The short answer
Write a short Markdown file named llms.txt and serve it at your site root. Start with an H1 of your brand name, then a one-line blockquote summary. Add H2 sections that list your most useful pages as links with short notes. Keep it accurate and brief. It is a proposed standard, so treat it as cheap groundwork, not a ranking lever.
- llms.txt is a plain Markdown file at yoursite.com/llms.txt that points AI tools to your best pages.
- The format is simple: one H1, a blockquote summary, then H2 sections of annotated links.
- No major AI platform has confirmed it reads llms.txt, so keep expectations modest.
- Every fact in the file should match your live website exactly.
What is llms.txt for?
llms.txt is a proposed standard published at llmstxt.org. It gives AI tools a short, curated map of your website.
The file is written in Markdown. Markdown is a plain text format where # marks a heading and - marks a list item.
The idea is simple. A language model can read one small file instead of crawling dozens of pages to learn what you do.
At the time of writing, no major AI platform has confirmed it uses llms.txt when answering questions. Some developer tools and AI agents do read it. It takes under an hour to write, so it is worth doing as groundwork.
Think of llms.txt as a tidy front desk for AI tools, not a switch that makes them recommend you.
How to write llms.txt in seven steps
You need a text editor and a way to upload a file to your site root. Most CMS platforms and hosts allow this.
- 1
Choose your key pages
List the 10 to 30 pages that best explain your business. Think services, pricing, about, contact and your strongest guides.
- 2
Write the H1
The first line is a single H1 with your brand or site name. For example: # Example Dental Clinic.
- 3
Add a blockquote summary
On the next block, write one or two sentences starting with >. Say what you do, for whom, and where.
- 4
Add short context if needed
Plain paragraphs can follow the summary. Use them for facts a model might get wrong, like service areas or who you do not serve.
- 5
Group links under H2 sections
Use ## headings such as Services, Pricing or Docs. Under each, list links as - [Page name](URL): one-line note.
- 6
Add an Optional section
The spec treats a section titled Optional as skippable. Put lower-priority links there, like your blog archive.
- 7
Upload it to your root
Save the file as llms.txt and serve it at yoursite.com/llms.txt. It should load as plain text, not as a web page.
An llms.txt template you can copy
Here is an example for a fictional dental clinic. Swap in your own name, summary and URLs.
Keep each note to one line. Describe what the page contains, not how great it is.
# Example Dental Clinic > Example Dental Clinic is an independent dental practice in Manchester. We offer general, cosmetic and emergency dentistry for adults and children. We are open six days a week and accept new patients. Prices and opening hours are on the linked pages. ## Services - [General dentistry](https://example.com/services/general): Check-ups, fillings and hygiene appointments. - [Teeth whitening](https://example.com/services/whitening): In-clinic and take-home options, with prices. - [Emergency appointments](https://example.com/emergency): Same-day slots and what counts as an emergency. ## About - [About us](https://example.com/about): Our dentists, qualifications and history. - [Prices](https://example.com/prices): Current price list for all treatments. - [Contact](https://example.com/contact): Address, opening hours and parking. ## Optional - [Blog](https://example.com/blog): Patient guides on oral health.
How to check your llms.txt is working
Open yoursite.com/llms.txt in a browser. You should see raw text, not your 404 page or a styled web page.
Then check the response headers. The status should be 200, and the content type should be text/plain or text/markdown.
Click every link in the file. Each should load directly, without a login wall or a chain of redirects.
The free WebValet check looks for an llms.txt file as part of its AI readiness scan. It also reviews your robots.txt rules for AI crawlers.
curl -I https://example.com/llms.txt # Look for: # HTTP/2 200 # content-type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Common llms.txt mistakes
Most problems come from treating llms.txt like a sitemap or an advert. Watch for these.
- Pasting your whole sitemap. The point is curation, so keep it short.
- Writing sales copy in the summary. Plain facts are easier for a model to reuse.
- Letting it go stale. Old prices or closed services can spread into AI answers.
- Placing it in a subfolder. It belongs at the root of your domain.
- Serving HTML. Some CMS platforms wrap uploads in a page template.
- Expecting it to replace robots.txt. llms.txt does not grant or block crawler access.
Questions people ask
Will llms.txt get me mentioned in ChatGPT?
Not on its own. No major AI platform has confirmed it reads llms.txt at the time of writing. It is a low-cost step that may help AI tools that do use it.
Is llms.txt the same as robots.txt?
No. robots.txt tells crawlers what they may access. llms.txt is a curated guide to your content. You need robots.txt; llms.txt is optional.
How often should I update llms.txt?
Update it whenever you change key pages, prices or services. A quick review each quarter is a sensible habit.
Does WebValet write llms.txt for me?
The free check tells you whether you have one. WebValet does not generate the file today. The Hire Team service can write it as part of done-for-you work.