How to Enable LLM.txt in WordPress Website

The Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners to Advanced Users

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and search, a new standard is emerging that every WordPress website owner needs to know about: LLM.txt. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to understand about LLM.txt and provide detailed, step-by-step instructions for implementing it on your WordPress website using various popular SEO plugins.

Whether you are a complete beginner who has never edited a WordPress setting or an experienced developer looking for advanced customization options, this guide has you covered. By the end of this article, you will have successfully enabled LLM.txt on your website and positioned your content for better visibility in AI-powered search results.

Table of Contents

1. What is LLM.txt and Why Does It Matter?
2. Understanding How LLM.txt Works
3. Method 1: Using Rank Math SEO (Recommended for Beginners)
4. Method 2: Using Yoast SEO Plugin
5. Method 3: Using All in One SEO (AIOSEO)
6. Method 4: Using SEOPress with Dedicated Plugins
7. Method 5: Using Website LLMs.txt Dedicated Plugin
8. Method 6: Using LLMs.txt and LLMs-Full.txt Generator Plugin
9. Method 7: Manual Creation Without Any Plugin
10. How to Verify Your LLM.txt File is Working
11. Best Practices for LLM.txt Configuration
12. Troubleshooting Common Issues
13. Plugin Comparison Table
14. Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is LLM.txt and Why Does It Matter?

Understanding the Basics

LLM.txt (Large Language Model Text) is a simple text file that you place on your website to help artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and Perplexity better understand your website’s content. Think of it as a special guidebook specifically designed for AI systems.

The concept was introduced by Jeremy Howard, co-founder of Fast.ai, in September 2024. Since then, it has gained significant traction with over 600 major websites implementing it, including tech giants like Anthropic (makers of Claude AI), Stripe, Cloudflare, and Zapier.

Why Your WordPress Website Needs LLM.txt

Here are the key reasons why implementing LLM.txt is important for your website:

• AI Search is Growing Rapidly: According to industry projections, AI-powered search traffic is expected to grow from 0.25% to 10% of all search traffic by the end of 2025. This represents a massive shift in how people find information online.
• Control Over AI Representation: Without LLM.txt, AI systems crawl your entire website and may misrepresent your content or focus on less important pages. LLM.txt lets you direct AI to your most valuable content.
• Better AI Citations: When AI tools like ChatGPT answer questions using information from your website, having an LLM.txt file increases the chances of being properly cited and represented.
• Future-Proofing Your Website: As AI becomes more integrated into search and content discovery, websites with LLM.txt will be better positioned to benefit from this shift.
• Improved Content Understanding: AI systems have limited context windows. LLM.txt provides a clean, organized summary that helps AI understand your site efficiently.

LLM.txt vs. Robots.txt vs. Sitemap: Understanding the Differences

Many people confuse LLM.txt with other website files. Here is a clear comparison:

File	Purpose	Who Uses It
robots.txt	Tells crawlers what NOT to access	Search engine bots (Googlebot, Bingbot)
XML Sitemap	Lists ALL pages for indexing	Search engines for complete site map
LLM.txt	Highlights IMPORTANT content to prioritize	AI systems (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity)

 

Tip: LLM.txt does not replace robots.txt or your sitemap. They work together. Robots.txt controls access, sitemap lists everything, and LLM.txt prioritizes what matters most for AI.

Understanding How LLM.txt Works

The File Location

The LLM.txt file is placed at the root of your website domain. This means it will be accessible at:

https://yourwebsite.com/llms.txt

For example, if your website is “example.com”, your LLM.txt file would be located at “https://example.com/llms.txt”.

The File Format

LLM.txt uses Markdown format, which is a simple, human-readable text format. Here is the basic structure:

# Your Website Name
> A brief description of what your website offers.

Additional context about your website.

