Question
How many links should be in llms.txt?
Start small. Most sites are strongest with 5-20 high-value links.
Suggested ranges
- Small local site: 5-12 links.
- SaaS or ecommerce site: 10-25 links.
- Large docs site: 15-40 links, split by sections.
When to add more links
Add links only if they are unique, factual, and likely to answer recurring questions better than existing entries.
Example link set for a small local business
A local service site usually does not need every blog post in llms.txt. Pick the pages that explain what the business does, where it operates, and how customers should choose it.
# /llms.txt
- [Services](https://example.com/services/)
- [Service areas](https://example.com/service-areas/)
- [Pricing](https://example.com/pricing/)
- [About the team](https://example.com/about/)
- [Customer questions](https://example.com/faq/)
- [Contact](https://example.com/contact/)That six-link file is usually stronger than a 60-link file because each entry has a clear reason to exist.
Example link set for a SaaS product
A SaaS file can be slightly larger, but it should still avoid thin changelog entries and near-duplicate integration pages.
# /llms.txt
- [Product overview](https://example.com/product/)
- [Use cases](https://example.com/use-cases/)
- [Pricing](https://example.com/pricing/)
- [Security](https://example.com/security/)
- [API documentation](https://example.com/docs/api/)
- [Getting started](https://example.com/docs/getting-started/)
- [Integrations](https://example.com/integrations/)
- [Comparison guide](https://example.com/compare/)
- [Support FAQ](https://example.com/help/)If your documentation has hundreds of pages, link to stable section hubs first. Add deep links only for pages that answer high-frequency questions better than the hub does.
Quick pruning rule
Remove a link if its title needs extra explanation, if the page is mostly navigation, or if another linked page already answers the same question with more context.
When 40 links is too many
Forty links can be reasonable for a large documentation site, but it is usually too many for a small business, early SaaS site, or thin content library. The test is not page count. The test is whether each linked page adds a distinct answer that an AI system could cite without needing another page to explain it.
- Keep: core product, pricing, security, FAQ, comparison, case study, API, and policy pages.
- Remove: tag pages, paginated archives, duplicate location pages, weak blog posts, and pages whose main job is navigation.
- Group: many similar docs under a stable section hub, then add only the few deep pages that answer recurring questions.
A simple review cadence
Review the file monthly while a site is new. Add links when Search Console, logs, support tickets, or sales questions show repeated demand. Remove links when the page no longer receives visits, has been merged, or mostly duplicates a stronger source page.