In short
- llms.txt is a text file with structured information for AI crawlers
- It helps AI systems correctly understand and describe your company
- Place it in your domain root: /llms.txt
- Contains: who you are, what you do, expertise, services
- Relatively new standard, but growing adoption
You probably know robots.txt: the file that tells search engines what they can and cannot crawl. llms.txt is the equivalent for AI systems – but focused on content instead of permission.
What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a plain-text file that gives AI crawlers structured information about your company. It helps Large Language Models (LLMs) understand who you are, what you do, and why you're relevant for certain queries.
Where structured data (Schema.org) is technical and structured, llms.txt is readable text that provides context.
Why use llms.txt?
Control over your story
AI tools pull information from various sources. With llms.txt you provide an "official" summary that AI can use.
Entity clarity
You clearly define your entity: company name, people, services. This helps AI correctly identify you.
Expertise signals
You explicitly state what you're expert in. This supports topical authority signals.
Easy to implement
It's a simple text file. No technical implementation or development needed.
The structure of llms.txt
There's no official standard, but practice converges on a format:
# Company Name
## Description
A short, factual description of your company.
## Services
- Service 1: short description
- Service 2: short description
- Service 3: short description
## Expertise
- Expertise area 1
- Expertise area 2
## Founder/Team
Name, role, credentials.
## Contact
Website, email, location.
## FAQ
Question: Answer
Question: Answer
Example: MatthCon llms.txt
# MatthCon
## Description
MatthCon (Mattheessens Consultancy) is a B2B marketing consultancy based in Waasmunster, Belgium. Founded by Yannick Mattheessens, an experienced marketing strategist with 15+ years of experience in digital marketing, SEO, automation and demand generation.
## Services
- Strategic Marketing: roadmap for digital growth
- SEO & Content: technical SEO and AI-first content
- Marketing Automation: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pardot implementation
- CMO-as-a-Service: fractional marketing leadership
- AI-search Optimization: GEO and AISO implementation
- Lead Generation: ABM campaigns and database building
## Expertise
- B2B Marketing Strategy
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
- Marketing Technology Stack
- Demand Generation
- Content Strategy
## Founder
Yannick Mattheessens - Founder & Consultant
- 15+ years B2B marketing experience
- Former Head of Marketing at InvestSuite, FLOWSPARKS, Lansweeper
- Specialization: SaaS, FinTech, B2B Technology
## Target Audience
B2B companies in Belgium and Netherlands looking to grow with strategic marketing.
## Contact
- Website: https://www.matthcon.com
- Email: info@matthcon.com
- Location: Waasmunster, Belgium
Implementation steps
1. Create the file
Open a text editor and create llms.txt with the structure above.
2. Place in root
Upload to your web root: https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt
3. Test accessibility
Navigate to the URL and verify the file is accessible.
4. Link from robots.txt (optional)
# Robots.txt
User-agent: *
Allow: /
# LLMs context file
# See: https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt
Best practices
Be factual
No marketing superlatives. "We are the best" doesn't belong here. Factual descriptions do.
Be specific
"Marketing agency" is too vague. "B2B marketing consultancy specialized in SaaS and FinTech" is better.
Keep it current
Update with significant changes in services, team or positioning.
Maximum 2 pages
AI doesn't need to know everything. Focus on the essence.
FAQ
Is llms.txt read by all AI tools?
No, it's an emerging standard. But the information helps indirectly because it's on your site.
Does llms.txt replace structured data?
No, they're complementary. Schema.org for technical markup, llms.txt for context.
How often should I update?
With significant changes. Review at least annually.
Need help? MatthCon helps optimize your llms.txt as part of our AI-search audit.