How to Create and Install an llms.txt File on Your Website

Adding an llms.txt file to your website is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to improve your AI discoverability. This guide walks you through the process step by step, whether you want to create one manually or use our free generator.

The llms.txt Specification

The llms.txt format follows a straightforward markdown structure. Every llms.txt file should include:

1. A title: Your business or website name as an H1 heading
2. A description: A blockquote summarizing what your site is about
3. Categorized sections: H2 headings with lists of important pages, each with a URL and brief description

Step 1: Identify Your Key Content

Before writing your llms.txt file, inventory the most important pages on your website. Think about what an AI model would need to know to accurately describe your business. Common categories include:

• Services/Products: What you offer
• About: Who you are, your credentials, your team
• Service Areas: Where you operate (critical for local businesses)
• Resources: Guides, tools, calculators, blog posts
• Contact: How to reach you, booking pages

Aim for 10-30 of your most important pages. You don't need to list every page, just the ones that best represent your business.

Step 2: Write Your llms.txt File

Here's the template to follow:

# Your Business Name

> A 1-3 sentence description of your business. Include what you do,
> who you serve, and where you operate. Be specific and factual.

## Section Name
- [Page Title](https://yoursite.com/page-url): Brief description of what this page covers.
- [Another Page](https://yoursite.com/another-page): What visitors will find here.

## Another Section
- [Page Title](https://yoursite.com/page): Description.

Writing Tips

• Be factual, not salesy. AI models respond better to clear descriptions than marketing language. Write "Full-service mortgage lender offering conventional, FHA, and VA loans in the Denver metro area" rather than "Your dream home starts here!"
• Be specific. Name your actual services, locations, and specializations. Generic descriptions don't help AI differentiate you from competitors.
• Keep descriptions concise. One sentence per link is ideal. AI models parse brief, structured information more effectively than long paragraphs.
• Use real URLs. Every link should point to an actual page on your website. Broken links reduce trust.
• Prioritize. List your most important pages first within each section. AI models pay more attention to items higher in the document.

Step 3: Validate Your File

Before installing, check that your llms.txt file:

• Starts with a single H1 heading (your business name)
• Has a blockquote description immediately after the title
• Uses H2 headings for categories
• Uses markdown list items with links in [Title](URL): Description format
• Contains no broken links
• Accurately represents your current services and content

Step 4: Install on Your Website

Your llms.txt file needs to be accessible at yoursite.com/llms.txt. How you install it depends on your platform:

Static hosting (Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages)

Place the file in your site's public or root directory. It will be served automatically at /llms.txt.

WordPress

You have a few options:

• Upload the file to your WordPress root directory via FTP/SFTP
• Use a plugin that lets you add custom files to your root
• Add a rewrite rule in your .htaccess file to serve the content

Squarespace, Wix, or other website builders

Most website builders don't allow you to add custom root files directly. Options include:

• Using a subdomain or separate hosting for the file
• Contacting your platform's support about custom file hosting
• Using a reverse proxy or CDN to serve the file at the correct path

Step 5: Verify It's Working

After installation, verify your file is accessible by visiting https://yoursite.com/llms.txt in your browser. You should see the raw markdown content. If you get a 404 error, double-check the file location and your hosting configuration.

The Easy Way: Use Our Free Generator

If you'd rather not write your llms.txt file manually, our free llms.txt generator does the heavy lifting. Just enter your website URL and our AI will:

1. Crawl your website and analyze your content
2. Identify your most important pages and categorize them
3. Generate a properly structured llms.txt file
4. Let you review and edit before finalizing

Once you're happy with the result, book a free installation call and we'll add the file to your website for you. The whole process takes minutes.

Keep It Updated

Your llms.txt file should reflect your current website content. When you add new services, enter new markets, or create important new pages, update your llms.txt file to match. A stale llms.txt is better than no llms.txt, but a current one is best.