Yoast has introduced support for llms.txt in both its free and premium WordPress plugins. This new feature aims to help websites prepare for the future of AI-driven search by making content more accessible to large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
What is llms.txt?
The llms.txt file is a proposed standard designed to help LLMs easily access a website’s core content by excluding elements meant for human readers, such as ads and navigation menus. It works by providing simplified, markdown-formatted (.md) versions of web pages that focus only on the main content.
However, some experts, including Google’s John Mueller, have expressed skepticism about the reliability of such a system. They argue that since there’s no verification process, it could be misused by unethical SEOs who might manipulate the content served to LLMs.
Moreover, current LLMs typically extract information directly from regular web pages, so the necessity and adoption of llms.txt remain uncertain.
Yoast’s llms.txt Integration
With this update, Yoast SEO now allows users to generate and manage an llms.txt file seamlessly. Key benefits include:
- Improved AI Understanding: Helps tools like ChatGPT and Gemini find and interpret your most relevant content.
- Automatic Content Highlighting: The plugin automatically detects and prioritizes your most important and recently updated pages.
- No Technical Skills Needed: The file is created and refreshed weekly without any manual input or coding.
- Future-Proofing Your Site: Prepares your website for emerging AI-based search technologies.
- Free & Easy to Use: Available with a single click in the Yoast SEO plugin—no upgrades required.
Yoast emphasizes that this feature is intended to make websites “ready for how people find information today, and tomorrow.”