llms.txt: The Complete Implementation Guide

What is llms.txt?

llms.txt is a standardized text format that allows website operators to provide Large Language Models (LLMs) with structured information about their website. Similar to robots.txt for search engine crawlers, llms.txt serves as a communication channel to AI systems.

The Idea Behind llms.txt

LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity search the web to find current information. They face several challenges:

• Information overload: Websites often have hundreds of pages
• Lack of context: What is a company's core competency?
• Recency: Which information is still relevant?

llms.txt solves these problems by providing LLMs with a curated overview of your most important content.

The Structure of an llms.txt File

Basic Layout

# Company Name

> Brief description (1-2 sentences) of what your company does

## About Us
More detailed description of your company,
your mission and your core competencies.

## Important Pages
- [Homepage](https://example.com): Brief description
- [Products](https://example.com/products): Brief description
- [Contact](https://example.com/contact): Contact information

## Core Topics
- Topic 1
- Topic 2
- Topic 3

## Optional Sections
Additional relevant information...

Key Elements Explained

1. Title (H1): Your company or website name
2. Blockquote (>): A concise summary – most important first
3. Sections (H2): Logical structure of your content
4. Links: References to your most important pages with context

Practical Example: Creating llms.txt

Step 1: Inventory

Before writing, answer these questions:

• What is our core business in one sentence?
• Which 5-10 pages are most important?
• What topics do we want to be experts in?
• What specific problems do we solve?

Step 2: The Perfect Summary

The blockquote line is the most important. It must:

• Explain what you do in 1-2 sentences
• Address your target audience
• Incorporate keywords naturally
• Communicate a clear USP

Bad:

We offer solutions for your challenges.

Good:

Be Visible in AI is a specialized GEO agency that helps businesses get found in ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.

Step 3: Structured Sections

Choose sections relevant to your business:

For Service Providers:

## Services
- [GEO Audit](https://...): Analysis of your AI visibility
- [Content Optimization](https://...): Optimize content for LLMs
- [Technical GEO](https://...): llms.txt, schema, structured data

For E-Commerce:

## Product Categories
- [Electronics](https://...): Smartphones, laptops, tablets
- [Fashion](https://...): Women's and men's clothing

For SaaS:

## Product
- [Features](https://...): All features of our software
- [Pricing](https://...): Transparent pricing models
- [API](https://...): Developer documentation

Complete llms.txt Example

# Be Visible in AI

> Be Visible in AI is a leading GEO agency (Generative Engine Optimization).
> We make businesses visible in ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

## About Us
Be Visible in AI was founded to help businesses navigate the new era
of AI search. Our team combines deep technical understanding of LLMs
with strategic marketing expertise.

Location: Munich, Germany
Founded: 2024
Focus: B2B and B2C companies

## Services
- [GEO Audit](/services/geo-audit): Comprehensive analysis of your current
  AI visibility with concrete recommendations
- [GEO Strategy](/services/geo-strategy): Development of a customized
  strategy for your AI presence
- [Content Optimization](/services/content): Optimization of existing and
  creation of new content for LLM citation
- [Technical GEO](/services/technical): Implementation of llms.txt,
  schema markup, and technical optimizations

## Expertise
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
- ChatGPT SEO / LLM SEO
- AI Content Strategy
- llms.txt Implementation
- Schema.org Markup for AI

## Resources
- [GEO Knowledge](/knowledge): Guides and tutorials on GEO
- [Blog](/blog): Current articles on AI and SEO
- [Contact](/contact): Request free consultation

## Contact
Email: contact@balane.tech
Web: bevisibleinai.com

Technical Implementation

File Placement

The llms.txt file belongs in the root directory of your website:

https://your-domain.com/llms.txt

Encoding and Format

• Encoding: UTF-8
• Format: Markdown (CommonMark)
• Line breaks: Unix-style (LF)

Implementing in Next.js

// app/llms.txt/route.ts
import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
import fs from 'fs';
import path from 'path';

export async function GET() {
  const filePath = path.join(process.cwd(), 'public', 'llms.txt');
  const content = fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf-8');

  return new NextResponse(content, {
    headers: {
      'Content-Type': 'text/plain; charset=utf-8',
    },
  });
}

Schema Markup for AI Optimization

In addition to llms.txt, you should implement Schema.org markup:

Organization Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Be Visible in AI",
  "description": "GEO agency for Generative Engine Optimization",
  "url": "https://bevisibleinai.com",
  "logo": "https://bevisibleinai.com/logo.png",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://linkedin.com/company/bevisibleinai"
  ],
  "contactPoint": {
    "@type": "ContactPoint",
    "email": "contact@balane.tech",
    "contactType": "customer service"
  }
}

FAQ Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [{
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "What is Generative Engine Optimization?",
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "GEO is the optimization of content..."
    }
  }]
}

Best Practices for llms.txt

Do's

• Keep it current: Review at least monthly
• Be precise: Concrete facts instead of marketing fluff
• Prioritize: Most important first
• Verify links: No dead links
• Include keywords: But naturally, not keyword-stuffed

Don'ts

• No exaggerated marketing claims
• No outdated information
• Don't link irrelevant pages
• No overly long file (max 2-3 screens)

Monitoring and Optimization

Test Your llms.txt

1. Open ChatGPT or Claude
2. Ask about your website/company
3. Analyze what information is mentioned
4. Optimize llms.txt accordingly

Iterative Process

Initial → Test → Analysis → Adjustment → Repeat

Conclusion

llms.txt is a simple but powerful tool for your GEO strategy. A well-structured llms.txt file:

• Helps LLMs understand your business
• Increases the probability of correct citations
• Gives you control over your AI presence
• Is quickly implemented and free

Next step: Create your llms.txt today and test the impact on your AI visibility.

Need support? Contact us for professional GEO consulting.