Most websites don’t have an LLMs.txt file yet, but that might need to change. This new web standard could become essential for getting large language models like ChatGPT and Claude to properly crawl and understand your website’s content.
LLMs.txt is a proposed web standard that helps AI models find your most important content. While major platforms haven’t fully adopted it yet, early implementation could give your site an advantage as AI-driven search continues to grow. Here’s what you need to know about whether your website should have one.
What Is an LLMs.txt File?
An LLMs.txt file is a machine-readable Markdown file that you place at https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt. Think of it as a roadmap for AI models, showing them exactly where to find your most valuable content without having to crawl through navigation menus, ads, or irrelevant pages.
The file contains a curated list of your key pages along with brief descriptions of what each page contains. This gives large language models the context they need to quickly retrieve accurate information about your site when users ask related questions.
Unlike a robots.txt file that tells crawlers what they can or cannot access, LLMs.txt is purely informational. It highlights your best content rather than restricting access to anything.
How LLMs.txt Differs from Robots.txt
While both files live in your website’s root directory and guide automated systems, they serve completely different purposes:
Robots.txt controls crawler behavior for search engines like Google. It uses simple “allow” or “disallow” rules to manage which pages get indexed. The goal is to improve your site’s search visibility by preventing crawlers from wasting time on irrelevant pages.
LLMs.txt provides context and content curation for AI models. Written in Markdown format with headings and bullet lists, it guides language models toward your highest-value content. The goal is to ensure AI systems can accurately represent your expertise when answering user questions.
As Google’s John Mueller explained, “LLMs.txt is not a way to control AI bots… it’s a way to show the main content to AI bots.”
Current Adoption Status by Major Platforms
The adoption of LLMs.txt varies significantly across AI platforms:
Anthropic (Claude) appears to be the biggest supporter of the standard. They’ve published an LLMs.txt file on their own website, signaling support for the proposal. This makes sense given their focus on helpful, harmless, and honest AI interactions.
Google has taken a different stance. They’ve stated publicly that they don’t use LLMs.txt for their AI overviews in search. Google compared it to the old HTML keywords meta tag – something site owners can add, but which search engines largely ignore. They even recommend adding a noindex header to your LLMs.txt file so it doesn’t appear in search results.
OpenAI (ChatGPT) hasn’t made any official announcements about LLMs.txt support. However, some website owners have reported seeing ChatGPT’s crawler accessing their LLMs.txt files in server logs. This doesn’t confirm they’re using the data, but it suggests they’re at least monitoring the standard.
According to analysis by Ahrefs, “no major LLM provider currently supports llms.txt. Not OpenAI. Not Anthropic. Not Google.”
Should You Add LLMs.txt to Your Website?
Yes, you should add an LLMs.txt file to your website, even though adoption remains limited. Here’s why:
Low risk, potential high reward. Creating an LLMs.txt file takes minimal time and resources, especially with available plugins and tools. If major AI platforms do start using it, you’ll be ahead of competitors who waited.
Future-proofing your content. AI-driven search is growing rapidly. By preparing now, you ensure your content is structured and ready when these systems become more sophisticated.
Improved content organization. The process of creating an LLMs.txt file forces you to identify and prioritize your most valuable content, which benefits your overall content strategy.
Early adopter advantage. If AI models begin favoring sites with well-structured LLMs.txt files, early implementation could provide a competitive edge.
Even Google, despite not supporting the standard, recommends focusing on “unique, valuable content for people” – exactly what a well-crafted LLMs.txt file highlights.
How to Create and Implement LLMs.txt
Creating an LLMs.txt file is straightforward. Here’s the basic structure:
- Start with an H1 heading using your site name
- Add a brief description in a blockquote explaining what your site offers
- Organize content into H2 sections like “Documentation,” “Services,” or “Resources”
- List key pages as bullet points with descriptive summaries
- Use an “Optional” section for lower-priority content
Here’s a simple example:
# TJ Digital
> AI-focused digital marketing agency helping small businesses optimize for search engines and large language models.
## Services
– [AI SEO Services](https://tjdigital.com/ai-seo): Search engine optimization with focus on AI platforms like ChatGPT
– [Google Ads Management](https://tjdigital.com/google-ads): Complete campaign management with transparent pricing
## Resources
– [Digital Marketing Blog](https://tjdigital.com/blog): Latest strategies for AI optimization and SEO
The file should be saved as llms.txt and uploaded to your website’s root directory, accessible at https://yoursite.com/llms.txt.
WordPress Plugins for LLMs.txt Automation
WordPress users have several options for automated LLMs.txt creation:
Website LLMs.txt Plugin is currently the most popular free option. It automatically generates an LLMs.txt file by pulling content from your posts and pages, with options to exclude content marked as noindex. The plugin even tracks which AI crawlers fetch your file.
Yoast SEO (version 21.1+) includes built-in LLMs.txt support. With one click, Yoast generates and publishes an LLMs.txt file automatically, selecting your cornerstone content by default. The file updates weekly automatically, making it a “set and forget” solution.
Both plugins integrate with your existing SEO setup and require no coding knowledge.
What About LLMs-Full.txt?
Some sites are experimenting with LLMs-Full.txt files that contain the complete text of important pages rather than just links and summaries. This unofficial extension aims to provide AI models with everything they need in one file, eliminating the need to crawl multiple pages.
While this approach might seem more thorough, it has significant drawbacks:
- File size limitations – Most AI models can’t process extremely large context windows
- Maintenance burden – Every content update requires updating the full file
- No standardization – Unlike LLMs.txt, there’s no agreed-upon format
For most businesses, a standard LLMs.txt file provides the best balance of utility and maintainability.
The Future of AI Optimization
LLMs.txt represents an early step in what many are calling Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – optimizing content for AI-driven search and answer engines. As these systems become more sophisticated, having structured, AI-friendly content will likely become as important as traditional SEO.
We’re still in the early phases of this transition, but the direction is clear. More people are turning to ChatGPT, Claude, and AI-powered search for answers. The businesses that prepare now by implementing standards like LLMs.txt will be better positioned as this shift accelerates.
The effort required is minimal compared to the potential upside. Even if LLMs.txt doesn’t become universal, the process of creating one helps you think strategically about your content hierarchy and what you want AI systems to know about your business.
Get Your Website Ready for AI-Driven Search
LLMs.txt files represent the future of how AI systems will understand and recommend websites. While adoption is still limited, the low implementation cost and potential benefits make it worth adding to your site today.
If you’re ready to optimize your website for both traditional search engines and AI platforms, TJ Digital can help. We specialize in AI optimization strategies that prepare your business for the future of search. Contact us for a free digital marketing audit to see how your site can rank better in both Google and large language models like ChatGPT.