Automated Blog Generation with Gemini AI and GitHub/Jekyll Publishing

This n8n workflow automates the entire process of generating blog posts using Google Gemini AI and publishing them to a GitHub repository, suitable for Jekyll-based blogs. It streamlines content creation from idea to publication, making it ideal for maintaining an active blog with minimal manual effort.

What it does

This workflow performs the following key steps:

1. Triggers on a Schedule: The workflow is initiated on a predefined schedule (e.g., daily, weekly) to check for new content ideas.
2. Fetches Blog Post Ideas from Google Sheets: It reads a Google Sheet to retrieve a list of potential blog post topics or prompts.
3. Generates Blog Content with Google Gemini AI: For each topic, it uses the Google Gemini Chat Model via an AI Agent to generate comprehensive blog post content. It leverages a Wikipedia tool to gather information, ensuring the generated content is well-researched.
4. Formats Content for Jekyll: The generated content is then processed by a Code node and an Edit Fields (Set) node to format it correctly for Jekyll, including adding front matter (title, date, layout, etc.) and converting it into a Markdown file.
5. Publishes to GitHub: Finally, the workflow creates a new file (the blog post) in a specified GitHub repository, effectively publishing the blog post to a Jekyll site.

Prerequisites/Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

• n8n Instance: A running n8n instance (self-hosted or cloud).
• Google Sheets Account: A Google Sheets spreadsheet containing your blog post ideas/prompts.
• Google Gemini API Key: Access to the Google Gemini Chat Model (configured as an n8n credential).
• GitHub Account: A GitHub repository where your Jekyll blog is hosted. You'll need a GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) with repository write access (configured as an n8n credential).

Setup/Usage

1. Import the Workflow:
   • Copy the provided JSON code.
   • In your n8n instance, click "New" to create a new workflow.
   • Go to "File" > "Import from JSON" and paste the copied JSON.
2. Configure Credentials:
   • Google Sheets: Set up a Google Sheets credential. Ensure it has access to the spreadsheet containing your blog post ideas.
   • Google Gemini Chat Model: Configure a credential for the Google Gemini Chat Model. This typically involves providing your API key.
   • GitHub: Set up a GitHub credential. This should be a Personal Access Token (PAT) with repo scope to allow the workflow to create files in your repository.
3. Customize Nodes:
   • Schedule Trigger (Node 839): Adjust the schedule to your desired frequency for generating and publishing blog posts.
   • Google Sheets (Node 18):
     • Specify the Spreadsheet ID and Sheet Name where your blog post ideas are located.
     • Ensure the sheet has a column that the workflow can read for post topics (e.g., topic).
   • AI Agent (Node 1119):
     • Review the prompt used for generating content. You might want to customize it to better suit your blog's style and requirements.
     • The Wikipedia tool (Node 1201) is already configured as a tool for the agent.
   • Edit Fields (Node 38) and Code (Node 834): These nodes are responsible for formatting the AI-generated content into a Jekyll-compatible Markdown file with front matter. You may need to adjust the fields and logic here to match your specific Jekyll blog's front matter requirements (e.g., layout, categories, tags).
   • GitHub (Node 16):
     • Provide your Owner (GitHub username or organization) and Repository name.
     • Specify the Branch (e.g., main or master) where you want to commit the new blog posts.
     • Define the File Path where the blog posts should be created (e.g., _posts/{{ $json.fileName }}.md).
     • Customize the Commit Message.
4. Activate the Workflow: Once all configurations are complete, activate the workflow. It will now run automatically based on your defined schedule.