Automate Your YouTube Strategy with n8n: Complete Setup Guide

Building a successful YouTube channel requires constant research, competitor analysis, and fresh content ideas. This n8n workflow automates the entire process, from analyzing trending videos to generating new content concepts.

What This System Does

This automated workflow handles five key phases:

Phase 1: Competitor Analysis

• Analyzes 3 competitor channels you specify

• Extracts power words from high-performing titles

• Analyzes thumbnail strategies

Phase 2: Weekly Broad Niche Research

• Tracks trending videos in your general category

• Identifies emerging patterns and opportunities

Phase 3: Daily Niche Monitoring

• Monitors your specific niche for daily trends

• Captures real-time performance data

Phase 4: Audience Feedback Analysis

• Analyzes comments to understand viewer needs

• Identifies what audiences want more of

Phase 5: Content Idea Generation

• Automatically generates 3 video concepts

• Provides both title and thumbnail suggestions

Required Accounts and Tools

You'll need accounts with these services:

1. n8n - Workflow automation platform

2. Apify - YouTube data scraping service

3. OpenRouter - AI language model access

4. OpenAI - Image analysis capabilities

5. Google Sheets - Data storage and analysis

Download the file here:

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Get Your Apify API Key

1. Sign up at Apify

2. Generate your API key from the dashboard

3. Insert this key into all 5 HTTP Request nodes in the workflow

Step 2: Configure AI Services

OpenRouter Setup:

• Create account at OpenRouter

• Add billing information

• Generate API key

• Connect credential in n8n

OpenAI Setup:

• Get API key from OpenAI Platform

• Set up separate OpenAI credential in n8n for image analysis

Step 3: Google Sheets Integration

1. Copy this template spreadsheet

2. Connect your copied sheet to all Google Sheets nodes

3. Ensure correct sheet tabs are selected in each node

Step 4: Basic Configuration

Update these settings in the workflow:

• Broad Niche: Your general category (e.g., "artificial intelligence")

• Niche: Your specific focus (e.g., "n8n automation")

• Channel URL: Your YouTube channel link

• Channel Description: Brief description of your content

How to Use the System

Manual Analysis

1. Submit competitor channel URLs through the generated form

2. System automatically analyzes and stores results

3. Check Google Sheets for comprehensive data

Automated Operations

Once configured, the system runs automatically:

• Daily at 6 AM: Niche-specific trend analysis

• Weekly on Sundays: Broad category research

Understanding Your Results

The system populates your Google Sheets with:

Power Words Sheet: High-impact words that drive clicks Thumbnail Analysis: Visual elements that grab attention
Content Ideas: Ready-to-use video concepts with thumbnail descriptions Audience Insights: What viewers are requesting

Just Make It Work

The technical details aren't important - focus on getting these basics right:

1. All API keys properly connected

2. Google Sheets linked correctly

3. Schedule triggers activated

4. Your niche information filled in

Once everything connects, the system handles the complex analysis automatically. You just need to check your sheets periodically for fresh insights and content ideas.

The workflow runs in the background, continuously gathering intelligence about your niche and generating actionable content strategies. This eliminates the guesswork from YouTube planning and keeps you ahead of trends in your category.

Automate Your YouTube Strategy with n8n file