AI-driven search is here: With tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity answering questions directly, consumers can find product info without traditional search. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands need to adapt so their content isn’t left out of this new AI-driven discovery channel.
Enter llms.txt… your AI guidebook: llms.txt is a newcomer on the digital scene that acts like a guide for AI models on your site. In this post, we’ll outline what an llms.txt file is and why it matters, weigh the business pros and cons of allowing AI models to use your content, and provide step-by-step instructions to create and deploy an llms.txt file on platforms like Shopify and WordPress. The goal is to keep things simple and actionable, so even non-technical folks can stay ahead of this trend.
What Is an llms.txt File and Why Does It Matter?
A proposed standard for AI content indexing: llms.txt is essentially a text file (in Markdown format) you place on your website to help large language models (LLMs) understand your content structure. Think of it as a cheat sheet or guidebook for AI, similar to how robots.txt guides search engine crawlers and sitemap.xml lists all your pages, llms.txt calls out your most important pages and info for AI models.
Designed for AI like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity: The file is specifically meant for AI systems (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, etc.) that might crawl your site for data. For example, OpenAI’s GPT-4 or even Google’s Gemini could use llms.txt as a quick map to your site’s key content, if they choose to support it in the future. It’s a human-readable, AI-friendly file at your site’s root (e.g. yourdomain.com/llms.txt).
Not an official rule (yet): It’s important to note that llms.txt is still a proposed standard. As of now, no major LLM provider (not OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google) officially requires or fully supports reading this file.
That means adding one won’t instantly change how those models see your site today, think of it as preparing for what’s likely coming. (Google’s own search reps have even compared llms.txt to the old meta-keywords tag in terms of current impact… i.e., presently minimal.)
Why bother then?
Forward-thinking brands are creating llms.txt files as a future-proofing step. It’s low effort, and if/when LLMs start looking for it, your site will be ready. Even now, some AI-centric companies are experimenting with it – for instance, Anthropic’s documentation site has an actual llms.txt that neatly lists their API docs and resources for AI consumption. It’s an early indicator that structured AI-focused content can be useful.
llms.txt vs robots.txt: Unlike robots.txt, llms.txt is not about blocking or allowing crawler access. There are no “Disallow” rules here. Instead, it’s about highlighting content. You still control whether an AI bot can crawl your site via robots.txt (for example, telling OpenAI’s GPTBot or others “do not crawl”). llms.txt assumes the bot is allowed and provides a shortcut to the “good stuff” you want it to see. In short, robots.txt = permissions, llms.txt = directions.
The Business Case: Allowing vs. Disallowing LLMs on Your Site
As a DTC brand, should you let AI models tap into your website content or keep them out? There are two sides to consider: the potential benefits of allowing LLMs to learn from or cite your content, and the risks that might make you wary and want to block AI access. Here’s the breakdown.
Benefits of Allowing LLMs (Pros – Discoverability & Exposure)
New discoverability channel: An llms.txt can boost your visibility in AI-driven search results. By guiding AI models to your key content, you increase the chances that your brand or product info gets referenced in AI-generated answers. It’s a bit like SEO for chatbots… if a consumer asks an AI about “best skincare for dry skin” and your site’s relevant content is highlighted via llms.txt, the AI is more likely to know about and mention your products.
Free exposure and traffic: Allowing LLMs to use your content can turn into free marketing. If an AI assistant cites or points to your site as the source of an answer, that’s free exposure for your brand. Users might click through the citation or at least hear your brand name in the answer. This can drive organic visits from AI responses, essentially funneling interested readers to your site without additional ad spend.
Ensures accurate info in AI answers: By curating what content an AI sees (via llms.txt), you help it pull correct, up-to-date information about your business. For example, if your return policy or product specs are listed clearly, the AI is less likely to rely on outdated or third-party info. This means it’s more likely to get facts right about your brand when responding to users. (No one wants an AI telling customers the wrong price or an old policy!)
