{
  "kind": "tracker",
  "studySlug": "llmstxt-effect",
  "slug": "llmstxt-adoption-by-sector-tracker",
  "title": "llms.txt adoption by sector",
  "description": "Adoption skew across named industry groups in the Trakkr study.",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-09-04",
  "lastTested": "2026-03-14",
  "sourceStudyUrl": "/trakkr-research/llmstxt-effect",
  "sourceStudyTitle": "The llms.txt Effect",
  "claimIds": [
    "llmstxt-effect:saas-adoption",
    "llmstxt-effect:gov-academic-adoption",
    "llmstxt-effect:adoption"
  ],
  "relatedSlugs": [
    "answer:how-common-is-llms-txt-on-ai-cited-domains",
    "answer:is-llms-txt-more-common-on-top-domains-than-the-long-tail",
    "fact:median-citations-are-identical-with-and-without-llms-txt"
  ],
  "methodologySummary": "Built from HTTP scans of 37,894 AI-cited domains, linked to 337,362 citations and 882 citation snapshots in the Trakkr corpus.",
  "limitations": [
    "This is an observational study. It measures correlation with citation outcomes, not a controlled experiment.",
    "Adoption is uneven by sector, so raw averages can hide category concentration in SaaS and developer tooling.",
    "The top-5,000 test returns p=0.85. The full scanned sample returns p<0.001 with reported r=-0.065. Neither establishes a causal effect. The public aggregates do not include confidence intervals or document the cohort for citation means and medians well enough to recompute the tests."
  ],
  "keywords": [
    "llms.txt",
    "llms txt effect",
    "AI citations",
    "does llms.txt work"
  ],
  "schemaHints": {
    "pageType": "WebPage",
    "includeDataset": true,
    "includeItemList": true,
    "itemListName": "llms.txt adoption by sector"
  },
  "summary": "llms.txt adoption is highest in SaaS and developer-heavy environments and much lower in government, academic, and reference-heavy sectors.",
  "keyFacts": [
    {
      "label": "SaaS/developer adoption",
      "value": "24.1%",
      "detail": "Highest named category adoption in the study.",
      "claimId": "llmstxt-effect:saas-adoption"
    },
    {
      "label": "Government/academic adoption",
      "value": "1.5%",
      "detail": "Much lower adoption outside SaaS-heavy sectors.",
      "claimId": "llmstxt-effect:gov-academic-adoption"
    },
    {
      "label": "Adoption rate",
      "value": "13.3%",
      "detail": "Domains with llms.txt in the study.",
      "claimId": "llmstxt-effect:adoption"
    }
  ],
  "benchmarkRows": [
    {
      "label": "SaaS/developer adoption",
      "value": "24.1%",
      "note": "Highest named category adoption in the study."
    },
    {
      "label": "Government/academic adoption",
      "value": "1.5%",
      "note": "Much lower adoption outside SaaS-heavy sectors."
    },
    {
      "label": "Adoption rate",
      "value": "13.3%",
      "note": "Domains with llms.txt in the study."
    }
  ],
  "rankedItems": [
    {
      "name": "SaaS / Developer Tools",
      "value": "24.1%",
      "detail": "The highest named category adoption in the study."
    },
    {
      "name": "E-commerce",
      "value": "18.2%",
      "detail": "Moderate technical adoption."
    },
    {
      "name": "News / Media",
      "value": "15.7%",
      "detail": "Adoption near the study average."
    },
    {
      "name": "Government / Academic",
      "value": "1.5%",
      "detail": "Very low adoption despite strong authority."
    },
    {
      "name": "Reference / Wiki",
      "value": "0%",
      "detail": "No observed llms.txt adoption in the named category."
    }
  ],
  "changes": [
    {
      "title": "Adoption looks cultural as much as strategic",
      "detail": "Technical sectors adopt faster even without evidence of citation lift."
    },
    {
      "title": "Authority does not require the file",
      "detail": "Some of the strongest authority sectors still barely use llms.txt."
    }
  ]
}