## Key Pages
- [Page Title](https://yoursite.com/page/): Description of the page
- [Another Page](https://yoursite.com/another/): Description

## Blog Posts
- [Post Title](https://yoursite.com/post/): What this post covers

## Optional
- [Privacy Policy](https://yoursite.com/privacy/): Legal information

Key Elements Explained

• H1 Title (Required): The main heading starting with # followed by your website name. This is the only required element.
• Blockquote Description (Optional): A brief summary starting with > that describes your website.
• Section Headers: Use ## to create sections that group related content.
• Links with Descriptions: Format as [Title](URL): Description to list your pages.
• Optional Section: Content under ## Optional can be skipped by AI when context is limited.

Understanding llms-full.txt

Some plugins also generate a second file called llms-full.txt. While the regular llms.txt contains links and brief descriptions, llms-full.txt contains the complete text content of your pages. This is useful when you want AI systems to have access to your full content without having to visit individual pages.

Method 1: Using Rank Math SEO (Recommended for Beginners)

Rank Math is one of the most popular WordPress SEO plugins with over 2 million active installations. It offers comprehensive LLM.txt support in both its free and premium versions, making it an excellent choice for most WordPress users.

Prerequisites

• Rank Math SEO plugin installed and activated (version 1.0.250 or higher for free, version 3.0.93 or higher for PRO)
• WordPress administrator access
• Basic familiarity with WordPress dashboard

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access Your WordPress Dashboard

1. Open your web browser and go to your WordPress website
2. Add “/wp-admin” to the end of your website URL (example: yoursite.com/wp-admin)
3. Enter your username and password to log in
4. You should now see your WordPress Dashboard

Step 2: Navigate to Rank Math Dashboard

1. Look at the left sidebar menu in your WordPress Dashboard
2. Find and click on “Rank Math SEO” – it usually has an icon that looks like a ribbon or badge
3. Click on “Dashboard” from the submenu that appears

Tip: If you do not see Rank Math in your sidebar, make sure the plugin is installed and activated. Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins to verify.

Step 3: Enable Advanced Mode (If Not Already Enabled)

The LLM.txt feature requires Advanced Mode to be visible. Here is how to enable it:

1. On the Rank Math Dashboard page, look at the top right corner
2. You should see a toggle or dropdown that says “Easy” or “Advanced”
3. If it says “Easy”, click on it and select “Advanced”
4. A confirmation popup may appear – click “OK” to confirm

Step 4: Find and Enable the LLMS Txt Module

1. Scroll down on the Dashboard page
2. Look for a module card labeled “LLMS Txt” or “LLMs.txt”
3. You will see a toggle switch on this module card
4. Click the toggle to turn it ON (it should turn blue or green when enabled)
5. Wait a moment for the settings to save

Step 5: Configure LLM.txt Settings

1. After enabling the module, click on the gear/settings icon on the LLMS Txt module card
2. Alternatively, navigate to: Rank Math SEO > General Settings > Edit llms.txt
3. You will now see the LLM.txt configuration page

Step 6: Configure Your Content Selection

On the settings page, you will find these options:

Select Post Types:

• This determines which types of content appear in your LLM.txt file
• Check the boxes next to the content types you want to include
• Common options: Posts (blog articles), Pages (static pages)
• If you have custom post types like Products or Portfolio, you can include those too

Select Taxonomies:

• Taxonomies are ways WordPress organizes content (Categories, Tags)
• Check the boxes if you want category and tag pages included
• Recommended: Include Categories if you have well-organized category pages

Posts/Terms Limit:

• This sets the maximum number of items to include
• Default is usually 100, which is good for most websites
• Larger websites might increase this to 200-500
• Do not set this too high as it can make the file unwieldy

Additional Content:

• This text field allows you to add custom entries
• Use Markdown format: [Page Title](https://url): Description
• Great for adding specific pages you want AI to prioritize

Step 7: Save Your Settings

1. After configuring all options, scroll down
2. Click the “Save Changes” or “Update” button
3. Wait for the confirmation message that settings were saved

Step 8: Verify Your LLM.txt File

1. Open a new browser tab
2. Type your website URL followed by /llms.txt
3. Example: https://yourwebsite.com/llms.txt
4. You should see your LLM.txt file content displayed

Warning: If you see a 404 error, try clearing your WordPress cache and permalinks. Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes without making any changes.

