How to Write an llms.txt File (With a Working Example)
llms.txt is a proposed convention, not an adopted standard, and no major provider uses it for citation. How to write one anyway — and why it belongs last on your list.
An llms.txt file is a simple markdown file at your site root that lists and describes your key content for large language models — a proposed convention introduced in September 2024. It’s worth being clear up front: llms.txt is not an adopted standard, and no major AI provider has committed to using it for search or citation. Creating one is cheap and harmless, and there’s a reasonable case for it as future-proofing, but it should sit at the bottom of your AI-visibility priority list, well below crawler access and content quality.
Key takeaway
- llms.txt is a proposed markdown convention listing your key content for LLMs — not an adopted standard.
- No major AI provider has committed to using it for search or citation, so expect no measurable visibility gain today.
- It takes minutes to create and costs nothing, so treat it as optional future-proofing after the work that actually matters.
What llms.txt is meant to do
The idea behind llms.txt is that a language model working with your site would benefit from a curated, clean, markdown summary of what’s there and where the important content lives — rather than crawling and parsing a whole site of navigation, scripts and styling. The file sits at yoursite.com/llms.txt and provides a structured overview: what your site is, and links to your most useful pages with brief descriptions. Conceptually it’s a bit like a sitemap written for a reader rather than a crawler.
Not a standard
llms.txt was proposed in September 2024 and remains a proposal. No major AI provider has committed to using it for search or citation, so it should not displace crawler access, indexing or content quality on your priority list.
Source — llms.txt proposal status, 2026
A working example
The format is plain markdown. Start with an H1 of your site or business name, a short blockquote summarising what you do, then H2 sections grouping links with one-line descriptions. In practice that looks like: a heading with your brand name; a one-sentence summary of what the site covers; then sections such as “Services” and “Guides,” each containing markdown links to your key URLs, each followed by a dash and a brief description of what that page answers. Keep descriptions factual and specific — “what GEO is and how AI engines choose citations” rather than “learn more about our approach.”
How to create one
- Pick your genuinely important pages. Your main service pages, your pillar guides, your about page. Curation is the point — a link dump defeats the purpose.
- Write honest one-line descriptions. Describe what each page actually answers, not marketing copy.
- Save as markdown at your root. The file must be reachable at yoursite.com/llms.txt as plain text.
- Keep it current. A file listing dead URLs is worse than none. Update it when your site structure changes, or don’t bother maintaining one.
Keep expectations honest
Since no major provider has committed to consuming llms.txt for search or citation, you should not expect creating one to move your AI visibility. Anyone selling llms.txt as an AI-visibility tactic is overstating what’s known. The honest framing is: it costs fifteen minutes, it might matter later if adoption happens, and it does no harm. What genuinely determines whether AI engines cite you is unchanged — search crawler access, being indexed, and answer-first content with real sourcing and expertise. Do all of that first, then add llms.txt if you feel like it.
Frequently asked questions
What is an llms.txt file?
An llms.txt file is a markdown file at your site root that lists and describes your key content for large language models, proposed as a convention in September 2024. It typically includes your site name, a short summary, and grouped links to important pages with brief descriptions — conceptually a sitemap written to be read rather than crawled.
Does llms.txt improve AI visibility?
There’s no evidence that it does today. llms.txt remains a proposal rather than an adopted standard, and no major AI provider has committed to using it for search or citation. Creating one is cheap and harmless as future-proofing, but expect no measurable visibility gain. Crawler access, indexing and content quality are what actually determine whether AI engines cite you.
How do I create an llms.txt file?
Write plain markdown: an H1 with your business name, a one-sentence summary of what your site covers, then H2 sections grouping links to your genuinely important pages, each with a short factual description of what that page answers. Save it as llms.txt at your site root so it’s reachable at yoursite.com/llms.txt, and update it whenever your site structure changes.
Should llms.txt be a priority?
No — put it last. It takes minutes and does no harm, but it sits well below the work that actually drives citations: allowing search crawlers like OAI-SearchBot and PerplexityBot, confirming you’re indexed in Google and Bing, and publishing answer-first content with sourced statistics and genuine expertise. Finish those first, then add llms.txt as optional future-proofing.
The bottom line
llms.txt is a tidy idea that hasn’t been adopted. Build one if you like — a curated markdown list of your key pages with honest descriptions, saved at your root and kept current — and treat it as fifteen minutes of cheap future-proofing. Just don’t let it distract from crawler access, indexing and genuinely citable content, which are what actually decide whether AI engines name you.
We focus AI visibility work on what measurably moves citations, and skip what doesn’t. Part of our AI Visibility service.