Complements your SEO, doesn’t replace it: Using llms.txt doesn’t interfere with traditional SEO—think of it as an add-on. It works alongside your existing robots.txt and sitemaps, pointing AI models to the same valuable pages you already optimized for Google. In other words, it’s leveraging work you’ve done for search engines to also benefit AI engines. And it’s easy to implement (it’s just a text file), so the effort is low.
Staying ahead of the curve (future-proofing): Embracing llms.txt early can give you a competitive edge as AI search grows. If AI assistants become as common as web search, brands with content readily digestible by AIs will likely gain more traction. By allowing LLMs now (in a controlled way), you’re positioning your DTC business for the future of search and shopping, where AI might play a big role in product discovery.
Risks of Allowing LLMs (Cons – Reasons to Block or Limit AI)
Scraped content with no return: One concern is that AI models might scrape and use your content to answer user questions without those users ever visiting your site. If ChatGPT or another assistant provides an answer pulled from your blog, the user gets their info without clicking your link, meaning you invested in content creation but the AI is serving it up elsewhere. This could translate to lost traffic and fewer eyeballs on your actual site (and thus fewer conversions or ad impressions).
Loss of competitive edge: Your content is an asset. If you freely allow AI systems to ingest it, there’s a risk that proprietary insights, research, or unique product details you’ve created become part of a public model’s knowledge base. In effect, any competitor or customer could query the AI and get those insights without visiting you. What was once exclusive information on your site could become universally available, diluting your advantage. Some content creators worry that unlimited AI training on their data erodes their content’s value.
Control and consent issues: There’s an ongoing debate about data control – who gets to use your content and for what. Many brands are uneasy about AI companies using their site data without permission. For example, Reddit famously updated its robots.txt to block various AI scrapers, signaling that unauthorized use of its content is not okay. By disallowing LLMs (via blocking their crawl bots), you retain more control over how your content is used. You can negotiate or choose if and when an AI can leverage your data, rather than it being taken by default.
Risk of misrepresentation: If an AI does ingest your content, there’s no guarantee it will present it accurately or in context. Models might mix your information with others, potentially leading to misinformation about your products. For instance, an outdated spec sheet on your site could live on in an AI’s training data even after you’ve updated your product, leading the AI to give users the wrong info. Some brands may prefer to hold back content from AI until they’re confident it won’t be misused or until there are better safeguards.
When to consider blocking: If the risks sound too high, e.g., your site offers premium, paid content or highly sensitive research that you don’t want regurgitated by a bot, then disallowing LLMs might make sense. Practically, this means configuring your robots.txt to block known AI crawlers (like OpenAI’s GPTBot) or using other mechanisms to opt out of data scraping. (Remember, llms.txt itself isn’t used for blocking; it’s all or nothing via robots.txt in this case.) The decision boils down to weighing the value of broader AI-driven exposure against the potential cost of losing direct engagement or IP control.
How to Create and Configure an llms.txt File (Beginner-Friendly)
Creating an llms.txt file is straightforward and non-technical. It’s essentially like writing a simple document that lists important sections of your website. Here’s how to craft one from scratch:
Start a plain text file: Open a basic text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, VS Code, etc.). Create a new file and save it as llms.txt (make sure it’s .txt and not something like .docx). This file will use Markdown formatting, which is just simple text markers… no special software required.
Use section headers: Think about the main categories of information on your site and write them as section titles. In Markdown, an H2 header is indicated by starting a line with ##.
For example, you might have sections like:
- ## Products (for product categories or key product pages)
- ## Policies (for return policy, shipping info, terms of service)
- ## Guides (for blog articles, how-to guides, FAQs)
Each section helps an AI know what type of content it’s looking at.
List important pages under each section: Under each header, list the URLs or paths to your most important pages of that type, along with a short description. Use a hyphen (-) at the start of each line to indicate a list item (just like a bullet point).