What Each Setting Does in Rank Math

Setting	What It Does
Select Post Types	Chooses which content types (Posts, Pages, Products) to include in your LLM.txt file
Select Taxonomies	Includes category and tag archive pages in the file
Posts/Terms Limit	Maximum number of items from each type to include (prevents file from being too large)
Additional Content	Manual text area where you can add custom URLs and descriptions in Markdown format

 

Important Notes for Rank Math Users

• Content marked as “noindex” in Rank Math will automatically be excluded from your LLM.txt file
• Rank Math automatically generates descriptions from your page introductions
• The file updates automatically when you publish or update content
• Both free and PRO versions have full LLM.txt functionality

 

 

Method 2: Using Yoast SEO Plugin

Yoast SEO is the most widely used WordPress SEO plugin with over 5 million active installations. It was the first major SEO plugin to add LLM.txt support when version 25.3 launched on June 10, 2025.

Prerequisites

• Yoast SEO plugin installed and activated (version 25.3 or higher)
• WordPress administrator access
• Note: Feature is available in both free and premium versions

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access Your WordPress Dashboard

1. Log into your WordPress admin panel (yoursite.com/wp-admin)
2. Enter your administrator credentials

Step 2: Navigate to Yoast SEO Settings

1. In the left sidebar, look for “Yoast SEO” (it has a Y icon)
2. Click on “Yoast SEO” to expand the menu
3. Click on “Settings” from the submenu

Step 3: Find the AI Tools Section

1. On the Settings page, look at the left side for a navigation menu
2. Find and click on “Site features”
3. Scroll down to find the “AI tools” section
4. You should see “llms.txt” as one of the options

Step 4: Enable LLM.txt

1. Find the toggle switch next to “llms.txt”
2. Click the toggle to turn it ON
3. The toggle should change color to indicate it is enabled
4. Your settings will automatically save

Tip: After enabling LLM.txt in Yoast, there may be a delay of up to 5 minutes before the file becomes accessible. This is because WordPress needs to update its rewrite rules.

Step 5: Choose Your Content Mode

Yoast offers two modes for LLM.txt content:

Automatic Mode (Default):

• Yoast intelligently selects content for you
• Includes the 5 most recently updated posts/pages from the last 12 months
• Cornerstone content gets priority over regular content
• Includes 5 categories/tags with the most content
• File updates weekly via WordPress cron

Manual Mode:

• You choose exactly which pages to include
• Click “Customize llms.txt file” to access manual selection
• Select individual pages and posts from a list
• Best for sites that want precise control

Step 6: Configure Manual Selection (Optional)

If you choose manual mode:

1. Click on “Customize llms.txt file”
2. You will see a list of your published content
3. Check the boxes next to pages you want to include
4. Uncheck pages you want to exclude
5. Click “Save” when finished

Step 7: Verify Your LLM.txt File

1. Wait 5 minutes after enabling (important!)
2. Open a new browser tab
3. Visit: https://yourwebsite.com/llms.txt
4. Verify that your content appears correctly

Yoast LLM.txt Settings Explained

Setting	What It Does
Enable/Disable Toggle	Turns the LLM.txt feature on or off for your website
Automatic Mode	Lets Yoast intelligently select your most relevant content
Cornerstone Priority	Content marked as Cornerstone in Yoast gets higher priority
Manual Selection	Allows you to hand-pick exactly which pages appear

 

Important Limitations for Yoast Users

• LLM.txt is NOT available for WordPress multisite installations
• There is a 5-minute delay after enabling before the file works
• The file updates weekly by default (automatic mode)
• Content marked as noindex will be excluded

Method 3: Using All in One SEO (AIOSEO)

All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is another popular WordPress SEO plugin with over 3 million active installations. It offers the most comprehensive LLM.txt implementation among major SEO plugins, including support for both llms.txt and llms-full.txt files.

