Google-Read-Aloud

Google-Read-Aloud is an official user agent from Google that is part of its suite of accessibility tools. It functions as a 'user-triggered fetcher,' not a traditional web crawler, meaning it activates only when a user initiates a text-to-speech request in a Google product like the Google app or Google Go. It identifies itself with the user-agent string Mozilla/5.0 (...) (compatible; Google-Read-Aloud; +https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1061943). Unlike autonomous crawlers like Googlebot, Google-Read-Aloud operates on-demand to make web content more accessible to those who prefer or need to consume it audibly.

The Google-Read-Aloud agent is visiting your website because a user has specifically requested that Google's text-to-speech feature read your content aloud. It does not randomly crawl your site. When a request is made, the service first checks Google's cache for the page. If the cached version is unavailable or outdated, the agent will fetch the page directly from your server to ensure the user hears the most current content. The frequency of visits is entirely dependent on how often users ask for your content to be read.

The primary purpose of Google-Read-Aloud is to support Google's text-to-speech functionality, which enhances web accessibility. It powers features like "Read It" in the Google app, converting written content into spoken words for users with visual impairments, reading difficulties, or those who simply prefer listening. For website owners, this service provides a significant benefit by making your content accessible to a broader audience at no additional cost, potentially expanding your reach.

Blocking Google-Read-Aloud is not recommended, as it will prevent users with visual impairments or other disabilities from accessing your content through Google's text-to-speech services. However, if you must block it, you can add the following rule to your robots.txt file.

To block this service, use this directive:

User-agent: Google-Read-Aloud
Disallow: /