Best Practices to Create llm.txt: Step-by-Step Guide

As AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini become primary sources of answers online, SEOs need to think beyond traditional search optimization. Enter llms.txt—a simple text file that tells AI exactly which pages to prioritize and how to interpret your content. Think of it as a map for AI, ensuring your website is accurately represented in AI-generated answers.

In this guide, we’ll show you why llms.txt matters for SEOs and provide a step-by-step approach to create your own.

What is llms.txt and Why SEOs Should Care?

llms.txt is not the same as robots.txt. While robots.txt tells search engines what they can crawl, llms.txt tells AI models what content to use and how to understand it.

Key Benefits for SEOs:

• Get cited in AI-generated answers: AI pulls content from your high-value pages, not random sources.
• Ensure accurate brand representation: Control how your website content, products, and services are described.
• Boost internal AI tools and RAG systems: Support AI search and chatbots with structured content.
• Future-proof your SEO strategy: Complements Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) alongside traditional SEO efforts.

llms.txt vs. robots.txt: A Quick Comparison

Tip: Robots.txt = access control, llms.txt = content guidance. Both files are essential for full AI and SEO visibility.

Step-by-Step Guide: Creating llms.txt for SEOs

Follow these steps to create a llms.txt file optimized for AI visibility:

Step 1: Identify High-Value Pages

Ask: Which pages should AI pull from when generating answers?

Typical high-value content:

• Product/service pages (features, pricing, integrations)
• Documentation (guides, API references, tutorials)
• FAQs and support content
• About, team, and company values pages
• Policies (terms, privacy, return policies)

Focus on 5–10 pages for maximum AI impact.

Step 2: Convert Content to AI-Friendly Format

AI models prefer clean, structured text, like Markdown.

Tips for SEOs:

• Remove navigation menus, ads, popups, and banners
• Use headings (#, ##) and bullet points for clarity
• Keep descriptions concise and factual

Tools to help:

• Markdowner – Converts HTML to Markdown
• Docsify or Docusaurus – For developer-facing documentation
• AI-assisted conversion using tools like ChatGPT

Step 3: Add a Brand Summary

Include a high-level summary at the top of your llms.txt:

# YourWebsiteName
> [One or two sentence summary: what your site offers, its audience, and why it matters]

Example:

# Rayo
> AI-powered content platform helping SEOs, marketers, and businesses generate blogs, and SEO content efficiently.

Step 4: Structure Content into Logical Sections

Use ## headers for categories, each with bulleted links:

## Product
- [Features](https://yourdomain.com/features.md): Key product capabilities
- [Pricing](https://yourdomain.com/pricing.md): Subscription tiers and policies

## Documentation
- [API Docs](https://yourdomain.com/api.md): Endpoints and authentication
- [Onboarding Guide](https://yourdomain.com/onboarding.md): Setup instructions

Step 5: Upload and Test

• Save as https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt
• Optional full-site version: https://yourdomain.com/llms-full.txt
• Confirm accessibility by visiting the URL in a browser.

Make sure links work, descriptions are factual, and markdown formatting is correct.

Step 6: Monitor and Update

• Log requests to /llms.txt to see AI access
• Update whenever new pages or FAQs are added
• Optional versioning metadata:

<!-- Last reviewed: 2025-09-19 | Owner: SEO Team -->

Example of llms.txt

# YourWebsiteName
> YourWebsiteName is a platform that provides [your niche/services] for [target audience]. We help users [main benefit or outcome], offering clear, up-to-date, and authoritative content.

## Product
- [Features](https://yourwebsite.com/features.md): Overview of key product features and benefits.
- [Pricing](https://yourwebsite.com/pricing.md): Subscription tiers, billing policies, and limits.
- [Integrations](https://yourwebsite.com/integrations.md): Compatible tools and platforms.

## Documentation
- [API Docs](https://yourwebsite.com/api.md): Full list of endpoints, authentication, and usage examples.
- [Onboarding Guide](https://yourwebsite.com/onboarding.md): Step-by-step instructions for new users.
- [FAQs](https://yourwebsite.com/faqs.md): Common questions, troubleshooting, and support.

## Policies
- [Privacy Policy](https://yourwebsite.com/privacy.md): Data handling and privacy practices.
- [Terms of Service](https://yourwebsite.com/terms.md): Legal agreements and user obligations.
- [Return & Refund Policy](https://yourwebsite.com/returns.md): Conditions and procedures.

## Support
- [Contact](https://yourwebsite.com/contact.md): Ways to reach support teams.
- [Knowledge Base](https://yourwebsite.com/knowledge-base.md): Articles and tutorials for self-help.

## Optional
- [Blog Highlights](https://yourwebsite.com/blog.md): Curated list of evergreen content relevant for users and AI.
- [Case Studies](https://yourwebsite.com/case-studies.md): Examples of successful implementations and client outcomes.

<!-- Versioning Metadata -->
<!-- Last updated: 2025-09-19 | Owner: SEO Team | Version: 1.0 -->

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overloading with too many pages – Focus on high-value content only.
2. Ignoring Markdown structure – AI requires headings, bullet points, and links.
3. Not updating regularly – Keep content current to prevent outdated AI answers.
4. Confusing llms.txt with robots.txt – They serve different purposes; don’t mix them.

Tools to Simplify llms.txt Creation

• Markdowner – Convert pages to Markdown
• FireCrawl – Generate llms.txt and preview links
• Appify’s llms.txt Generator – No-code tool
• WordPress Plugins – Auto-generate llms.txt from posts/pages

Final Thoughts

Creating a llms.txt file is a low-effort, high-impact strategy. It ensures AI models understand your most important content, maintains accurate brand representation, and complements traditional SEO.

Even a basic llms.txt takes under an hour to create and scales over time, just like a sitemap. SEOs who adopt it early gain visibility in AI-powered search results and future-proof their websites.

FAQs

1. What is the purpose of llms.txt?
It guides AI to your high-value pages, improving answer accuracy and relevance.

2. How does it differ from robots.txt?
Robots.txt controls crawler access; llms.txt curates which content AI should prioritize.

3. What should be included?
Brand summary, high-value links, concise descriptions, structured headings, and optional metadata.

4. How often should I update it?
Whenever content changes or new high-value pages are added.

5. Can it improve AI-powered search visibility?
Yes. By guiding AI directly, your content is more likely to appear accurately in AI answers.

Ridam Khare

Ridam Khare is an SEO strategist with 7+ years of experience specializing in AI-driven content creation. He helps businesses scale high-quality blogs that rank, engage, and convert.