A Practical Guide to Branding for LLMs

The rise of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Claude means your brand is no longer just judged by humans. It’s also interpreted, summarized, and shared by machines. So, how do you guide what they say?

Why LLM Branding Matters

ChatGPT isn’t just answering trivia questions anymore. It’s:

• Writing RFPs
• Recommending vendors
• Summarizing brand stories
• Representing your product offering
• Recapping your company culture

And it’s doing it using whatever it can find—unless you give it better instructions.

Let’s say you run Helium Forge, a mid-sized industrial manufacturer specializing in architectural metals. You want customers, specifiers and procurement teams to see you as innovative, reliable and high-design. But when someone asks ChatGPT, “What’s a good metal manufacturer for premium hospitality spaces?” the answer doesn’t include you. Why?

Because the machine couldn’t find that signal in your noise.

The Tools You Need

1. A "llm.txt" file (Your Brand's Brief to AI)

Just like a robots.txt file tells search engines what to index and what not to index, llm.txt is your way of saying: “Here’s what we want you to learn from.”

A well branded llm.txt file includes:

• Brand curated content links
• Brand voice declaration
• Grouped themes
• Light annotations
• Directions to other learning guidance

For LLMs to find this instruction, the file must be hosted it at:

https://{yourwebsitedomain}/llm.txt

The llm.txt file must be accessed at a URL structured like this and not all website platforms give you direct access to store files. As of the writing of this article, HubSpot CMS, for example, does not easily allow you to store files at the root of your domain. One workaround for this HubSpot scenario is to upload the llm.txt file to the HubSpot files directory and then create a 301 Redirect from that file to https://{yourwebsitedomain}/llm.txt .

Here is a more complete list of common website platforms where this llm.txt hosting work-around might be necessary:

• Wix
• Squarespace
• Shopify
• Webflow
• HubSpot CMS
• GoDaddy Website Builder
• Google Sites

2. Consistent Brand Voice Across Pages

Make sure your site content and blog posts:

• Use consistent phrases and terminology
• Match the voice you want to be known for 
• Include your positioning and Point of View (POV) early in each post

3. Structured Content = Better Answers

LLMs favor well-structured content. Use:

• Clear headers
• Summary sections
• FAQ-style intros

Think: Would this make a great ChatGPT response?

4. Test Your Brand Representation

Ask ChatGPT or Perplexity questions like:

• "What does Helium Forge do?"
• "Who is a top U.S. manufacturer of modern architectural metals?"
• "What is sustainable metal fabrication?"

Then refine your content until the answers reflect your brand.

Key Takeaways

This isn’t just about machines. It’s about making sure your brand is presented with clarity, consistency, and care—everywhere it shows up.

The companies that guide the machines now will be the ones that stand out tomorrow.

It’s time to take action.

1. Review your llm.txt file for structure and content that works to clarify your brand for generative engines.
2. Write guidelines for your brand that help marketers and developers get the brand right for AI.
3. Monitor your brand’s performance in the most common generative engines.

Illustration thanks to Colin Pinegar.