spam update of the year is rolling out globally this week. Technical health is back in the trade press for a reason. Google wants clean signals, and it punishes manipulation. Thin content or hidden redirects? You're in trouble. Now is not the time to experiment with risky tactics. Stability wins. ### The real technical differences are tiny but specific Michael Transon from Victorious says the industry exaggerates the gap between traditional search and AI answers. Crawlability, indexation, site architecture, internal linking, rendering — all of it carries over. No new line item in your budget required. So what actually is different? Crawler access. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google each publish separate crawlers for model training versus live search. You can admit one and refuse another. That requires a conscious decision. You can't just default to existing settings anymore. Marketing and legal teams need to set ground rules together. ![A professional office setting with two individuals discussing documents at a glass table. One person points to a chart while the other listens attentively. The room has neutral beige walls and soft overhead lighting creating a collaborative atmosphere without any visible brand names or text.](https://blog.backblogger.com/content/images/2026/10/a-professional-office-setting-with-two-individuals-discussin-2.webp "marketing legal strategy collaboration") ## Why standalone page content beats internal linking strategies now AI systems retrieve passages, not whole sites. They may never follow an internal link to understand your context. That changes how we write for machines. Every important page should say who the company is and what it does in visible text near the top. Treat every URL as if it were the only page the system reads. Ever clicked a deep link and felt confused because the page assumed prior knowledge? That's exactly what AI experiences. Fix your self-contained descriptions. ### The danger of stale brand information in machine files An llms.txt file becomes one more source of brand information that can go stale. Launch a new product, reposition the company — suddenly that file contradicts your website. Transon recommends skipping it entirely unless you have developer documentation. That's the only format this file was originally designed to describe. ## Who wins and who loses in this new AI search landscape Small businesses with clean technical foundations win here. They don't need new tools or expensive consultants to build AI visibility. Their existing SEO work already covers the basics. Agencies selling new AI-specific services lose credibility. If they can't explain why a simple file matters for brands without developer docs, question the expertise. Brands that focus on clear, concise page descriptions outperform the ones chasing every new trend. Consistency beats novelty in the long run. ### The hidden cost of ignoring crawler permissions A robots.txt permission is often blocked by a firewall or CDN rule nobody checked. You think you allowed the bot. It never reached your site. Silent failure mode. Your data might be missing from AI models and no error message will tell you why. ## Practical steps to audit your AI search readiness today Start by checking which bots you actually allow. Verify that OpenAI and Anthropic crawlers can reach your key pages if you want them in their training data. Then review your top twenty pages. Can each one explain who you are without relying on other links? If not, rewrite the intro section. Finally, stop working on llms.txt. Redirect that time to improving site speed and internal link clarity instead. ## The broader implication for small business digital strategy This news empowers smaller teams. You don't need a massive budget to compete with enterprises in AI search visibility. Your existing technical SEO foundation is enough. Focus on what you know. Keep your site fast, accessible, and clearly written. That's the real secret to durable organic traffic growth in an era of algorithm changes. If you want a practical starting point, consider reviewing [eight technical SEO fixes that determine if your site even gets crawled in 2026](https://blog.backblogger.com/8-technical-seo-fixes-that-determine-if-your-site-even-gets-crawled-in-2026). It aligns perfectly with this discussion about foundational health. ### Why skepticism toward new SEO tactics is healthy here The industry loves selling new tools. But sometimes the best strategy is doing nothing new — just maintaining what already works. Ask any agency why they recommend a specific change. Vague answer? Fear-based answer? Walk away. Victorious took a risk by debunking their own potential service. That kind of honesty is rare, and it's valuable for clients trying to make informed decisions. ## Final thoughts on building a resilient digital presence in SEO is no longer just about ranking. It's about building a resilient digital presence that drives sustainable growth. Which means prioritizing clarity over complexity. Small businesses in the US can compete against larger enterprises by understanding this full spectrum of SEO. You don't need every tool. Just the right ones. Stay updated, but stay skeptical. Empower yourself with informed decision making and strategic execution rather than quick fixes that promise the world. For more insights on avoiding common traps, check out [why chasing AI search traffic is a trap that will bankrupt your small business](https://blog.backblogger.com/why-chasing-ai-search-traffic-is-a-trap-that-will-bankrupt-your-small-business). It complements this perspective perfectly.