Prerequisites

• All in One SEO plugin installed and activated (version 4.8.8 or higher)
• WordPress administrator access
• Feature available in both free and Pro versions

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access WordPress Dashboard

1. Log into your WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to yoursite.com/wp-admin

Step 2: Navigate to AIOSEO Sitemaps

1. In the left sidebar, find “All in One SEO”
2. Click to expand the menu
3. Click on “Sitemaps”

Step 3: Find the LLMs.txt Tab

1. On the Sitemaps page, look at the top tabs
2. You will see tabs like: General Sitemap, Video Sitemap, News Sitemap, etc.
3. Click on the “LLMs.txt” tab

Step 4: Enable LLMs.txt

1. Find the “Enable llms.txt” toggle
2. Click to turn it ON
3. This enables the basic llms.txt file

Step 5: Enable LLMs-Full.txt (Optional but Recommended)

1. Below the first toggle, find “Enable llms-full.txt”
2. Click to turn it ON
3. This creates a comprehensive version with full content

Step 6: Configure Title and Description

1. Find the “Title” field
2. Enter your website name (or use smart tags like #site_title)
3. Find the “Description” field
4. Enter a brief description of your website

Step 7: Configure Post Types

This is where you select which content types to include:

1. Find the “Post Types” section
2. You will see checkboxes for: Posts, Pages, and any custom post types
3. Check the boxes for content types you want included
4. Recommended: Include Posts and Pages at minimum

Step 8: Configure Taxonomies

1. Find the “Taxonomies” section
2. Check boxes for Categories and Tags if desired
3. This includes your category and tag archive pages

Step 9: Set URL Limits

1. Find “URLs per Post Type” or “URLs per Taxonomy”
2. Set how many items from each type to include
3. Default is usually fine, but you can increase for larger sites

Step 10: Exclude Specific Content (Advanced)

AIOSEO offers powerful exclusion features:

1. Find “Exclude Posts/Pages” field
2. Start typing the title of content you want to exclude
3. Select from the dropdown that appears
4. Repeat for any other content you want to exclude

Tip: AIOSEO’s exclude feature is especially useful because you can remove specific pages without changing their indexing status. Other plugins require you to set pages as noindex to exclude them.

Step 11: Enable Markdown Conversion (Optional)

1. Find “Convert Posts to Markdown” toggle
2. Enable this if you want clean markdown versions of posts
3. This creates .md versions accessible via post URLs

Step 12: Save Your Settings

1. Scroll to the bottom of the page
2. Click “Save Changes”
3. Wait for the confirmation message

Step 13: Verify Your Files

AIOSEO creates two files. Verify both:

1. Basic file: https://yoursite.com/llms.txt
2. Full file: https://yoursite.com/llms-full.txt
3. Both should display your configured content

Complete AIOSEO Settings Reference

Setting	What It Does
Enable llms.txt	Master toggle for the basic index file with links and descriptions
Enable llms-full.txt	Creates comprehensive file with full page content included
Convert to Markdown	Creates clean .md versions of your posts for better AI readability
Title	The heading that appears at the top of your LLM.txt file
Description	A brief description that appears below the title
Post Types	Which content types (Posts, Pages, Products) to include
Taxonomies	Whether to include category and tag archive pages
URLs per Type	Maximum items to include from each content type
Exclude Posts/Pages	Search field to exclude specific content by title
Exclude Terms	Remove specific categories or tags from inclusion

 

Method 4: Using SEOPress with Dedicated Plugins

SEOPress is a popular WordPress SEO plugin, but as of the current version, it does not have native LLM.txt support built-in. However, SEOPress users can easily add LLM.txt functionality by installing a dedicated plugin that integrates with SEOPress settings.

Important: SEOPress does not currently have built-in LLM.txt support. You will need to install one of the dedicated plugins described below, which will work alongside SEOPress.

Recommended Plugin for SEOPress Users

The “Website LLMs.txt” plugin (covered in detail in Method 5) works seamlessly with SEOPress. It automatically respects SEOPress noindex settings and integrates with your existing SEO configuration.

