What Is llms.txt and Why It Matters for SEO in 2025

In 2025, SEO is no longer just about Google. With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, visibility in large language model (LLM) answers is just as important as traditional rankings. One of the biggest game changers? A new protocol called llms.txt.

What Is llms.txt?

llms.txt is a text file you place on your domain that helps guide LLMs in how to interpret, prioritize, and use your website’s content. Similar to robots.txt or sitemap.xml, this file gives signals to AI platforms about which pages are valuable, trustworthy, or off-limits.

Why Was llms.txt Created?

As language models began scraping and citing online content, publishers needed more control over what data was used, how it was represented, and whether outdated or incorrect content could be filtered out. llms.txt was introduced to solve:

• Lack of attribution in AI answers
• Old or low-quality pages being pulled by bots
• No way to flag premium, gated, or private content as restricted

How Does llms.txt Work?

You create a llms.txt file and host it at the root of your domain (e.g., example.com/llms.txt). Inside, you can include commands to:

• Allow specific pages or folders
• Disallow sections or files from being scraped
• Highlight important content like glossaries, case studies, or how-to guides
• Set crawl priorities or update frequencies

Example of a Basic llms.txt File

# Let LLMs access content hubs
Allow: /blog/
Allow: /resources/

# Block outdated or irrelevant pages
Disallow: /old-content/
Disallow: /404/

# Highlight high-authority pages
Highlight: /glossary/
Highlight: /case-studies/

Benefits of Using llms.txt in 2025

• Better AI visibility: Help LLMs find and prioritize your best content.
• Reduce misinformation: Block low-quality or outdated pages from appearing in AI responses.
• Improve attribution: Increase chances your content is linked or cited by tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity.
• Protect sensitive content: Restrict LLMs from using internal, gated, or unpublished materials.

SEO Implications of llms.txt

In 2025, search is hybrid. Users toggle between Google, Bing, and AI-generated answers. llms.txt helps you:

• Stay relevant in both traditional SERPs and AI-generated content
• Boost E-E-A-T by promoting authoritative pages for LLM indexing
• Control which parts of your site LLMs “see” and use

How to Create and Add an llms.txt File

1. Create a simple .txt file using any text editor
2. Add your directives (Allow, Disallow, Highlight)
3. Upload it to your root domain (e.g., /public_html/)
4. Test that it’s accessible via https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt

Tools That Support llms.txt

• llms.txt Generator Plugin: WordPress plugin for creating the file
• SurferSEO: Helps identify high-authority content to highlight
• GA4 + GSC: Identify low-performing content to block or disallow
• Notion / Airtable: Content inventory mapping

Should You Use llms.txt?

If your content is a growth asset — yes. If you run a blog, SaaS product, media company, or ecommerce site, llms.txt gives you:

• More control over brand representation in AI tools
• Better visibility for top-performing content
• Protection against outdated or misused data

Final Thoughts

llms.txt is still in its early days, but it’s becoming a critical tool in every SEO manager’s toolkit. As AI search continues to grow, sites that adopt early will gain visibility and control over how their content is used, cited, and ranked in AI-driven platforms.

From ideation to publishing: we handle creation, uploads, and full content calendar execution. We’ll be your content manager — or your SEO strategist — in this new AI-driven world.