llms.txt is a proposal: a Markdown file at the root of a site that lists its most useful pages with a short description, written for AI tools. Many SEO tools now flag a missing llms.txt as a problem. It deserves a calmer view.
What it is not
- It is not a ranking factor in Google. Google has said it does not use llms.txt for Search or AI Overviews.
- It does not control access. Only robots.txt tells crawlers what they may fetch.
- It does not make an AI quote you. Clear, specific, crawlable content does that.
When it can help
Some AI coding and documentation tools read llms.txt to find the right pages quickly. For software documentation it can save those tools time. For a local business website the effect is small.
SEOSFT treats llms.txt as optional hygiene: we offer a draft you can publish, and it never changes your score.
What matters more
- Let the AI search crawlers read your site (see our robots.txt guide).
- State facts plainly: prices, hours, addresses, numbers, names.
- Open each section with a direct answer, then the detail.
- Add schema for your business so your details are machine-readable.