So, you’ve heard the term llms.txt floating around and probably thought, “Great, another technical thing I need to figure out.” You’re definitely not alone. It feels like every time we finally get our heads around one thing in the digital world, a dozen new acronyms pop up to confuse us.
But trust me, this one is different. It’s actually pretty simple… and super useful.
For years, we’ve all known about a file called robots.txt. You can think of it like a grumpy bouncer at a nightclub. It stands at the digital front door of your website and tells Google’s little search bots which pages they can look at and which are off-limits. It’s all about control: “You can go here, but you absolutely can’t go there.”
An llms.txt file does a similar job, but it’s less of a bouncer and more of a friendly concierge. And it’s designed specifically for the AI models that power tools like ChatGPT.
Instead of just saying yes or no, it offers a warm welcome. It basically says, “Hey there, AI. Glad you stopped by. If you want to find our most important info—the stuff that really explains what we do—you should start right here.” It points these AI models straight to your most valuable, up-to-date, and accurate content, so they don’t have to waste time sifting through everything else. It helps the AI get to the heart of your business much, much faster.
LLMs.txt vs Robots.txt: What’s the Real Difference?
The llms.txt file is a new idea, a proposed standard for the web that’s designed to guide large language models on which bits of your content they should pay most attention to when they crawl your website. While robots.txt has been bossing search engine crawlers around since the 1990s (feeling old yet?), llms.txt is built for this new age of AI. It helps you streamline how models find your high-value information like your company’s mission statement, key service pages, or detailed product specs.
This little concept map helps visualise the core purpose and what goes into an llms.txt file.
As you can see, its main job is to set some rules and point the AI to specific paths, making the whole interaction a lot more efficient.
LLMs.txt vs Robots.txt: A Quick Comparison
To put it simply, while both files act as guides for automated systems, their purpose and audience are totally different. This table breaks down those key distinctions.
| Feature | LLMs.txt | Robots.txt |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Audience | Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, etc. | Traditional search engine crawlers (e.g., Googlebot, Bingbot). |
| Main Function | Guides and prioritises access to key content. | Controls and restricts access to parts of a site. |
| Instruction Type | Suggestive (“Here’s the best content to use”). | Directive (“Allow” or “Disallow” access to these paths). |
| Goal | To improve the accuracy and quality of AI-generated summaries. | To manage server load and prevent indexing of certain pages. |
Essentially, you’re helping control how an AI sees and talks about your brand online. This whole process is about making your data easily understandable for machines, which gets into the core idea of AI tokenisation. If that’s a new term for you, it’s worth checking out what is tokenization in AI to get a better handle on how these models process information. It all boils down to translating our human language into a format that AI can actually work with.
Why This New File Actually Matters for Your Business
Okay, so it’s a guide for AI. But why should you actually care? Let’s get down to it.
AI isn’t some far-off, futuristic idea anymore. It’s here. Right now. And it’s completely changing how people find information. Every single second, someone is asking an AI assistant for a recommendation, a summary, or a straight-up answer.
If your website’s best content is buried deep down or is hard for an AI to make sense of, you’re basically invisible in this new world. You just won’t show up. It’s a huge shift.
From SEO to GEO
For years, everything’s been about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and fighting for that top spot on Google. But now, a new concept is popping up, one that people are starting to call Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).
The game is no longer just about ranking well in a list of links. It’s about becoming a trusted source for the answers that AI models generate.
Think about it for a second. Industry data shows that AI search engines are handling over 4.8 billion prompts across the globe every single month. That number points to a massive reliance on AI for information. Here in Australia, where over 90% of us are online regularly, having clear AI communication standards like llms.txt isn’t just a nice-to-have… it’s quickly becoming essential.
An
llms.txtfile is your chance to directly influence what an AI learns about your business. It’s like whispering the correct answers to the student who everyone else in the class is copying from.
This isn’t just some minor technical tweak. It’s a strategic move to lock in your business’s relevance for years to come.
Gaining Control of Your Brand Story
When you put an llms.txt file in place, you’re doing more than just organising your content. You’re actively taking back control of your brand’s story in an AI-driven world. Here’s what that really means for you:
- Attracting Higher-Quality Traffic: When an AI provides an answer based on your precise information, the person who clicks through to your site is already well-informed and genuinely interested. They aren’t just browsing; they’re looking for what you specifically offer.
- Controlling the Narrative: You get to tell AI models exactly what your company does, what you stand for, and what makes your products special. This seriously reduces the risk of an AI “hallucinating” or just making up incorrect details about your business.
- Future-Proofing Your Relevance: You’re setting up your digital presence to thrive with the next generation of search and information discovery.
