llms.txt

What Is llms.txt?

Much like robots.txt gives structured guidance to search engine crawlers, llms.txt gives AI crawlers structured information about your company. If you want to control what information ChatGPT or Perplexity uses about you, this file is an important first step. It connects closely with LLM crawlability and GEO optimization.

llms.txt is a text file placed in a website’s root directory, specifically designed for AI language models (large language models). Similar to how robots.txt gives instructions to search engine crawlers, llms.txt provides AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity with a structured overview of the website: what it offers, which pages are most relevant, and how the website should be represented in AI-generated responses.

The format is deliberately simple. A typical llms.txt contains a brief description of the website, the most important pages with titles and URLs, contact information, and optionally guidance on desired representation. There is currently no official standard like robots.txt, but the initiative is gaining traction as more traffic is generated through AI answer engines. The file primarily targets AI crawlers that index websites to build their knowledge base or retrieve real-time information.

For your SEO and GEO strategy, an llms.txt is a pragmatic step toward improving visibility in AI-driven responses. By explicitly telling AI systems which content is relevant and how your brand should be described, you increase the chance of accurate and favorable mentions. Implementation is straightforward: a simple text file at domain.com/llms.txt, updated regularly. Combined with structured data and citable content, it forms an important building block of AI visibility.