Do You Need an LLMs.txt?

Having an llms.txt is not an essential markup file for your small business and it is not a requirement for AI search visibility. This can change however, so being an early-adopter isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

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What is an llms.txt?

Llms.txt is a markup file that works in a similar way to your robots.txt and sitemap.xml - a text file that is readable by bot crawlers to help platforms understand your content. This particular file acts as a priority map for AI crawlers to learn more about your business and services.

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Why you don't need it (right now)

There’s no official adoption yet and Google have recently come out in their guidance stating llms.txt is not required for AI search to understand websites. 

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If that is the case, a text file is not the solution to fix any existing SEO/GEO problems you have already. So if you’re not ranking successfully on traditional search, an AI text file isn’t going to make miracles happen.

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When should you consider it?

You only need to worry about llms.txt if:

1. You have a complex site: You have extensive documentation, SaaS help centers, or a massive amount of technical content that AI models struggle to navigate.
2. You are an early adopter: You have implemented all other technical optimisations and have thoroughly tested ways to increase your rankings. Your time is better spent here.

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What you need to be priorisiting

Before you spend time on an llms.txt file, spend time on recognised improvement signals. These provide a much higher return on investment for small business owners:

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• Schema Markup (Structured Data): This is the industry-standard way to communicate your business entities (organisation, location, services, reviews etc) to search engines and AI.

• Quality Content: AI systems favor clear, authoritative, and direct content. Be concise in the way you write and detailed in the way you explain.

• Consistent Entity Data: Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone number are consistent across your website and Google Business Profile. If you’re a local business, this carries across to your citation/directory submissions.

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Llms.txt is low risk and may be widely adopted later down the line. There is no urgency to add this but if you have some spare time, consider adding it.

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