Here’s an example of what this might look like:
In the above, each introduces a page. You can write the URL path (or full URL) followed by a dash or en dash and a brief description. The description is key – it gives context in plain language (e.g., “Shipping policy and delivery timeframes”). Keep descriptions short and clear (one sentence is fine).
Make sure content is AI-readable: The pages you list should ideally be mostly text or easily parsed content. If possible, link to pages that are already in a simple format (some companies create special Markdown versions of pages for this purpose). For a DTC store, you might include a page that has a structured list of products or an FAQ in text form. Basically, provide pages where an AI won’t get tripped up by heavy scripts or complex layouts.
Follow best practices: Some general tips while writing llms.txt:
Be selective: You don’t need to list every single product page (especially if you have hundreds). Focus on high-level pages that link to others (like category pages or important product lines), or pages that summarize important info (e.g., a “catalog” page, or a “size guide” that covers many products).
Use plain language: Write section names and descriptions in simple terms (avoid internal jargon) so that anyone (or any AI) can understand them. If you have an internal code for a product, use the customer-facing name instead.
Keep it updated: Treat llms.txt as a living document. Whenever you add a major page or update a policy, update the file. An outdated llms.txt won’t be very helpful to AI or users. (Set a calendar reminder, maybe once a quarter to review it.)
Location and naming: The file should reside at the root of your website domain as llms.txt (all lowercase). That’s where an AI would look for it by convention. Once it’s created, the next step is to upload it properly, which we’ll cover next for specific platforms.
(Optional) Validate or generate: If you want to double-check the formatting, you can use any Markdown preview tool to see if it looks structured. There are also free llms.txt generator tools out there where you input your links and it spits out a formatted file – but it’s simple enough to do by hand. As long as it’s clear and organized, you’re good to go!
How to Upload & Deploy llms.txt on Your Website
Now that you’ve created your shiny new llms.txt file, you need to get it live on your website so that it’s accessible at yourdomain.com/llms.txt. The process differs a bit depending on your platform. Below we provide step-by-step instructions for two popular setups in the DTC world: Shopify (for many e-commerce brands) and WordPress + WooCommerce (for those running a store on WordPress). Choose the one that applies to you:
Implementing an LLMs.txt On Shopify
(Shopify doesn’t allow direct access to your server files, but we can use a clever workaround using Shopify’s admin tools.)
Open Shopify’s file manager: Log in to your Shopify admin and navigate to Settings > Files. This is where Shopify lets you upload assets like images or documents. Upload your llms.txt file here.
After upload, you should see it in the list of files.
Copy the file URL: Once uploaded, Shopify will assign a URL to this file (likely something like https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/…/llms.txt with a bunch of numbers). Copy that URL – we’ll need it to create a redirect.
Create a URL redirect for /llms.txt: In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Navigation and look for an option to manage URL redirects (often there’s a “View URL redirects” or simply a section for URL Redirects). Create a new redirect entry: set the “Redirect from” path as /llms.txt and “Redirect to” as the URL you copied in step 2 (the full Shopify file URL for your llms.txt). Save this redirect.
Test it out: After saving, open a new browser tab and go to yourstore.com/llms.txt (replace with your actual domain). It should either display the content of your llms.txt file or prompt a download. If you see your Markdown text (or even if it downloads as a file), that means it’s accessible, which is what we want. (If it’s not working, double-check the redirect path and target URL for typos.)
Keep the file updated: In the future, if you need to update llms.txt, you’ll have to repeat: upload the new version (which might give a new URL) and update the redirect if the URL has changed. An alternative is to upload the file as part of your theme so you can edit it there, but that’s more technical. The upload+redirect method is quick and doesn’t require messing with theme code.
Pro Tip: Shopify’s platform auto-generates a standard robots.txt for your site, but for llms.txt we must do it manually as above. By doing this, you now have an llms.txt accessible at the root of your Shopify store, even though Shopify normally doesn’t expose a way to upload root files.