Step-by-Step for SEOPress Users

Step 1: Install Website LLMs.txt Plugin

1. Go to WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Add New
2. Search for “Website LLMs.txt”
3. Click “Install Now” on the plugin by Jeremias Jeremias
4. Click “Activate” after installation

Step 2: Configure the Plugin

1. Go to Settings > LLMs.txt in your WordPress dashboard
2. Configure post types and settings (detailed in Method 5)
3. The plugin will automatically respect SEOPress noindex settings

Step 3: Verify Integration

1. Visit https://yoursite.com/llms.txt
2. Confirm that pages marked as noindex in SEOPress are excluded

Method 5: Using Website LLMs.txt Dedicated Plugin

Website LLMs.txt is the most popular dedicated plugin for LLM.txt generation with over 30,000 active installations. It is ideal for websites that do not use a major SEO plugin or want more specialized LLM.txt features.

Key Features

• AI crawler detection and logging (tracks visits from GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot)
• Per-page include/exclude controls via sidebar meta boxes
• Ability to attach .md (Markdown) files to individual posts
• Integration with all major SEO plugins (Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO, SEOPress)
• WooCommerce and multisite support

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Install the Plugin

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New
2. In the search box, type “Website LLMs.txt”
3. Find the plugin by Jeremias Jeremias (30,000+ installs)
4. Click “Install Now”
5. After installation completes, click “Activate”

Step 2: Access Plugin Settings

1. In the left sidebar, go to Settings
2. Click on “LLMs.txt” in the Settings submenu
3. You will see the main configuration page

Step 3: Configure Basic Settings

On the settings page, configure these options:

Site Title:

• Enter your website name as you want it to appear in the LLM.txt file
• This becomes the H1 heading at the top of the file

Site Description:

• Write a brief description of your website
• Keep it concise – 1-2 sentences is ideal

Step 4: Select Post Types to Include

1. Find the “Post Types” section
2. Check the boxes next to content types you want included:

• Posts – Your blog articles
• Pages – Static pages like About, Contact, Services
• Products – If using WooCommerce
• Any other custom post types on your site

Step 5: Configure Update Frequency

1. Find the “Update Frequency” setting
2. Choose from three options:

• Immediate – Updates every time content changes (best for active sites)
• Daily – Updates once per day (good balance of freshness and performance)
• Weekly – Updates once per week (best for performance on static sites)

Step 6: Enable AI Crawler Logging (Optional)

1. Find the “Crawler Logging” or “AI Bot Tracking” section
2. Enable the toggle if you want to track AI bot visits
3. This logs when GPTBot, ClaudeBot, or PerplexityBot access your llms.txt
4. Useful for understanding how AI systems interact with your site

Step 7: Configure Per-Page Settings (Advanced)

This plugin allows per-page control. To use this feature:

1. Edit any post or page in WordPress
2. Look for the “LLMs.txt” meta box in the sidebar (usually on the right)
3. You will see options to:

• Include or exclude this specific page
• Add a custom description for this page
• Attach a Markdown (.md) file for this page

Step 8: Save and Generate

1. Click “Save Changes” on the settings page
2. The plugin will generate your llms.txt file
3. You can also click “Generate Now” to force immediate regeneration

Step 9: Verify the File

1. Visit https://yoursite.com/llms.txt
2. Also check https://yoursite.com/llms-full.txt if enabled
3. Verify your content appears as expected

Method 6: Using LLMs.txt and LLMs-Full.txt Generator Plugin

This plugin specializes in creating comprehensive LLM.txt files with advanced features like media handling and wildcard URL patterns.

Key Features

• Generates both llms.txt and llms-full.txt files
• Includes images and documents with titles, URLs, and alt text
• Supports wildcard URL patterns for include/exclude rules
• Works with all major SEO plugins

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Install the Plugin

1. Go to WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Add New
2. Search for “LLMs.txt and LLMs-Full.txt Generator”
3. Install and activate the plugin

Step 2: Access Settings

1. Go to Settings > LLMS Full TXT Generator
2. You will see the main configuration page

Step 3: Configure Content Types

1. Select which post types to include
2. Enable media inclusion if you want images/documents listed
3. Set limits for each content type

Step 4: Set Up Include/Exclude Patterns (Advanced)

This plugin supports wildcard patterns:

• Include pattern example: /blog/* (includes all blog posts)
• Exclude pattern example: /private/* (excludes private content)
• This is powerful for sites with complex URL structures

Step 5: Save and Verify

1. Click Save Changes
2. Visit your llms.txt and llms-full.txt URLs to verify

Method 7: Manual Creation Without Any Plugin

If you prefer complete control or want to minimize plugins, you can create an LLM.txt file manually. This method works for any WordPress site regardless of which plugins you use.

