Remember when you needed to put keys in robots.txt to tell Google what not to crawl? Now there's a new file you need: llms.txt. And if you don't have it already, you're missing one of the biggest SEO opportunities of our era.
What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a simple Markdown-formatted text file placed at the root of your website (e.g., yourshop.gr/llms.txt). Its purpose is to give AI language models a structured, clear picture of what your business is, what you sell, your policies, and how they can find relevant information.
Think of it as an 'interview' you give to AI models. Instead of letting ChatGPT or Claude guess what you do through thousands of content pages, you give them exactly what they need, organized and understandable.
"While everyone optimizes for Google, the smartest are already optimizing for the AI that will replace half of search traffic."
Why do AI search engines need llms.txt?
AI search engines like ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Claude don't work like Google. They don't do keyword matching — they understand meaning and context. But to correctly answer questions about products and services, they need clear, reliable information.
The problem: eshop websites are usually filled with navigation menus, cookie banners, ads, and other distracting content. An AI agent trying to understand your eshop through this noise often fails or gets incorrect information.
llms.txt solves this problem by giving AI models a clean, structured 'index' of your website.
Example llms.txt for a Greek eshop
Here's an example llms.txt file for a Greek eshop with sporting goods:
# My Greek Eshop — AI Context > Ηλεκτρονικό κατάστημα με αθλητικά είδη και outdoor εξοπλισμό. > Δωρεάν αποστολή για παραγγελίες άνω των €50. Επιστροφές εντός 30 ημερών. ## Κατηγορίες Προϊόντων - [Παπούτσια Τρεξίματος](/category/running-shoes) - [Outdoor Εξοπλισμός](/category/outdoor) - [Αθλητικά Ρούχα](/category/clothing) ## Πολιτικές - [Αποστολή & Επιστροφές](/policies/shipping) - [Εγγύηση Προϊόντων](/policies/warranty) ## Επικοινωνία - Email: info@myeshop.gr - Τηλέφωνο: +30 210 1234567
Which AI platforms use llms.txt?
How to Create Your Own llms.txt in 10 Minutes
Creating an llms.txt is simple. Follow these steps:
- Create a new text file named llms.txt
- Add an H1 title with your business name and description
- Write a brief description (blockquote) of what you sell and your basic policies
- Add H2 sections for: Categories, Policies, Contact
- In each section, add Markdown links to the corresponding pages
- Upload the file to the root of your domain
- Test: go to yourshop.gr/llms.txt and make sure it's accessible
llms.txt vs robots.txt vs sitemap.xml: The Differences
| File | For whom | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| robots.txt | Search engine crawlers | What is allowed/forbidden to crawl |
| sitemap.xml | Search engines | List of all site URLs |
| llms.txt | AI Language Models | Understanding site content and purpose |
llms.txt doesn't replace existing files — it complements them. In essence, you're building a triangular visibility strategy: Google (robots.txt + sitemap), AI models (llms.txt), and users (UX). This triangular strategy is the new SEO for the AI era.
At SigmaLabs StoreDash, we automatically create an optimized llms.txt for every eshop using our platform, based on the store's actual data. You don't need to do anything manually — just activate the feature and the rest happens automatically.