# Template category expansion and search for use-case intent

> Break a template gallery into many narrow use-case categories and add a real search bar so buyers can start from the job they need done, not from your product taxonomy.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/template-category-expansion-and-search-for-use-case-intent/
- Source: [notion.com](https://www.notion.com/blog/new-notion-template-gallery)
- GrowthDex source hub: [Notion Blog](/sources/notion-blog-notion-com/)
- Last checked: 2026-05-27
- Rarity: rare
- Budget: low
- Channels: SEO, Marketplace, Website
- Stages: demand capture, marketplace growth, information architecture, long-tail seo
- Key metric: Notion increased template categories from 21 to 250+

## Why this can grow

Template demand is rarely generic. People want a lesson planner, bug tracker, wedding dashboard, or startup wiki right now. A dense category map and direct search reduce the translation work the buyer has to do, which means more of the traffic reaches a usable page before interest fades. It also gives the marketplace many more surfaces to rank for long-tail intent than one broad gallery homepage ever could.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. For SEO and AI search, I care less about clever keyword tricks and more about clarity. A buyer, crawler, or answer engine should quickly understand who this is for, why it works, what proof backs it, and what page deserves to be cited. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch Notion increased template categories from 21 to 250+ before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where template category expansion and search for use-case intent can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the SEO and Marketplace channel.
3. Use the evidence from notion.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: Notion increased template categories from 21 to 250+.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

When Notion rebuilt its Template Gallery, it expanded categories from 21 to 250+ and added a web search bar so users could quickly find templates that matched specific needs.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [Creator-payout template gallery for distribution](/growth-ideas/creator-payout-template-gallery-for-distribution/) - same source, 2 shared channels
- [Creator profile pages for template discovery](/growth-ideas/creator-profile-pages-for-template-discovery/) - same source, 2 shared channels
- [Bundled workspace template for the whole team job-to-be-done](/growth-ideas/bundled-workspace-template-for-whole-team-job-to-be-done/) - same source, 2 shared channels
- [Low-friction template submission with handle claim](/growth-ideas/low-friction-template-submission-with-handle-claim/) - same source, 1 shared channel

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [A template marketplace should help the buyer finish the choice](/blog/a-template-marketplace-should-help-the-buyer-finish-the-choice/) - marketplace growth, brand trust, technical SEO

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.