YouTube Video Metadata Extraction to Google Docs - n8n Workflow

• Content teams and researchers needing structured documentation of video assets.


• Users who require automated data extraction from YouTube URLs.


• Developers looking for powerful n8n templates that combine API calls with custom code.


• Anyone seeking to streamline data collection processes using a simple n8n trigger form.

This powerful n8n workflow provides a robust solution for content managers, SEO specialists, and researchers who need fast, structured documentation of YouTube video details. By utilizing a simple web form as an initial n8n trigger, users can input a YouTube URL and receive a fully formatted data output, including statistics (views, likes, comments), description, tags, and duration, which is then appended directly to a specified Google Docs document. This particular n8n template significantly speeds up research and content auditing by automating the manual extraction process using a custom HTTP Request n8n node and a specialized Code n8n node for data manipulation. This is a highly efficient way to manage documentation within your existing n8n environment.

The automation begins when a user submits a YouTube URL via the 'On form submission' n8n trigger. This custom n8n node provides a public URL for input.

1. Capture URL: The 'On form submission' n8n trigger captures the URL provided by the user.


2. API Call: The subsequent 'YouTube Metadata' n8n node (an HTTP Request node) takes this URL and sends a POST request to the RapidAPI service. This node is critical as it fetches the comprehensive JSON data set for the specified YouTube video.


3. Data Reformat: The 'Reformat' n8n node (a Code n8n node) receives the raw JSON response. It executes custom JavaScript to extract key details like the video title, description, statistics, duration, and tags, formatting them into a clear, markdown-style content string. This ensures the output is highly readable.


4. Document Output: Finally, the 'Append Data in Google Docs' n8n node utilizes the formatted string and inserts it into a target Google Docs file, completing the automated documentation n8n workflow. This entire process defines a high-value n8n workflow.

To install and utilize this n8n workflow, follow these steps:

1. Import the n8n Template: Copy the provided JSON code and paste it into your n8n instance using the 'New' -> 'Import from JSON' option.


2. Set up Credentials:

1. Activate the n8n Trigger: Ensure the 'On form submission' n8n trigger node is active (toggle it on) to generate the publicly accessible form URL for input.


2. Test: Submit a valid YouTube URL using the generated form link to test the execution of the n8n workflow.

On form submission (n8n Trigger): This serves as the starting point of the n8n workflow. It is configured to accept a single mandatory field named url, ensuring the necessary input for the API call is collected.
YouTube Metadata (HTTP Request n8n node): This node handles external communication. It is configured as a POST request, uses multipart-form-data content type, and passes the input url (={{ $json.url }}) in the body. Crucially, it requires custom headers for x-rapidapi-host and x-rapidapi-key to authorize access to the RapidAPI service.
Reformat (Code n8n node): This highly customized n8n node uses JavaScript to iterate over the complex JSON structure returned by the API. It extracts snippet, statistics, and contentDetails, formats tags into a comma-separated string, converts the published date, and generates a structured, multi-line markdown output saved as docContent for downstream use in the n8n workflow.
Append Data in Google Docs (Google Docs n8n node): This final n8n node performs an update operation. Using the text parameter, it inserts the pre-formatted docContent (={{ $json.docContent }}) into the specified Google Docs document.