Time needed
90 minutes
Difficulty
Intermediate
Cost
It depends on the plan and the features used
Tools
Gemini + primary sources + internal data
Check
July 20, 2026

How I use Gemini in strategy

For me, a credible strategy arises from the meeting between what the business knows and what the market is showing. I use Gemini to organize questions, materials and sources and, when search or grounding functions are available, to connect external signals. However, I don't confuse a well-written answer with a true answer.

The correct role is that of assisted researcher: he proposes leads, explains connections and prepares a basis that a person can verify. You don't have to decide the positioning or budget alone.

What questions to ask before the search?

Write five to seven questions that, if answered, change a decision. For example: which problem is described most urgently? Which segment is already underserved? Which channel intercepts an informed question? Which promise is already overcrowded?

Don't look for “the whole market”. Define geography, period, segment and acceptable source type. Research becomes useful when it has a boundary.

How to connect evidence and choices?

Operational schemeResearch with a decision in sight
  1. QuestionsDecisions to make and boundaries of the research
  2. SourcesOrigin, date, method and relevance
  3. PatternsConvergences, divergences and weak signals
  4. ChoiceHuman evaluation of alternatives
  5. TestsExperiment, metric and threshold
The human passage between evidence and choice prevents synthesis from automatically becoming strategy.

What prompts to use with Gemini?

Prompt 1: Design the research

Prompt to useMap of questions and sources
I have to make this decision: [describe the decision].
Contesto: [mercato, paese, pubblico, offerta, periodo].
Vincoli: [budget, tempo, canali, regole].

Build a research plan with a maximum of 7 questions. For each question indicate:
- why the decision changes;
- necessary internal data;
- type of primary external source;
- validity period;
- signal that confirms the hypothesis;
- signal that disproves it.

Don't answer the questions yet. Highlight those that cannot be resolved with an online search.

Why do I use this prompt: This prompt does not yet seek answers: it designs research proportionate to the decision and reduces the risk of collecting irrelevant data.

Prompt 2: Collect evidence in a stable format

Prompt to useSource cards with example
For each approved application, collect only relevant sources and return a form.

FORMAT EXAMPLE
Domanda: Quale problema cresce?
Fonte: [titolo e URL]
Date and scope: [date, country, sample]
Evidenza: [fatto attribuito alla fonte]
Possible inference: [separate interpretation]
Limite: [cosa la fonte non dimostra]
Confidenza: bassa / media / alta

Now apply the same format to your search. Don't make up URLs. If you cannot find a suitable source, write “source not found”. Give priority to primary and recent sources.

Why do I use this prompt: This prompt uses a small example to make the format stable. Examples help show depth and structure, not the answer to copy.

Google suggests consistent examples to guide output format and pattern. Here the few-shot does not serve to make the answer "more creative", but to prevent facts and interpretations from ending up in the same sentence.

Prompt 3: Build testable scenarios

Prompt to useFrom the evidence to three scenarios
Use only verified source sheets and approved internal data.

Create 3 strategic scenarios: prudent, focused, expansive. For each indicate:
1. starting evidence;
2. priority audience and problem;
3. value proposition;
4. channels and function of each channel;
5. minimum investment;
6. 30 day experiment;
7. anticipatory metric;
8. threshold to continue, correct or stop;
9. more fragile assumption.

Don't use expressions like "increase online presence" without specifying behavior, metrics and period.

Why do I use this prompt: This prompt summarizes without hiding the uncertainty: each scenario must declare dependencies and abandonment thresholds.

How to check sources?

Open each URL. Check author, date, sample, geography and definitions. A global statistic may be useless for a local decision; recent research may measure a different phenomenon than yours. Maintain a table with date of access and decision influenced.

What works

Advantages

  • Link research to decision-making questions
  • Handles different examples and materials well
  • It can make comparing sources quicker
What to check

Limits

  • A cited source may be weak or out of context
  • The available functions change between floors and environments
  • The summary can hide important divergences

For a process centered on internal documents consult the digital strategy with Claude. To transform an already chosen direction into an operational plan, use the method with ChatGPT.

Frequently asked questions

Can Gemini do research for a digital strategy?

It can help organize research and, when grounding functions are available, link claims to sources. However, the sources must be opened and checked.

Why include examples in prompts for Gemini?

The examples make the format, depth and expected criteria explicit, reducing overly generic interpretations.

What is the main risk?

Confusing a plausible summary with a valid decision. Each conclusion must indicate evidence, gaps and confidence level.