Optimizing your website for Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and others is quickly becoming essential for digital visibility. Here’s a conversational guide to making your website LLM-friendly:
1️⃣ Place llms.txt and llms-full.txt at the Root Level
Drop both llms.txt and llms-full.txt directly in your domain root (/). This is where AI crawlers expect to find them—just like robots.txt. If they’re in the right spot, LLMs can easily discover and process your site’s content highlights and deep dives.
2️⃣ Make llms.txt Your Curated “Highlight Reel”
Think of llms.txt as your website’s elevator pitch. Only list your highest-value pages here—the ones that best represent your brand, expertise, or most important information. At the end of this file, include a clear Markdown link pointing to llms-full.txt for those AI crawlers (and humans) who want the full story.
3️⃣ Write Everything in Markdown
Markdown is both human-readable and easy for crawlers to parse. Use headers, bullet lists, and blockquotes to organize your content. This structure helps LLMs quickly understand your site’s hierarchy and key points.
4️⃣ Leverage Markdown Links
Don’t just list URLs—embed them as Markdown links. For example:
[See full specs](https://example.com/llms-full.txt)
AI agents follow hyperlinks just like human users, so make it easy for them to navigate your content.
5️⃣ Add Both Files to Your XML Sitemap
Including llms.txt and llms-full.txt in your XML sitemap sends an extra signal to crawlers, improving the chances of your content being indexed and understood accurately.
💡 Pro Tip:
Treatllms.txtas your highlight reel andllms-full.txtas your full resume. Keep both files updated. Fresh, well-structured content means LLMs will reward you with richer, more accurate representations in AI-generated answers.
By following this blueprint, you’ll make your content crystal clear for LLMs, ensuring your website stands out in the age of AI-driven discovery1.