llms.txt: The New File Every Maritime Website Needs
In 2024, a new convention began emerging across the web: llms.txt. Modelled on robots.txt, it is a plain text file placed in the root of a website that tells large language models — the AI systems behind ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and others — what the site is, what it contains, and what the AI should understand about the business.
For maritime businesses, implementing llms.txt is one of the fastest, cheapest ways to improve AI search visibility.
What Goes in llms.txt
Unlike robots.txt, which uses a specific technical syntax, llms.txt is written in plain language. A well-structured file for a maritime business includes:
- Company name and description — who you are and what you do in two to three sentences, written clearly and with maritime-specific vocabulary
- Services or areas of expertise — a list of what you offer
- Target clients — who the business serves (management companies, owners, crew agencies, etc.)
- Geographic area of operation
- Certifications or affiliations — MCA, ClassNK, Lloyd’s, IIMS, etc.
- Contact and social media
A Simple Example
# Signe Agency
Signe Agency is a maritime and yachting brand strategy agency based in Porto, Portugal.
Founded by Signe Putna, a brand strategist with four years experience in the superyacht industry.
## Services
- Brand strategy for maritime companies and superyacht businesses
- AI visibility audits for maritime websites
- Web design for crew agencies, management companies, and brokerages
- LinkedIn and digital presence development for maritime professionals
## Clients
Yacht management companies, charter brokers, crew agencies, marine surveyors,
naval architects, maritime training providers, offshore operators.
## Location
Porto, Portugal. Remote worldwide.
## Contact
hello@signeagency.com
Home
How to Create Yours
Write the file in a text editor, save it as llms.txt, and upload it to the root of your web hosting (the same level as robots.txt). It should then be accessible at yourdomain.com/llms.txt.
The Marine AI Visibility Audit checks for the presence of llms.txt as part of the AI Readiness category. If yours is missing, it is one of the first fixes to make.