Option A: Upload via FTP or File Manager

Step 1: Create the LLM.txt File Content

Open any text editor (Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on Mac, or any code editor) and create your file with this structure:

# Your Website Name
> A brief description of your website and what it offers.

Your website provides [describe what you offer]. We specialize in [your expertise].

## Sitemaps
- [XML Sitemap](https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml): Complete index of all pages

## Key Pages
- [Home](https://yoursite.com/): Main landing page
- [About Us](https://yoursite.com/about/): Our story and mission
- [Services](https://yoursite.com/services/): What we offer
- [Contact](https://yoursite.com/contact/): Get in touch

## Popular Articles
- [Your Best Post](https://yoursite.com/best-post/): Description of the post
- [Another Great Post](https://yoursite.com/great-post/): What readers will learn

## Optional
- [Privacy Policy](https://yoursite.com/privacy/): Data handling practices
- [Terms of Service](https://yoursite.com/terms/): Usage terms

Step 2: Save the File

1. Save the file as “llms.txt” (all lowercase)
2. Make sure it is saved as plain text, not .rtf or .doc
3. File encoding should be UTF-8

Step 3: Upload Using cPanel File Manager

1. Log into your hosting control panel (cPanel)
2. Open File Manager
3. Navigate to your website’s root directory (usually public_html or www)
4. You should see files like wp-config.php and folders like wp-content
5. Click “Upload” in the top menu
6. Select your llms.txt file
7. Wait for upload to complete

Step 3 (Alternative): Upload Using FTP

1. Download and install an FTP client like FileZilla
2. Connect to your server using FTP credentials from your host
3. Navigate to the root directory (same level as wp-config.php)
4. Upload llms.txt to this location

Step 4: Set File Permissions

1. Right-click on the llms.txt file
2. Select “Change Permissions” or “File Permissions”
3. Set permissions to 644
4. Click Save/OK

Step 5: Verify the File

1. Open your browser
2. Visit https://yoursite.com/llms.txt
3. You should see your file content displayed

Option B: Using WordPress functions.php (Advanced)

For developers who want dynamic generation without a physical file:

Step 1: Access Theme Editor

1. Go to Appearance > Theme File Editor
2. Find and select functions.php from the right sidebar

Warning: Always back up your functions.php file before editing. A mistake can break your site.

Step 2: Add the Following Code

Add this code at the end of your functions.php file:

// LLMs.txt Dynamic Generation

add_action('init', function() {
    add_rewrite_rule('^llms\.txt$', 'index.php?llms_txt=1', 'top');
});

add_filter('query_vars', function($vars) {
    $vars[] = 'llms_txt';
    return $vars;
});

add_action('template_redirect', function() {
    if (get_query_var('llms_txt')) {
        header('Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8');
        echo "# " . get_bloginfo('name') . "\n\n";
        echo "> " . get_bloginfo('description') . "\n\n";
        // Add your custom content here
        exit;
    }
});

Step 3: Flush Permalinks

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks
2. Click “Save Changes” without making any changes
3. This refreshes WordPress rewrite rules

Step 4: Verify

1. Visit https://yoursite.com/llms.txt
2. Your dynamically generated content should appear

 

 

How to Verify Your LLM.txt File is Working

After setting up LLM.txt using any method, it is important to verify that everything is working correctly.

