llms.txt explained: what it is and how to create one

llms.txt is a Markdown text file published at the root of your domain (https://example.com/llms.txt) that gives large language models and AI agents a concise overview of your site and a curated list of its most useful pages – without menus, banners and scripts to wade through. It is a proposed standard from 2024 and, while not every major AI vendor has officially adopted it yet, it is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to make a site easier for AI to understand.

Where llms.txt comes from

The proposal was published in September 2024 by Jeremy Howard (Answer.AI) at llmstxt.org. The problem it solves is practical: context windows are limited, and real web pages are full of noise (navigation, scripts, cookie banners, footers). A machine-oriented file in a format models read extremely well lets an agent understand in seconds what the site is about and where the reliable information lives.

llms.txt vs robots.txt vs sitemap.xml

In short: robots.txt controls access, the sitemap ensures coverage and llms.txt guides understanding. It blocks nothing – if you want to keep AI bots out, do it in robots.txt.

The structure of an llms.txt file

1. An H1 title with the name of the site or project (the only required element).
2. A blockquote with a one- or two-sentence summary: who you are, what you offer, for whom.
3. Optional paragraphs or lists with context (service area, languages, indicative pricing).
4. H2 sections with link lists in the form - [Title](URL): description.
5. An "Optional" section with secondary links an agent can skip when space is short.

A ready-to-copy example

# Northwind Analytics

> Northwind Analytics is a London-based consultancy specialising in SEO and GEO
> for SaaS and e-commerce companies. We run technical audits, content strategy and
> visibility tracking on Google and in AI answer engines.

We work in English and German with clients across Europe. Retainers start
at £1,200 per month.

## Services
- [Technical SEO audit](https://northwind.example/services/audit): a 40-point review of crawling, indexing and performance
- [GEO strategy](https://northwind.example/services/geo): optimisation for ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and AI Overviews
- [Content consulting](https://northwind.example/services/content): editorial plans driven by Search Console data

## Resources
- [Case studies](https://northwind.example/case-studies): measured results by industry
- [Pricing](https://northwind.example/pricing): packages and what they include
- [Contact](https://northwind.example/contact): email, phone and office address

## Optional
- [Blog](https://northwind.example/blog): practical SEO and GEO guides
- [About](https://northwind.example/about): team and methodology

Keep each description short but specific: what the reader finds on that page and why it can be trusted. Prefer facts – numbers, scope, locations, customer types – over promotional phrases.

What about llms-full.txt?

Some sites also publish /llms-full.txt, containing the full text of the main pages in a single Markdown document. It is popular for technical documentation (APIs, software) because an assistant can "read the whole manual" in one go. For a typical business website llms.txt is usually enough; if you run a large knowledge base, llms-full.txt can help.

How to publish it

• Any website: create the file in a text editor, save it as UTF-8 named llms.txt and upload it to the site root (next to robots.txt). Check that it returns HTTP 200 with a text/plain or text/markdown content type.
• WordPress: upload via FTP or your host's file manager – or install the SEOGenio WordPress plugin, which serves /llms.txt and /llms-full.txt automatically, generated from your GEO profile so they stay up to date.
• With SEOGenio: the GEO › llms.txt builder starts from your GEO profile and the key pages found by the site audit and sitemap, adds a description to every link and produces both files, ready to download or publish through the plugin.

Common mistakes

• Dumping the whole sitemap: llms.txt should be a curated selection, not hundreds of URLs.
• Linking blocked or noindexed pages: if crawlers cannot access a page, there is no point listing it.
• Facts that contradict the site: different prices or services confuse models and reduce trust.
• Forgetting to update it: add it to your release checklist whenever services or prices change.
• Expecting miracles: llms.txt helps understanding, but it does not replace quality content, technical access and reputation. The full picture is in our guide on how to show up in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity answers.

How to check it works

After publishing, confirm three things: the file is reachable (200, no odd redirects), robots.txt does not block the AI bots you want to reach, and your server logs show AI agents requesting the file. The SEOGenio log analyzer reads Apache or Nginx logs and shows which AI bots fetch your llms.txt and how often. Finally, ask a browsing-enabled assistant to summarise your site using llms.txt – a quick test of whether your wording is picked up correctly.

llms.txt takes less than an hour, forces you to state your positioning in a few lines and gives AI agents a clean entry point to your site. Publish it, keep it current and measure it alongside your other GEO signals. To automate the whole workflow, explore the SEOGenio GEO features and plans.