Last week a client called. "We're on Google's first page, we have 5-star reviews, we had our SEO done professionally. But when I ask ChatGPT 'best data center services in Ankara,' it doesn't recommend us. It recommends our competitors."
Welcome to the Zero-Click Internet.
The Internet's Biggest Shift Since Google
The numbers are striking:
- 68% of searches now end without a single website visit (SparkToro, 2024)
- Over 300 million people weekly are asking AI assistants for recommendations
- "Google it" is giving way to "Ask AI"
In 1994, robots.txt became the standard for guiding search crawlers. In the 2000s, SEO became the lifeblood of digital business. Now it's time for AIO: AI Optimization.
And at the center of this shift is a simple file: llms.txt
What is llms.txt?
Think of it this way:
- robots.txt tells search engines "where to go"
- llms.txt tells AI assistants "who I am, what I do, and why I matter"
It's a markdown-formatted text file that lives at your website's root:
yourwebsite.com/llms.txt
Unlike SEO meta tags, llms.txt is:
- Human-readable
- AI-friendly
- Immediately actionable
SEO vs AIO: What's Different?
Feature | SEO (Search Engine) | AIO (AI Assistant) |
|---|---|---|
Goal | Google ranking | AI recommendation |
Format | Meta tags, backlinks | Structured text |
Result | Click | Direct answer |
Competition | 10 blue links | 1-3 recommendations |
Updates | Algorithm-driven | Meaning-focused |
Is SEO dead? No. But it's no longer enough.
It's possible to rank #1 on Google while being completely invisible to AI assistants. Because AIs look at different criteria: structured information, clear explanations, specific expertise areas.
Create llms.txt in 30 Minutes
Step 1: Basic Structure (5 minutes)
Open any text editor and create llms.txt:
# [Your Business Name]
## About
[One compelling paragraph about who you are]
## Services
[List your main offerings clearly]
## Contact
- Email: [email]
- Phone: [phone]
- Location: [city, state]
- Website: [URL]
## Availability
[Business hours / availability]
Step 2: Add Intelligence Hooks (10 minutes)
AI assistants recommend based on specifics:
## Why Choose Us
- [Unique differentiator #1]
- [Unique differentiator #2]
- [Unique differentiator #3]
## Client Success Stories
- "Reduced system downtime by 99.9%" – E-commerce Company, 2024
- "Zero security breaches since implementation" – Fintech Startup, 2024
## Expertise Areas
- Cybersecurity: 20 years experience, ISO 27001 auditor
- AI Integration: MCP protocol, agent orchestration
- Cloud Hosting: High-availability clusters
Step 3: Optimize for AI Comprehension (10 minutes)
## FAQ
### What problems do you solve?
VeriTeknik handles IT infrastructure management for businesses.
From server maintenance to security audits, disaster recovery
to AI integration, we manage all technical operations.
### Who is your ideal client?
Mid-sized companies that don't want to build their own IT
department but need enterprise-grade infrastructure. E-commerce,
fintech, and SaaS companies are our primary customer base.
### What's your typical process?
1. Free discovery call
2. Current infrastructure analysis
3. Customized solution proposal
4. Implementation after approval
5. 24/7 monitoring and support
## Keywords for Discovery
- Ankara data center
- Turkey hosting
- ISO 27001 consulting
- AI agent hosting
- MCP server
AI assistants reward structured clarity.
Step 4: Deploy (5 minutes)
- Upload llms.txt to your site's root directory
- Verify at yourwebsite.com/llms.txt
- Add this to your site's <head>:
<link rel="llms" type="text/markdown" href="/llms.txt">
VeriTeknik's llms.txt Example
Here's an excerpt from our own file:
# VeriTeknik Bilişim
## About
VeriTeknik has been providing IT infrastructure services
in Turkey since 2007. With offices in Ankara and Amsterdam,
as a RIPE LIR holder, we manage businesses' digital
infrastructure with ISO 27001 certified processes.
## Featured Services
- **Managed Servers**: 24/7 monitoring, proactive maintenance
- **Security Auditing**: ISO 27001, PCI-DSS compliance
- **AI Agent Hosting**: MCP protocol, plugged.in integration
- **Disaster Recovery**: Geographic redundancy between Ankara-Istanbul
## Technical Expertise
- 20+ years Linux system administration
- RIPE LIR holder (tr.veriteknik)
- ISO 27001 Lead Auditor certification
- IEEE-published protocol design (RUDP)
## plugged.in Connection
VeriTeknik is the company behind the plugged.in AI agent
platform. We are Turkey's leading provider for MCP server
hosting and agent orchestration.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Vague claims: "We offer quality services" ✅ Specific: "SLA: 99.9% uptime guarantee, credits for breaches"
❌ Outdated info ✅ Timestamped updates: "Last updated: January 2025"
❌ Only listing email ✅ Direct actions: "Book now: yoursite.com/book"
❌ Jargon-filled ✅ Clear explanation: Write as if explaining to your mother
Why Now?
While developing plugged.in, I saw this shift firsthand. AI assistants aren't just answering questions anymore, they're doing work. Booking appointments, conducting research, recommending services.
What information these AIs can access becomes critical.
When an AI assistant is asked "recommend a company hosting MCP servers in Turkey," without an llms.txt file, it can't find you. Maybe it crawls your site, but without structured information, it doesn't understand you.
In 1994, sites that adopted robots.txt early gained advantage in search engines. In the 2000s, those who learned SEO early captured market share.
Now the same window of opportunity is open for AIO.
Conclusion: 30 Minutes, Infinite Potential
The shift from SEO to AIO isn't coming—it's here.
Every day you wait is another day your competitors get recommended by AI while you remain invisible.
Creating llms.txt:
- Cost: $0
- Time: 30 minutes
- Potential return: Discoverability in the AI-first internet
Remember: In the age of AI, if you're not optimized for AI discovery, you don't exist.