Basic Verification Steps

Step 1: Direct URL Check

1. Open your web browser
2. Type your website URL followed by /llms.txt
3. Example: https://example.com/llms.txt
4. You should see plain text content (not an error page)

Step 2: Check File Format

Verify your file has these elements:

• A title starting with # (e.g., # Your Site Name)
• A description starting with > (optional but recommended)
• Sections starting with ## (e.g., ## Key Pages)
• Links in format: [Title](URL): Description

Step 3: Validate Using Online Tools

Several websites offer LLM.txt validation:

• Hostinger LLMs.txt Validator: Checks format compliance
• LLMs-txt.io Validator: Verifies proper structure
• Simply paste your file URL or content to check for errors

Step 4: Check Content Accuracy

1. Review each URL listed in your file
2. Click on links to make sure they work
3. Verify descriptions accurately represent content
4. Ensure important pages are included
5. Confirm private/sensitive content is excluded

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue	Solution
404 Not Found Error	Flush permalinks: Go to Settings > Permalinks > Save Changes. Clear cache if using caching plugin.
Empty or Blank File	Check plugin settings to ensure content types are selected. Regenerate the file manually.
Wrong Content Displayed	Review post type selections. Check exclude/include settings. Clear all caches.
File Not Updating	Click ‘Regenerate’ or ‘Generate Now’ in plugin. Check update frequency settings.
Nginx 404 Error	Contact hosting support to add proper rewrite rules for .txt files at root.

 

Best Practices for LLM.txt Configuration

To get the most benefit from your LLM.txt file, follow these best practices:

Content Selection Best Practices

Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

• Do not include every page on your site
• Focus on cornerstone content – your most valuable, authoritative pages
• Include pages that best represent your expertise
• Aim for 10-50 key pages rather than hundreds

Include These Types of Content:

• About page – explains who you are
• Services or Products – what you offer
• Best blog posts – your most helpful, popular content
• How-to guides and tutorials – educational content
• FAQ page – common questions answered
• Contact page – how to reach you

Exclude These Types of Content:

• Author archive pages
• Date-based archives
• Tag pages with minimal content
• Private or password-protected pages
• Landing pages for ads
• Duplicate or thin content

Description Writing Best Practices

• Keep descriptions to 15-25 words
• Clearly state what the page contains
• Use active, descriptive language
• Include key topics or keywords naturally
• Write for AI understanding, not keyword stuffing

Good Description Example:

[Complete Guide to Email Marketing](https://yoursite.com/email-guide/): Step-by-step tutorial covering list building, automation, and campaign optimization for beginners.

Bad Description Example:

[Email Post](https://yoursite.com/email/): Email marketing tips and tricks.

Maintenance Best Practices

• Review your LLM.txt file quarterly
• Update when you add major new content
• Remove links to deleted or outdated content
• Check that descriptions remain accurate
• Monitor which AI bots are accessing your file (if using crawler logging)

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: 404 Error When Accessing llms.txt

Possible Causes:

• WordPress permalinks need to be refreshed
• Caching is serving old redirect rules
• Server configuration blocking .txt files at root

Solutions:

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes (without changing anything)
2. Clear all caches: WordPress cache, server cache, CDN cache, browser cache
3. If using Nginx hosting (WP Engine, Kinsta), contact support for rewrite rule assistance
4. Wait 5-10 minutes after making changes before testing again

Issue 2: File Shows Wrong or Missing Content

Solutions:

1. Verify post type selections in plugin settings
2. Check that desired content is not marked as noindex
3. Use the manual regenerate or ‘Generate Now’ button
4. Review exclude settings – content might be accidentally excluded

Issue 3: File Not Updating After Content Changes

Solutions:

1. Check update frequency setting (if set to weekly, changes take time)
2. Manually regenerate the file using plugin controls
3. Clear WordPress object cache if using caching plugin
4. Verify WordPress cron is working (some hosts disable it)

Issue 4: Plugin Conflicts

Solutions:

1. Only use ONE LLM.txt plugin at a time
2. If using SEO plugin’s built-in feature, disable dedicated LLM.txt plugins
3. Disable other plugins temporarily to identify conflicts
4. Check for JavaScript errors in browser console

Plugin Comparison Table

Use this table to choose the best method for your needs:

Feature	Rank Math	Yoast SEO	AIOSEO	Website LLMs.txt	Manual
Free Version	Yes – Full	Yes – Full	Yes – Full	Yes – Full	Yes
llms-full.txt	No	No	Yes	Yes	Manual
Post Type Selection	Yes	Limited	Yes	Yes	Manual
Exclude Specific Pages	Via noindex	Via noindex	Search field	Per-page checkbox	Manual
AI Crawler Tracking	PRO only	No	No	Yes	No
Markdown Export	No	No	Yes	Yes	Manual
Ease of Use	Easy	Very Easy	Moderate	Easy	Technical
Best For	Rank Math users	Simplicity	Max control	Non-SEO plugin sites	Developers

 

Recommendations by User Type

Complete Beginners: Use Yoast SEO if already installed, or install Website LLMs.txt for the simplest dedicated solution.

