llms.txt

llms.txt is a proposed text file that you place in the root folder of your website, at yourdomain-example.com/llms.txt. The idea is that you use simple Markdown to give an overview of what your website contains and which pages matter most, so language models and AI tools can quickly grasp the essence of your site without digging through menus, scripts and cookie banners.

The proposal was launched in 2024 by Jeremy Howard and is not an official standard. No organisation manages it, and the major AI companies have not broadly confirmed that they use the file. Google has said it doesn't need llms.txt to understand pages or show them in AI Overviews. So it is an experiment, not a requirement.

What does an llms.txt look like?

The proposed format is deliberately simple:

• a title with the name of your business or website;
• a short summary of what you do, for whom and where;
• optionally, a few lines of extra context;
• sections with lists of links to your most important pages, each with a short description.

Some sites also offer an llms-full.txt with the full text of their documentation in one file. That is mainly useful for software and documentation sites, less so for an ordinary business website.

How it differs from robots.txt and a sitemap

The name is reminiscent of robots.txt, but the function is different. Robots.txt tells crawlers which parts of your site they may or may not visit, and is a widely recognised convention. A sitemap gives search engines a complete list of your URLs. llms.txt does neither: it is a summarised table of contents intended for language models. So it doesn't replace either of those files.

Is it worth it for a small business?

Honest answer: the effect is uncertain. There is no public confirmation that ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity systematically read the file when putting together answers. At the same time, the effort is small, and it forces you to state clearly what your most important pages and messages are. That in itself is a useful exercise for your AI visibility.

Take an architecture practice in Bristol. An llms.txt can state in a few lines that the practice specialises in renovating terraced houses and energy-efficient new builds in the South West, with links to the pages on services, projects, approach and contact. It takes an hour's work, and the risk is limited, as long as the content matches what is on the site.

How to approach it

1. Start with the basics: first make sure your site is properly crawled and indexed. llms.txt doesn't make up for technical problems.
2. Write a short, factual summary of your business without marketing speak.
3. Select ten to twenty pages that really matter, not your entire site.
4. Use the same business details as on your website and your Google Business Profile.
5. Update the file when you add or remove important pages.

Whether or not you opt for llms.txt, a technical SEO analysis of your accessibility to search and AI crawlers gives you certainty that the basics are in order first.