Example data and instructions before template promotion
Do not feature a template until it includes believable example data and instructions where needed, because empty structures rarely convert strangers into active users.
Why this can grow a startup
A blank template asks the buyer to imagine the payoff. Example data and instructions do the opposite: they let the buyer understand the structure, see the intended workflow, and picture how to adapt it. That makes the first session less brittle and raises the odds that a featured slot produces real usage instead of curiosity clicks.
Company example
Notion's featuring criteria explicitly ask whether a template has well-written example data and instructions where necessary before it gets surfaced more widely.
Source and metric
Source: Notion Help Center · Browse Notion Help Center tactics
Example data and instructions are listed in Notion's build-quality criteria for Marketplace curation
Source discovered: May 27, 2026
When to use it
Use this when Marketplace, Product, Onboarding is relevant to activation, template quality, onboarding and you can run a bounded test with a free budget.
When not to use it
Do not use it as a substitute for customer evidence, a clear owner, or a measurable stop condition. Local platform rules and market behavior still need checking.
Founder checklist
- Read Notion Help Center and identify what is directly supported.
- Choose one channel context: Marketplace, Product, Onboarding.
- Define the test around Example data and instructions are listed in Notion's build-quality criteria for Marketplace curation.
- Set an owner, evidence window, and stop condition before launch.
Explore the context
Apply this with an operator
Choose product surfaces that compound distribution without hiding weak activation or retention.