Intermediate Users: Rank Math or AIOSEO offer the best balance of features and ease of use.

Advanced Users/Developers: AIOSEO for maximum plugin-based control, or manual method for complete customization.

WooCommerce Stores: Website LLMs.txt or AIOSEO both handle products well.

Sites Without SEO Plugins: Website LLMs.txt is the best dedicated option.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is LLM.txt officially required by AI companies?

A: No, LLM.txt is not officially required or mandated by any AI company. It is an emerging standard proposed by the AI community. However, over 600 major websites have implemented it, and AI systems are beginning to recognize and use these files. Implementing it now positions your site for better AI visibility as adoption grows.

Q: Will LLM.txt hurt my regular SEO?

A: No, LLM.txt does not affect your traditional search engine rankings in Google, Bing, or other search engines. It is specifically designed for AI systems and operates independently of traditional SEO factors.

Q: Can I use multiple LLM.txt plugins at once?

A: No, you should only use one method to generate your LLM.txt file. Using multiple plugins can cause conflicts and result in errors. Choose one method and stick with it.

Q: How often should I update my LLM.txt file?

A: For most sites, weekly automatic updates are sufficient. If you frequently publish important content, daily updates may be better. Very static sites can use monthly updates. Most plugins handle this automatically.

Q: Does LLM.txt work with any WordPress theme?

A: Yes, LLM.txt works with any WordPress theme. The file is generated at the server level and is independent of your theme.

Q: What if I see a 404 error?

A: This is usually a permalinks issue. Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes. Then clear all caches and try again. If using Nginx hosting, you may need to contact your host for additional configuration.

Q: Is the llms-full.txt file necessary?

A: No, llms-full.txt is optional. The basic llms.txt file with links and descriptions is sufficient for most sites. The full version is useful for sites that want AI to access complete content without visiting individual pages.

Q: Do I need the Pro/Premium version of any plugin?

A: No, all major SEO plugins (Rank Math, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO) offer full LLM.txt functionality in their free versions. Premium versions may offer additional features like AI crawler tracking.

Q: How can I tell if AI bots are accessing my LLM.txt?

A: The Website LLMs.txt plugin offers AI crawler logging that tracks visits from GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and PerplexityBot. You can also check your server access logs for requests to /llms.txt from known AI bot user agents.

Q: What happens if I delete the plugin later?

A: If you deactivate or delete the plugin, the virtual llms.txt endpoint will stop working and visitors will get a 404 error. If you uploaded a manual file, it will remain until manually deleted.

Conclusion

Implementing LLM.txt on your WordPress website is a forward-thinking step that prepares your site for the AI-driven future of search and content discovery. With AI-powered search projected to reach 10% of all search traffic by late 2025, having an LLM.txt file ensures your most valuable content is properly understood and cited by AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.

The good news is that implementing LLM.txt is straightforward regardless of your technical skill level. Whether you choose to use the built-in features of popular SEO plugins like Rank Math, Yoast SEO, or AIOSEO, install a dedicated plugin like Website LLMs.txt, or create your file manually, the process takes just a few minutes.

Key takeaways from this guide:

• LLM.txt is a simple Markdown file that helps AI understand your website
• All major WordPress SEO plugins now offer native LLM.txt support for free
• Choose the method that best fits your existing setup
• Focus on quality content, not quantity – curate your best pages
• Verify your file works by visiting yoursite.com/llms.txt
• Review and update your LLM.txt quarterly

Start with the method that works best for your site today. Even a basic LLM.txt file with your key pages is better than no file at all. As AI becomes more prevalent in how people find and consume information, your proactive implementation of LLM.txt will pay dividends in improved AI visibility and accurate representation of your content.