Implementing an LLMs.txt On WordPress (WooCommerce)
(For self-hosted WordPress sites, you can directly place files in your web server. There are a few methods… using a plugin, your hosting control panel, or FTP. Choose whichever you’re comfortable with.)
Have the file ready: Ensure you have the llms.txt file created on your computer.
Upload to your website’s root directory: You need to get the file into the root folder of your WordPress site (the same location where you see wp-admin and wp-content folders). You can do this in one of three ways:
- Using a File Manager plugin (no external tools needed): Install a plugin like “WP File Manager” (there are several similar plugins that let you browse and manage files from the WP dashboard). Once installed, go to the plugin’s file manager interface (usually under Media or in the main menu). Navigate to the top-level directory of your site (often labeled /public_html or it might start at the root by default). Upload the llms.txt file here. The plugin will place it on your server.
- Using cPanel or Hosting File Manager: If your site is on a host with cPanel (or a similar hosting dashboard), log into cPanel and click on File Manager. In the File Manager, find your website’s root folder (for the primary domain, this is often public_html; for add-on domains, it could be a folder with your domain name). Use the “Upload” function in cPanel to upload the llms.txt from your computer into this directory. You should see it appear alongside files like index.php once uploaded.
- Using FTP: For the more technically inclined, you can use an FTP client (like FileZilla) to connect to your web server. Use your FTP credentials (host, username, password from your web host). Once connected, navigate to the root folder of your site. Then transfer (drag-and-drop) the llms.txt file from your computer into that directory. This achieves the same end result – the file ends up on your server.
Verify the file is live: After uploading by one of the methods above, visit yourdomain.com/llms.txt in a browser. You should see the contents of the file (the structured list you created). If you get a 404 not found, the file might be in the wrong location so double-check that it’s in the root and named correctly (all lowercase, llms.txt). If you see garbled text, don’t worry – it’s likely because the browser isn’t styling the Markdown. The raw text is fine (AI bots will read the raw file).
Security check (optional): Because this file is publicly accessible, avoid listing any truly sensitive URLs or info in it. Generally, it should only contain things you wouldn’t mind being public (which is usually the case for product and policy pages).
Keep it updated: Maintaining the llms.txt on WordPress is as simple as editing the file via any of the above methods (or editing locally and re-uploading). If using a plugin or cPanel, you can even edit the file in place on the server. Remember to update this file whenever you have new important content as it won’t update itself.
By following the above, your WordPress/WooCommerce site should now serve an llms.txt file at its root. This means any AI agent (or curious human) looking for yourdomain.com/llms.txt will find a nicely organized outline of your key content.
Implementing an llms.txt file is a small step that can position your DTC brand for the rising influence of AI in search and shopping. It’s all about ensuring your content is correctly represented to these new AI systems… on your terms.
We discussed the upsides (greater AI-driven discoverability and engagement) and the downsides (content being used without direct traffic). There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but now you have the knowledge to make an informed decision. You might choose to welcome AI with open arms via llms.txt, or take a cautious approach and set boundaries, or even a bit of both (for example, allow AI on public info but block it from premium content).
The very fact that you’re exploring llms.txt means you’re staying proactive. As AI technologies evolve, new standards and best practices will emerge. Keep an eye on how major LLM providers respond to proposals like llms.txt. Adopting these trends early can give you a competitive edge, and more importantly, keep your customers accurately informed whether they find you on a search engine, an AI assistant, or anywhere else. In the fast-paced digital market, being adaptable is key, and your efforts with llms.txt are part of that forward-thinking strategy.
Greg is the founder and CEO of Stryde and a seasoned digital marketer who has worked with thousands of businesses, large and small, to generate more revenue via online marketing strategy and execution. Greg has written hundreds of blog posts as well as spoken at many events about online marketing strategy. You can follow Greg on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn.
