AI Search Optimisation
8 min read
What Is llms.txt and Does Your Website Need One?
llms.txt is a proposed standard: a short Markdown file at your domain root that tells AI tools who you are and which pages matter most.
Quick answer: llms.txt is a proposed web standard: a plain-text Markdown file placed at the root of your website (yourdomain.com/llms.txt) that gives large language models a concise summary of your organisation and links to your most important pages. It is not a ranking factor and not universally supported yet, but it is quick to create and helps AI tools understand your site accurately.
Key takeaways
llms.txt summarises your site for AI; robots.txt controls crawling.
It is written in simple Markdown with a title, summary and grouped links.
Adoption by AI companies is still evolving, so treat it as low-cost, low-risk.
It works best alongside schema markup and well-structured pages.
How is llms.txt different from robots.txt and sitemap.xml?
robots.txt tells crawlers which parts of a site they may access.
sitemap.xml lists all URLs for search engines to discover.
llms.txt gives a curated, human-readable summary of what matters, written for AI models with limited context.
What should an llms.txt file contain?
A heading with your organisation name.
A one or two sentence summary of who you are and what you do.
Key facts: location, services, markets served, contact details.
Grouped links to important pages: services, case studies, pricing, FAQs, guides.
Optionally, a section of lower-priority links.
What does a simple example look like?
A typical file starts with a title line such as "# Fameweb", then a short quote-style summary, then sections like "## Services", "## Case studies" and "## Guides", each listing links with a one-line description. Keep it factual and concise.
Do AI tools actually use llms.txt?
Support varies. Some developer tools and AI products read it, and many documentation sites publish one. Major AI assistants have not universally committed to it. Because it takes little effort, many businesses add it as part of a wider AI search strategy rather than relying on it alone.
How do you add llms.txt to Framer, Webflow or WordPress?
WordPress: upload the file to the site root or use a plugin.
Webflow and Framer: hosted platforms may not allow arbitrary root files; options include hosting the file elsewhere and redirecting /llms.txt to it, or checking current platform support.
Custom sites: serve it as a static file.
What matters more than llms.txt?
Clear page structure, answer-first content, accurate schema markup, consistent brand information and genuine third-party mentions all have a larger effect on AI visibility today.
How Fameweb can help
We include llms.txt, schema and answer-first page structure in our AEO and GEO services. Read more on what GEO is and what AEO is.
Frequently asked questions
Is llms.txt a Google ranking factor?
No. It is aimed at AI tools, not traditional search ranking.
Can llms.txt block AI training?
No. Use robots.txt and platform-specific controls to manage crawler access.
How often should I update llms.txt?
Whenever your key services, pages or company details change, and at least every few months.
