Two Optimization Tactics Everyone's Still Doing (That Google Killed in 2026)

We're three weeks into Q3 2026 and I'm still seeing proposals that recommend adding llms.txt to boost Google AI Overviews ranking. I'm still seeing agencies pitch FAQPage schema as a "quick win" for rich results. Both tactics are dead. Here's the breakdown.

llms.txt Doesn't Touch Google Search or AI Overviews

On June 15, 2026, Google clarified what should have been obvious: llms.txt has no effect on Google Search, AI Overviews, or AI Mode. Google's AI features use the same crawl index as ordinary Search — not a separate llms.txt feed.

The file was designed for platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT Browse — systems that respect explicit AI-crawl directives. Google doesn't. If you want to control what Google's AI features see, you use the same levers you've always used: robots.txt, meta robots tags, structured data, and content quality signals.

Does llms.txt still have value?Yes — for non-Google platforms. Perplexity respects it. ChatGPT Browse respects it. If you're optimizing for those systems, llms.txt is a useful signal. But if your agency sold you on llms.txt as a Google AI Overviews boost, you got sold vapor.

FAQPage Schema Is Fully Deprecated

Google stopped showing FAQ rich results on May 7, 2026. The Search Console FAQ report was removed. The Rich Results Test dropped FAQPage support. API support ends in August 2026. It's not coming back.

Why did Google kill it?Abuse. Low-quality sites were stuffing FAQPage markup onto every page to grab SERP real estate. Google pulled the plug rather than police it. The deprecation was announced in August 2023 and rolled out over three years — this wasn't a surprise.

Is FAQPage harmful?No. It just delivers zero Google display benefit. If you already have it implemented, leaving it in place won't hurt — but don't waste dev cycles adding it. And if your agency is still pitching FAQPage as a 2026 SEO priority, find a new agency.

What Actually Works for AI Visibility in 2026

Schema types that are active and useful for Google in mid-2026:

• Article — bylines, publish dates, publisher metadata. Essential for news and editorial content.
• Product — pricing, availability, reviews. Powers Google Shopping and product carousels.
• LocalBusiness — address, hours, geo coordinates. Shows up in Maps and local packs.
• Organization — brand identity, social profiles, logo. Builds entity recognition.
• BreadcrumbList — site hierarchy. Helps Google understand your information architecture.
• HowTo — step-by-step instructions. Can trigger rich snippets for procedural queries.
• SitelinksSearchBox — enables inline site search in SERPs.

Beyond schema, the signals that actually drive AI citation in 2026 are the same ones that drove traditional SEO: E-E-A-T content (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness), clean technical infrastructure (fast load times, mobile optimization, proper indexing), and brand authority (backlinks, mentions, social proof).

Adobe launched "Adobe Brand Visibility" at Cannes on June 17, 2026 — a 300M prompt dataset for measuring brand presence in AI outputs. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI Engine Optimization (AEO) are maturing from buzzwords into measurable disciplines. The tactics that work are the ones grounded in data, not the ones recycled from 2023 listicles.

Stop Optimizing for Ghosts

If your optimization checklist still includes llms.txt for Google or FAQPage schema for rich results, you're optimizing for features that don't exist. The AI search landscape is moving fast — what worked in 2023 is often irrelevant by mid-2026. Track the deprecations. Follow the platform announcements. Test what actually moves your visibility metrics.

And if you're hiring an agency, ask them when FAQPage was deprecated. If they don't know, walk.