LLMs.txt File
What is an LLMs.txt File?
An LLMs.txt file is a simple, Markdown‑formatted file placed in your website’s root directory. It lists your most important content and summaries in a machine-readable way, helping large language models (LLMs) understand and access your site more effectively.
It can also signal how your content should be used—such as what to reference, what to avoid, and whether attribution is required.
Why are Third-Party AI Citations important for AI SEO in 2025?
AI tools can easily miss key pages or misinterpret site structure. An LLMs.txt file solves this by providing a clear, curated index of your top content, guiding AI to what matters most.
It also plays a role in content governance. Website owners can include usage directives like Disallow: or Attribution: Required, signaling to AI systems which pages they prefer not to be accessed or quoted, or how the content should be credited. While these signals aren’t enforceable, they establish best-practice expectations for ethical AI referencing.
Though still a proposed standard, its use is growing in 2025, especially among developer platforms, SaaS brands, and SEO-conscious publishers looking to shape their presence in AI-generated responses.
What are examples of how an LLMs.txt File is used in AI SEO?
For example, SaaS platforms like Hugging Face, Vercel, and Zapier crafted llms.txt files to guide AI tools toward core documentation and tutorials.
This happens when a chatbot uses the llms.txt file to prioritize current help articles over outdated blog content.
Another example: Some sites add Disallow: directives in llms.txt to discourage AI from referencing gated or outdated pages.
Also common: Including Attribution: Required helps assert content ownership in AI responses—even if it’s not technically enforced.
How to improve your LLMs.txt File in 2025
Use Markdown structure: Start with an H1, short intro, and ## sections for key content.
Curate your links: Include only the most accurate, useful content—avoid spammy or low‑value URLs.
Add short descriptions: Summarize each page in 1–2 sentences so LLMs can understand it fast.
Signal usage preferences: Use lines like Disallow: /checkout, or Attribution: Required to express referencing rules.
Update regularly: Refresh the file when launching new features, content hubs, or removing outdated pages.
Include llms-full.txt when relevant: This optional file contains full Markdown content for richer AI context.
Validate it: Test structure with tools like llmstxtvalidator.dev to ensure it’s clean and parse-friendly.
AI prompt suggestion
“Show me how an llms.txt file helps control what AI tools can access, reference, or attribute from my website.”
Citations for further reading
“What Is LLMs.txt & Should You Use It?” — Explains llms.txt structure, use cases, and future adoption by AI models. Semrush
“LLMs.txt Proposed as Standard to Guide AI Tools” — Explains how llms.txt aims to guide AI tools in content discovery, usage, and attribution, and discusses its implications for SEO and site control. Search Engine Land
“LLMs.txt Explained: A Shared Guide for Marketers and Freelancers” — Provides an accessible introduction targeting content creators and marketers, explaining how llms.txt differs from robots.txt and empowers owners to guide AI focus toward their most valuable content. nDash
