Case Studies & Examples

Notion: A case study on the rise in LLM rankings despite lower Google rankings

Are you still asking why top brands dominate AI rankings despite trailing in Google search? Well, this is the present predicament for all marketers. When evaluating the best note taking app, this question couldn’t be more pressing. Recent research shows Google’s AI overviews appear in 75% of problem-solving queries and 30% of all searches.

In this article, we’ll explore why Notion ranks as the best note taking app in LLMs and AI search despite being missing in traditional searches.

Traditional Search Performance Snapshot for the Best Note Taking App

Traditional Search Engines

Google

  • Organic Ranking: Not in the first three pages for “best note-taking app”
  • AI Overview Ranking: 5th
  • AI Mode Ranking: 2nd

Bing

  • Organic Ranking: Not in the first two pages for “best note-taking app”
  • App suggestions: 4th

Yahoo

  • Organic Ranking: Does not appear for “best note-taking app”

AI Platform Mentions for the Best Note Taking App

Claude

  • Mention Order: 1st
  • Percentage of Queries: 90%

Perplexity

  • Mention Order: 2nd
  • Percentage of Queries: 85%

ChatGPT

  • Mention Order: 2nd
  • Percentage of Queries: 75%

Gemini

  • Mention Order: 1st
  • Percentage of Queries: 70%

Microsoft Copilot

  • Mention Order: 3rd
  • Percentage of Queries: 80%

Also read: GEO in Action: Case Studies of Brands Succeeding with Answer Engine Optimization

Why AI Platforms Consistently Favor Notion for the Best Note Taking App

AI-driven recommendations reward depth and real-world evidence. Notion’s extensive resources and engaged community give it an edge. Below, we’ll explore the signals that make Notion a top pick for the best note taking app in AI overviews.

Comprehensive Documentation Architecture

Notion offers a vast help center stocked with organized articles and step-by-step tutorials. The searchable knowledge base covers topics from simple note setup to complex workflow design. Public API documentation provides clear code samples across multiple programming languages.

Developers and end users both find guidance for integration and customization in one place. Industry reviews and user feedback consistently highlight Notion’s docs as a reliable reference for product discovery and problem-solving.

Community-Generated Content Ecosystem

Notion’s template gallery thrives on customer creativity and real use cases. Users share templates for task management, research planning, and team collaboration. Featured creator programs and template contests spark fresh contributions each month.

These community assets fuel blog posts, video walkthroughs, and social discussions around practical workflows. Authentic user content builds social proof and enriches the platform’s visibility across recommendation engines and online forums.

Broader Use Case Positioning Strategy

Notion positions itself as more than a note-taking tool. It combines wikis, task boards, databases, and documentation in one unified workspace. Press reviews and customer testimonials praise its adaptability for diverse teams and personal projects.

Whether organizing study notes, planning events, or running small business operations, Notion scales to the task. This all-in-one approach lets marketing teams recommend it for complete productivity solutions over standalone note apps.

Review Signal Optimization

Notion maintains strong ratings on major review sites, reflecting widespread user satisfaction. Detailed feedback often describes specific project implementations and problem-solving journeys. Screenshots, examples, and workflow narratives give each review added depth.

The Notion team actively replies to feedback and announces feature updates in response. This visible engagement signals ongoing development and builds trust, encouraging new users and reinforcing authority in user-generated content sources. For example, it has 4.7/5 stars on Capterra, based on over 2,577 user reviews (as of early 2025).

Technical Transparency and Developer Relations

Notion supports open development with public GitHub repositories and active developer forums. Detailed technical blog posts explain core features, performance enhancements, and integration options. Partnerships with external research teams and developer meetups further strengthen its ecosystem.

Community-driven tutorials and open-source projects expand functionality and provide hands-on guides. This transparent approach gives both technical and nontechnical users confidence in the platform’s roadmap and fosters continuous innovation.

Also read: Framework Laptop (Modular Tech)

Press Quotes & Industry Coverage

“Notion is a connected workspace where teams write, plan, and organize everything from meeting notes to product roadmaps. Today, it’s also a deeply AI-powered platform, used by millions to summarize content, generate writing, and ask questions in natural language across their entire workspace.” — OpenAI & Notion joint press release

“Notion 2.51 introduces AI Meeting Notes for automatic conversation summaries, enhanced enterprise search across Notion and external tools, and searchable PDFs. Research mode drafts detailed documents in minutes. New plans offer unlimited AI features, and users can now chat directly with top AI models within Notion” — Notion Press release

What Are the Immediate Action Plans You Must Take?

Strategy for marketers for ranking Notion as the best note taking app, classic SEO, and boost LLM momentum is what we’ll see now. To excel in both search results and assistant rankings, adopt these steps. Each action strengthens classic SEO and enhances discovery signals.

Boost Traditional SEO

  • Conduct Strategic Keyword Research: Map core and long-tail keywords to user intent. Use tools to find volume and difficulty. Prioritize terms you can realistically rank for.
  • Optimize On-Page Elements: Include primary keywords in title tags, meta descriptions, and the first 100 words. Use related terms in H2/H3 subheads. Add keywords to image alt text.
  • Implement Structured Data: Apply FAQ, HowTo, and Table schema to relevant pages. Validate markup with a rich results tester. Fix errors within 24 hours to maintain snippet eligibility.
  • Build Topical Content Clusters: Create pillar pages for core topics. Develop two to three supporting articles per pillar. Cross-link within each cluster to reinforce subject authority.
  • Strengthen Internal Linking: Link high-authority pages to new or underperforming content. Use descriptive anchor text that reflects user queries. This distributes link equity and improves crawl depth.
  • Enhance Site Performance: Optimize page load speed, mobile responsiveness, and overall UX. Faster pages reduce bounce rates and improve search rankings.
  • Earn Quality Backlinks: Pursue guest posts, industry roundups, and strategic partnerships. Focus on relevance and authority rather than sheer volume. High-value links boost domain credibility.

How to Sustain AI Recommendation Momentum

  • Create Snippet-Friendly Content: Write concise definitions, step-by-step lists, and clear examples at the top of pages. Assistants surface short, precise answers from well-structured text.
  • Expand Community-Generated Assets: Invite customers to submit tutorials, case studies, and templates. Feature top submissions in blogs and newsletters. Fresh, authentic content signals real-world use.
  • Encourage Detailed Reviews: Ask users for workflow descriptions, results achieved, and use-case examples. Rich review narratives become reference points for recommendation systems.
  • Publish Technical Briefs: Release monthly updates on product features, integrations, or APIs. Keep briefs under 300 words with bullet summaries. Assistants cite concise, authoritative posts.
  • Host Live Workshops: Conduct webinars or virtual demos with product experts. Share recordings and transcripts online. These assets provide new, searchable content for discovery engines.
  • Monitor Recommendation Placements: Track brand mentions and ranking positions in popular assistants. Log share percentage monthly. Treat drops like ranking declines and refresh content accordingly.
  • Align Cross-Functional Teams: Share SEO and recommendation data with product, engineering, and customer success teams. Coordinate content and feature launches to maintain momentum across channels.

Summary: The Future of AI-Optimized Marketing

Search assistants are changing how customers discover products. Traditional SEO tactics like keywords and backlinks remain essential. However, recommendation systems favor in-depth guides, user-created content, and educational resources.

Successful brands will merge both approaches. They must strengthen search visibility while creating materials tailored for conversational platforms. Early investment in these combined strategies will yield a lasting competitive advantage in the evolving discovery landscape.