How to use the new Gemini notebook. Its amazing!
GEMINI TIPS
Phillip Twyford
If you run a business, you don't have time to read ten articles to understand one trend. You need the answer, not the research process. That's exactly what Gemini Notebook (formerly known as NotebookLM) is built for, and most SME owners haven't heard of it yet.
I use it to research topics before I write content, brief clients, or just get up to speed on something new in AI or digital marketing. Here's how it works and why it's worth ten minutes of your time.
What Gemini Notebook actually does
You go to notebooklm.google.com, sign in with your Google account, and create a notebook. From there, you give it a topic. I tested it with "social media trends for 2026." Toggle web search on, choose fast research or deep research if you want something more thorough, and it goes off and finds relevant articles and YouTube videos on its own.
Within seconds it comes back with a set of sources and a synopsis pulling together the key points across all of them. You're not skimming ten tabs. You're reading one clear summary built from all ten.
You can add your own sources too. If you've already found a report, an article, or a video you want included, paste the link in and it gets folded into the same research base.
Ask it questions, and it answers from the sources, not guesswork
This is the part that makes it genuinely useful rather than just another AI summary tool. Once your sources are loaded, you can ask direct questions: How is AI shifting from assistant to core infrastructure? How can brands stay authentic while using more AI in their marketing?
Gemini Notebook checks every source you gave it and answers based on what's actually there. That matters if you're using this for real decisions, not just curiosity. You're not getting a generic AI answer. You're getting an answer grounded in the specific material you fed it.
You can also configure how it responds. There's a default setting, but you can switch to a longer, more detailed response, or choose "learning guide" mode if you want it to actually teach you the topic step by step, starting with what you already know.
Turn your research into other formats without starting over
This is where it goes further than most research tools. Once you've built up your sources, the Studio section on the right lets you turn that same research into different formats:
An audio overview, which is essentially an AI-generated podcast discussing your sources, useful if you'd rather listen on a commute than read.
A slide deck, ready to use if you need to brief your team on a trend or topic.
A mind map, if you think visually and want the topic broken into connected ideas.
A written report, flashcards, an interactive quiz, an infographic, or a data table, depending on what you actually need to do with the research.
You did the research once. You're not doing it again for each output.
Why this matters if you're running a business
Most business owners either try to keep up with trends themselves and don't have the time to do it properly, or they hand it off and lose control of the detail. Gemini Notebook sits in between. It does the heavy lifting of finding and reading sources, but you stay in control of what questions get asked and what the output looks like.
It's also free. I use the paid Google AI Pro plan for higher-end models, but the free version covers what most SME owners need for research, briefings, and staying current in their industry.
What to do next
If you're spending an hour a week trying to keep up with AI, marketing, or industry trends by reading articles piecemeal, try building one notebook around a single topic this week.
Give it a prompt, let it pull sources, and ask it three questions you actually need answered. You'll see within minutes whether it earns a permanent spot in how you work.
If you like this post, then read my post on how to use Gemini to get insights on your videos here.
FAQ
Q1: What is Gemini Notebook?
A: Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) is a free Google research tool. You give it a topic, it finds relevant articles and videos, then summarises them into one clear synopsis instead of leaving you to read through ten separate sources yourself.
Q2: How is Gemini Notebook different from just asking ChatGPT or Gemini a question?
A: It answers only from the sources it gathered, or you added, not general AI guesswork. That grounding matters if you're using the output for real business decisions, briefings, or content, rather than a quick generic summary.
Q3: Can I add my own sources to Gemini Notebook?
A: Yes. If you already have a report, article, or video you want included, paste the link in, and it's added to the same research base the tool uses to answer your questions.
Q4: What can I turn my research into once it's done?
A: The Studio section can convert your sources into an audio overview, slide deck, mind map, written report, flashcards, quiz, infographic, or data table. You do the research once and reuse it across formats.
Q5: Is Gemini Notebook free to use?
A: Yes. The free version covers what most SME owners need for research, briefings, and staying current on trends. A paid Google AI Pro plan exists for higher-end models, but it's not required for typical use.