With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, users are increasingly discovering content not just through search engines but through large language models (LLMs). These LLMs depend on clean, relevant, and structured data to understand your website better.
To help website owners like you get noticed by these AI tools, Yoast SEO has introduced a powerful new feature: llms.txt — a simple but game-changing file that boosts your website’s discoverability in AI systems.
Table of Contents
What Is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a text-based file written in Markdown format that lists the most valuable, authoritative pages from your website. It acts as a “menu” for Large Language Models (LLMs), helping them understand which content to prioritize when presenting answers or summaries.
It’s like robots.txt or sitemap.xml, but designed specifically to help AI crawlers like ChatGPT, Bing AI, or Google Gemini read and extract the most relevant and high-quality content from your site.
Why You Should Use llms.txt Right Now
- Improves Visibility in AI Tools: Helps LLMs understand your site’s structure and value proposition.
- Reduces Misinterpretation: You guide the AI with curated links, avoiding low-quality content being prioritized.
- Future-Proof Your SEO: As AI continues to dominate content discovery, llms.txt prepares your site for upcoming shifts in search behavior.
- Zero Risk, High Reward: Even if some AI systems aren’t using it yet, the file poses no SEO risk and can only help.
- Bridges the gap between traditional SEO and AI-driven search: LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude fetch content live, struggle with heavy HTML, and miss crucial pages without guidance yoast.com+15yoast.com+15yoast.com+15.
- Curated AI roadmap: llms.txt is to AI what a “menu” is to LLMs—highlighting key pages and boosting the likelihood of accurate, brand-aligned answers.
- Low-lift, high-impact: As an automated, update-friendly file, it’s a strong competitive advantage today and ongoing future-proofing for AI SEO .
How to Implement llms.txt Using Yoast SEO (WordPress Only)
Yoast made this super simple in its latest update (v25.3 and above):
Step-by-Step:
- Update the Plugin
Ensure you have the latest version of Yoast SEO installed. - Enable the Feature
- Navigate to:
WordPress Dashboard → Yoast SEO → Settings → Site Features - Look for the “llms.txt” toggle and turn it ON.
- Save the changes.
- Navigate to:
- Preview and Confirm
- Visit https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt
- You’ll see a well-structured Markdown file containing:
- Short description of your site
- Key links (articles, FAQs, services)
- Easy-to-read formatting for AI models
- Yoast Auto-Updates the File Weekly
The file refreshes automatically as your content changes.
Important:
If you have an existing manual llms.txt file in your root, Yoast will not overwrite it. You must remove it or disable the Yoast setting.
Don’t Use WordPress? Looking for Alternatives? Do It Manually
If you’re not using WordPress or want full control, create the file yourself:
Manual llms.txt Setup:
- Create a File Called llms.txt in Your Root Directory
Use Markdown Format. Example:
# GreatInflux.com
> Your trusted partner for SEO, PPC, and lead generation.
## Top Pages
– [SEO Services](https://greatinflux.com/seo-services)
– [Google Ads Management](https://greatinflux.com/services/ppc-consulting)
– [FAQs](https://greatinflux.com/faqs)
- Save with UTF-8 Encoding
- Host it at the root level: https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt
- Update it regularly (monthly or after major content updates)
Alternatives If You Can’t Use llms.txt
| Option | Purpose | How to Use |
| sitemap.xml | For search engine indexing | Submit via Google Search Console / Bing Tools |
| robots.txt | Control what bots can crawl | Add disallow/allow rules |
| Structured Data | Help AI understand page context | Add Schema markup (Yoast supports this too) |
| Help Pages / FAQ | Centralize AI-friendly info | Add a dedicated FAQ page with simple Q&A markup |
Best Practices for llms.txt
- Keep it short and relevant: Only include valuable and evergreen content.
- Use proper formatting: Clean headings and links help AI models parse easily.
- Update regularly: Especially when adding new pillar content or guides.
- Avoid duplicates: Do not list the same page twice or include low-quality URLs.
- Keep descriptions clear: Your intro should explain your site’s authority in simple words.
Final Thoughts
AI is the new gateway to online discovery. With users turning to tools like ChatGPT to get quick, summarized answers — it’s crucial that your website is well-represented.
By implementing llms.txt, you’re guiding these AI systems directly to the content that matters most. Whether you use Yoast’s automated method or a manual Markdown file, taking this small step today could set you apart tomorrow.
Need Help?
If you want help building your llms.txt or want to audit which pages to include, reach out to our team at GreatInflux.com. We offer 1-month free consultation and full SEO support for AI readiness.
1. Is llms.txt a replacement for sitemap.xml?
No. It’s a complementary tool. sitemap.xml is for search engines, llms.txt is for LLMs (AI systems).
2. Will AI tools start reading llms.txt right away?
Not all, but many are experimenting with it. Being an early adopter gives you a head start.
3. Can I include blog posts?
Yes, but focus only on high-performing or pillar content that brings traffic or leads.
4. Will Yoast overwrite my existing llms.txt file?
No. If you have a manual file in the root directory, Yoast will skip auto-generation.
5. Does this affect Google rankings?
No direct impact on rankings yet, but it can increase brand visibility in AI-generated answers and improve AI interpretation of your site.
