llms.txt is a text file placed in the root directory of your site that gives AI language models (LLMs) a concise, machine-friendly summary of your site. Its purpose, much like robots.txt guides search engine bots, is to introduce your brand, your most important pages and your content to AI systems correctly. In this guide you will see what llms.txt is, its structure and how to create it, with examples.
What exactly is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a plain text file written in Markdown format and accessed at https://yoursite.com/llms.txt. It contains a short description of your brand, the services you offer, links to your most important pages and the core information you want AI to know.
Where robots.txt says "do not go here", llms.txt says "here is my most important information, describe me this way". In other words, it is not a blocking file but an introduction and guidance file.
What is llms.txt used for?
AI assistants have to crawl many pages to understand a brand. llms.txt makes this easier:
- It clearly explains what your brand does in one place.
- It points to the pages you want AI to prioritize.
- It reduces the risk of being associated with incorrect or outdated information.
- It increases the likelihood of being described correctly in AI answers.
How to create llms.txt? (Step by step)
A basic llms.txt is prepared with these steps:
- 1. Open a text editor and name the file
llms.txt. - 2. At the top, write your brand name and a one-sentence description.
- 3. Add concise information and links under headings such as "Services" and "Important Pages".
- 4. Add contact and language information.
- 5. Upload the file to your site's root (public) directory and verify it is accessible at
yoursite.com/llms.txt.
For more comprehensive content, you can also create an llms-full.txt file; this includes deeper information such as product details and FAQs.
An example llms.txt structure
A simple llms.txt looks like this:
- # Brand Name — Short description
- ## About — What you do (1-2 sentences)
- ## Services — Core services listed as bullet points
- ## Important Pages — Links to home, about, pricing, blog
- ## Contact — Email and web address
Keep the sections simple and up to date; the power of llms.txt lies in its brevity and accuracy.
The relationship between llms.txt and GEO
llms.txt alone will not make you number one in AI searches; but it is a fundamental technical piece of a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategy. Together with schema markup, up-to-date content and robots.txt, it forms the set of signals that help AI systems understand you correctly.
GeoRanke can automatically generate llms.txt and llms-full.txt files tailored to your site, and by measuring your AI visibility it shows you where you fall short.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is llms.txt mandatory?
No, it is not mandatory and is more of a growing practice than an official standard. However, it is a low-cost, high-return step for introducing your site to AI systems correctly.
What is the difference between llms.txt and robots.txt?
robots.txt tells bots where they can and cannot go (allow/disallow). llms.txt introduces your site and points to your most important content (introduction/guidance).
Where should I put llms.txt?
Put it in your site's root directory; it should be directly accessible at <code>https://yoursite.com/llms.txt</code>.
What is llms-full.txt?
It is a more comprehensive version of llms.txt; it presents deeper content such as product/service details, FAQs and technical information to AI.
Can I generate llms.txt automatically?
Yes. GeoRanke can automatically generate llms.txt and llms-full.txt files based on your site's content.