Smartly using an llms.txt file can significantly improve how your business shows up in all sorts of AI applications, including those focused on AI for customer engagement. By giving AI a clear, accurate source of truth, you help make sure that every interaction a potential customer has with your brand via an AI is a positive one. It’s a proactive step that will pay off, big time.
How to Create Your First LLMs.txt File
Alright, let’s get into the practical side of things. Creating your first llms.txt file is so much simpler than you might think. It’s not about complex code. Not at all. It’s about clear instructions in a format that’s easy for both humans and AI to read.
We’ll build one together. Step-by-step.
The process starts with creating a basic plain text file named llms.txt. You’ll then need to place this file in the root directory of your website. If you’re familiar with robots.txt, this new file just sits right alongside it. Easy.
Understanding the Basic Structure
At its heart, an llms.txt file is just a curated list. It’s your way of pointing AI models toward your most valuable content while also providing a little bit of context about what they’re about to find.
The file is structured around a handful of simple commands, known as “directives”. Think of these as direct instructions for the AI. They tell the AI which models are allowed to access the information and, most importantly, where your key content lives.
The real beauty of the
llms.txtfile is its sheer simplicity. You don’t need to be a developer. If you can write a shopping list, you have all the skills you need to create a powerfulllms.txtfile.
This straightforward structure makes it an incredibly accessible tool for anyone wanting to guide how AI models interpret their website.
Essential Components and Directives
To get started, all you need is a simple text editor. No special software required. Your file will have a few key directives that work together to steer AI models in the right direction.
Let’s break down the essential components that give your llms.txt file its power.
Essential Components of an LLMs.txt File
This table outlines the key directives and explains what they instruct AI models to do.
| Directive | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| User-agent | Defines which AI model the following rules apply to. | User-agent: * |
| Inclusion | Points the AI to a specific, high-value URL on your site. | Inclusion: /about-us |
| Summary | Provides a brief, one-sentence description of the included URL. | Summary: Our company's mission and history. |
As you can see, these directives are designed to be clear and concise. They give you a simple yet effective way to communicate your priorities directly to the AI.
When you combine these directives, you can build a file that makes an immediate impact. Start by thinking about your most important content. The pages that truly define your brand or message. This is your opportunity to make a strong first impression on any AI model, ensuring it understands your story correctly from the very beginning.
Alright, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how this actually works. Don’t worry, we won’t go too deep into the weeds, but understanding the mechanics behind this simple text file really brings its importance to life.
At its heart, llms.txt is like a formal, technical handshake between your website and any AI model that comes visiting. It’s a polite introduction that sets the stage for a productive conversation.
Imagine for a moment what an AI crawler has to do without this file. It lands on your homepage and basically starts wandering around blind. It sifts through potentially thousands of pages, gets tangled up in website code, and tries to piece together what your business actually does. It’s messy. Time-consuming. And incredibly inefficient.
The llms.txt file changes that game entirely. Instead of wandering, the AI can read this one file and get a direct map to the good stuff. It’s a clean, signposted shortcut to your most valuable information.
Efficiency and Accuracy: The Two Big Wins
This efficiency is a massive deal for the companies running these AI models. It saves them a staggering amount of computing power which, as you can probably guess, translates directly into saving money. They have a real incentive to look for and use these files.
But the real benefit here is for you.
By handing the AI a neat, pre-packaged summary of your business, you ensure it gets an accurate, high-quality snapshot. It’s the difference between someone trying to understand your company by rummaging through your filing cabinet versus you handing them a perfectly organised folder with all the key highlights. This whole process is central to preparing your business for LLM-based search… making your data easy for AI to digest.
This llms.txt file gives you a structured way to guide AI, and it works hand-in-glove with broader strategies on how to turn websites into LLM-ready data. Think of it as a highly targeted tool for a much bigger challenge.
More Than Guidance: It’s About Setting Boundaries
There’s another layer to this, one that touches on the bigger picture of data ethics and protecting your intellectual property. When you create this file, you’re doing more than just pointing AI in the right direction. You’re setting clear boundaries.
You are formally declaring, in a language machines understand, precisely how your content should be used. In a world where AI is consuming information at an almost unbelievable rate, this is a subtle but powerful way to assert control.
By defining what’s important, you’re also implicitly defining what’s not. You’re taking control of the narrative and telling AI models, “This is the story I want you to tell about me.”
From a technical standpoint, llms.txt acts as a bridge, informing AI tools about data access, usage rights, and specific crawling rules. For many Australian businesses, especially those with complex, media-heavy websites, this file is a lifesaver. It cuts through the noise by pointing directly to essential URLs and providing clear summaries.
This is critical. Traditional crawlers often waste resources on irrelevant pages, which can lead to incomplete or inaccurate AI-generated answers. It’s a small file with a truly significant impact.
