Steering files are instructions, not ranking hacks. When they accurately summarize where official documentation and policies live, they reduce thrash for well-behaved agents. When they contradict the HTML or hide material facts, they create downstream trust issues.
Treat the file like an internal README aimed at machines: short, versioned links to canonical resources, update cadence tied to releases, and owners who respond when paths change.
Measure outcomes by support load and crawl anomalies, not vanity citations. Pair with robots hygiene and clear licensing pages if third parties train on your materials.