Publishing content consistently is crucial, but doing it manually? It’s slow, error-prone, and expensive over time. That’s why we decided to automate our entire content publishing workflow—from keyword input to final document generation—all using AI + automation tools like n8n and Make.
Let me walk you through the process, tools, costs, and even the best AI APIs to get this done.
🚧 The Problem
Manual content writing:
- Takes too much time ⏳
- Is inconsistent in tone and structure ✍️
- Requires lots of review and cleanup 🔁
- Delays your SEO and marketing campaigns 😓
So we asked:
Can we automate everything—from content writing to publishing?
Short answer: Yes! And here’s how we did it. 👇
Our Automated Content Creation Workflow
Here’s a streamlined version of our current setup:
Link Update
We store the doc URL back in Column G of the original sheet.
Input Data
We fetch Website Name from Column A and Keyword from Column B of our PL Content Final Sheet.
Content Generation
We insert these into our versatile AI prompt and use an AI writer (like GPT or Claude) to generate the full article.
Doc Creation
Once content is generated, we create a document (Google Docs / Airtable / Markdown).
The Prompt That Powers It All
Every content piece is generated using a powerful, structured prompt that blends the website name and keyword into an SEO-optimized, fact-rich output. This prompt ensures consistency across all your content.
Implementation Options
Option 1: Custom Python Script
Use Google Sheets & Docs API + OpenAI API with a custom script. This is ideal if you want full control but don’t mind managing API keys and service accounts.
Cost: Depends on API calls
Effort: Medium
Control: High
Option 2: n8n (Self-hosted Automation)
- Open-source
- Works great for API chaining
- Can fetch rows, generate AI content, and post back to Google Sheets or Airtable.
Cost: Free (if self-hosted), $20/mo (cloud)
Ideal for: Scalable, visual workflows
Option 3: Make.com (No-Code Automation)
- Visual drag-and-drop interface
- Easy integration with Google Sheets, OpenAI, Airtable, and more
Cost: From $9/mo
Best for: Beginners or quick setup
Avoiding Google API Headaches?
Alternative Setup:
- Use Airtable instead of Google Sheets
- Save content as Markdown files in GitHub (version-controlled and free)
Benefits:
- No Google Auth pain
- Easy to scale
- Unlimited files on GitHub
Best AI Writing APIs (2025 Edition)
| AI Tool | Model | Cost per 1K Tokens | Accuracy & Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Anthropic | ~$0.80–$1.20/article | 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Best factual content | Recommended |
| GPT-4 Turbo | OpenAI | $0.01 input / $0.03 output | 🌟🌟🌟🌟 | Great all-rounder |
| DeepSeek-V2 | DeepSeek | Low cost | 🌟🌟🌟 | Good for basic SEO |
| Qwen-1.5 | Alibaba | Very low | 🌟🌟 | Lightweight option |
| Gemini 1.5 | TBD | 🌟🌟🌟🌟 | High-quality, limited access | |
| Mistral Large | Mistral.ai | Competitive | 🌟🌟🌟 | Fast, budget-friendly |
💡 For your content style (local SEO + service pages), Claude 3.5 Sonnet or GPT-4 Turbo performs best in factual accuracy and tone.
Cost Breakdown Per Article (2500+ words)
| Task | Tool | Cost Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| AI Content Gen | Claude/GPT-4 | $0.80 – $2.50 |
| Doc Creation | Airtable/GitHub | Free |
| Automation | n8n (self-hosted) | Free |
| Total per article | — | ~$1.00 – $2.50 |
Compared to hiring a writer ($10–$30/article), this saves 90% of cost while improving speed, consistency, and scalability.
Smart Tip: Run Local LLMs?
You can install LLMs like LLaMA or Mistral locally to eliminate API costs, but:
- They may lack updated factual data
- Require heavy GPU or setup
Use them only if:
- You’re handling bulk generation daily
- You have compute power
- You don’t need real-time facts
Final Recommendation
If you’re looking to automate your content pipeline end-to-end:
- Use n8n (self-hosted) for automation
- Store metadata in Airtable
- Save final docs as Markdown on GitHub
- Use Claude 3.5 Sonnet for the best SEO + factual blend
- Keep prompts structured and reusable
Want help setting this up?
I’ve already created this workflow for my own use and can help you replicate it!
Ready to Automate Your Content Writing?
If you want to save time, reduce costs, and produce better content without the hassle, hire me, Usman Jatoi, to build your custom automation workflow today.
Contact Me Now to discuss your project and get a consultation!