The Reality of llms.txt Adoption Today
https://www.youtube.com/embed/goc1f9zPJgM
Okay, let’s take a step back and have an honest chat for a moment. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new piece of technology, but we need to look at where things actually stand on the ground.
Right now, llms.txt is a brilliant idea… that isn’t yet officially supported by the big players like OpenAI or Google.
So, what on earth does that mean for you?
It means we’re in the very, very early days. Think of it like someone inventing a fantastic new type of fuel before most cars are actually built to use it. The potential is massive, but the immediate, practical use is still catching up.
Why You Should Still Create One Now
I can almost hear you thinking, “So why are we even talking about this?” And that’s a fair question.
Think of it this way: you’re getting your house in order before the important guests arrive. Even though the big AI models aren’t officially knocking on the door asking for this file yet, the industry is buzzing. People are talking. Some SEO tools are already starting to check for it.
Creating an
llms.txtfile today is a low-effort, high-reward act of future-proofing. When the switch is finally flicked—and it feels more like a question of ‘when’, not ‘if’—your website will be ready from day one.
While your competitors are scrambling to figure out what an llms.txt file even is, you’ll already have your welcome mat out. We’re already seeing major web platforms like HubSpot actively monitoring traffic and requests for these files, a clear signal that momentum is building.
This isn’t about chasing a fleeting trend. It’s about being prepared, not panicked. You’re laying down a small piece of groundwork now that will give you a significant head start later. It’s a simple, strategic move that shows you’re paying attention to where the world is heading.
Where to Go From Here
We’ve journeyed from the initial “what is an llms.txt file?” all the way through to why it’s so important and how you can create one yourself. It’s a fair bit to take in.
So, what’s the next logical step?
This isn’t just another task to add to your ever-growing list. Think of it as a small, deliberate action to ensure your content is properly interpreted in this new era of AI. It’s about taking control of your brand’s narrative.
Diving into the world of AI can feel overwhelming, but progress is always made through simple, practical steps like creating an llms.txt file. You haven’t fallen behind; you’re simply at the beginning of a new learning curve.
The key takeaway is that you now have the practical knowledge to do this properly. You’re giving your business a clear voice in a world increasingly filtered through AI.
To build on what you’ve learned, a fantastic next step is to get a handle on how these AI models are actually trained and refined. If that sparks your interest, our beginner’s guide to fine-tuning large language models is the perfect follow-up. It dives into how AI learns, giving you a deeper context for all your optimisation work.
Frequently Asked Questions About LLMs.txt
It’s completely normal to have a few questions buzzing around. Honestly, with any new tech, it’s the unanswered questions that can stop you in your tracks.
So let’s tackle some of the most common ones right now. We’ll make sure everything is crystal clear before you go.
Will Creating an LLMs.txt File Hurt My Current SEO?
Absolutely not. That’s a really common fear, but you can put it to rest.
Think of it as having two separate instruction manuals for two different types of visitors. Your robots.txt file is still there, doing its job managing the regular search bots just as it always has. Nothing changes on that front.
An llms.txt file is simply a new, additional layer built specifically for AI models. The two files don’t conflict or even interact with each other. In fact, by preparing for how search is evolving, you’re only making your overall digital strategy stronger. It’s a win-win.
What Kind of Content Should I Prioritise in the File?
Great question. It’s tempting to just dump your whole sitemap in there, but that would defeat the purpose.
You want to point the AI to your ‘greatest hits’. Your cornerstone content. The stuff that, if a person only read five pages on your site, would give them a perfect picture of who you are and what you do.
Here’s a good starting point:
- Your main ‘About Us’ page (your story and mission).
- Core product or service pages (what you actually offer).
- Your most comprehensive guides or articles that establish your expertise.
- Your contact information page.
The whole goal is to give the AI the most accurate and valuable summary of your business. You want to hand-deliver the best information so it can represent you properly out in the world.
Is It Too Early to Create One?
This is the big one, isn’t it? If the major companies don’t officially support it yet, is it just a waste of time?
It’s a fair point to raise, but I’d argue it’s the perfect time to get it done. The effort to create a simple llms.txt file is incredibly low… maybe an hour or two at most. But the potential upside is huge.
By setting it up now, you’re way ahead of the curve. When the major LLMs do start officially recognising these files—which feels more like a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’—your site will be ready from day one. Your competitors will be left scrambling. It’s a very small investment in future-proofing your website.
At Osher Digital, we specialise in helping businesses like yours prepare for what’s next. By creating custom AI agents and automating key processes, we ensure you’re not just keeping up, but leading the way. If you’re ready to build a more efficient, AI-ready operation, visit us at https://osher.com.au.
