YouTube Channel Metadata Extraction to Google Docs - n8n Workflow

• Content strategists and marketing analysts needing structured data on competitors.


• Researchers who require automated logging of channel statistics.


• Teams looking for practical n8n templates to integrate web data extraction with document management.


• Users utilizing n8n to centralize reporting processes.

This powerful n8n workflow solves the tedious problem of manually collecting and structuring YouTube channel data. It functions as a complete extraction and reporting tool. By initiating the process via a simple web form (the starting n8n trigger), the automation seamlessly queries a specialized RapidAPI service for deep metadata—including statistics, channel branding, and keywords. The true intelligence of this n8n workflow lies in the custom Code n8n node, which cleans, organizes, and visually enhances the raw JSON response into a professional report format. Finally, the structured data is automatically appended to a specified Google Docs document. This setup demonstrates how effective n8n templates can be for centralizing competitive intelligence or audience research.

This automation follows a linear, four-step process, starting with a user input:

1. Form Submission Trigger: The n8n workflow initiates when a user submits a YouTube channel URL via the built-in n8n Form Trigger node (On form submission). This defines the data required for the rest of the flow.


2. API Data Fetch: The URL is passed to the YouTube Channel Metadata n8n node (an HTTP Request node). This node calls the specified RapidAPI endpoint, authenticating with API keys, to retrieve comprehensive channel JSON data.


3. Data Transformation: The Reformat Code n8n node takes the verbose JSON response. It carefully extracts necessary fields like subscriber count, video count, description, and keywords. This n8n node then uses JavaScript to compile this data into a neatly formatted, human-readable markdown string (including emojis for clarity).


4. Document Storage: The formatted string (docContent) is sent to the Add Data in Google Docs n8n node. Using Service Account credentials, this n8n node updates a specified Google Docs file by inserting the newly generated channel report, completing the automated data logging process.

To deploy this n8n workflow template successfully, follow these steps:

1. Import the JSON: Copy the provided n8n workflow JSON and paste it into your n8n canvas.


2. RapidAPI Configuration (HTTP Request Node):

1. Activate the n8n Trigger: Save and activate the n8n workflow. Access the URL provided by the On form submission n8n trigger to start testing the process.

This n8n workflow relies on powerful automation components:

On form submission (Form Trigger): This node acts as the entry point and primary n8n trigger. It creates a public web form that accepts a single input: the YouTube Channel URL, which initializes the n8n workflow execution.

YouTube Channel Metadata (HTTP Request n8n node): This node handles external integration. Key configurations include the POST method, sending the submitted URL as form data, and using custom headers (x-rapidapi-host and x-rapidapi-key) to authenticate with the RapidAPI service.

Reformat (Code n8n node): Essential for data processing, this custom n8n node contains JavaScript logic. It specifically extracts key data points (snippet, statistics, brandingSettings) from the API response and creates the final structured output variable docContent for consumption by the next step.

Add Data in Google Docs (Google Docs n8n node): This final action n8n node uses the 'Update' operation to append the formatted text content (={{ $json.docContent }}) into a specified Google Doc URL. It requires robust Service Account authentication to ensure reliable API calls.