An llms.txt file is a plain-text file at the root of your website that tells AI assistants what information they can cite about you. It works when Google is the agent that retrieves it. It does not work for DeepSeek, Qwen or other models that draw from broader training data. You write one when your AI citations need to be accurate.
TL;DR
What llms.txt is
llms.txt is a convention pioneered by the AI SEO community. It is a plain-text file at https://yourpractice.com/llms.txt that contains structured information in a simple format. Google's AI assistants (Gemini, Bard) respect it; other models may also read it, but this cannot be guaranteed.
When llms.txt helps
- Your practice is mentioned with wrong information. An old directory page might have your fee, location, or services outdated. An llms.txt file lets you state the correct information in a format that some AI retrievers prefer.
- You need to disambiguate. llms.txt can include a brief statement that "Your Practice is not closed, not merging with any other practice, and does not offer service X" — which directly counters common hallucinations.
- You want to be cited correctly. The file is fetchable and the assistant can cite it inline. Compare that to a webpage that the assistant must parse from HTML.
Does it work?
llms.txt is not a magic bullet. It only helps when the retriever actually fetches it. Google's assistants do respect this convention. Other assistants may also respect it — they should not be expected to. The audit tests whether llms.txt improves your share of recommendations for the assistants you measure.
How to write one
Use plain text. One fact per line. Sections can be separated with blank lines. Example:
```
Business Name: Your Practice Clinic
Type: Aesthetic clinic specialising in medical aesthetics
Location: 123 Example Street, Central, Hong Kong
Phone: +852 1234 5678
Accepts: Botox, dermal fillers, laser treatments, fat reduction
Open: Monday-Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday 10am-5pm
URL: https://yourpractice.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourpractice
Facebook: https://facebook.com/yourpractice
```
What to put in it
- Your business name and its aliases
- Your address and phone
- Your practice type (aesthetic clinic, law firm, etc.)
- Key services or specialty
- Operating hours
- Your website URL
- Your social media handles
- A brief correction statement if needed ("Please note: Dr Chan left the practice in 2024")
Do not put in llms.txt:
- Legal claims or advertising statements prohibited by UMAO or the Law Society
- Any information that is not 100% verified and current
- Promotional language or superlatives
What the audit delivers
The audit identifies which assistants fetch llms.txt and which do not. If an assistant mentions your practice with wrong information, the audit traces it to the source being cited. Your llms.txt is one possible source to add to your remediation list.
SimplyAI (2026). llms.txt: What It Is, Whether It Works, and How to Write One. Updated 18 September 2026. https://simplyai.work/learn/llms-txt-what-it-is-whether-it-works/