Export LinkedIn search results to Google Sheets using ConnectSafely.ai API

Who's it for

This workflow is built for sales professionals, recruiters, founders, and growth marketers who need to build targeted prospect lists from LinkedIn without risking their accounts. Perfect for anyone who wants to find decision-makers, build lead lists, or research target audiences at scale.

If you're running outbound campaigns, building ABM lists, sourcing candidates, or doing competitive research, this automation handles LinkedIn searches and exports results directly to your Google Sheet—no browser cookies, no session hijacking, no ban risk.

How it works

The workflow automates LinkedIn people searches by leveraging ConnectSafely.ai's compliant API, then exports structured results to Google Sheets or JSON files.

The process flow:

1. Define your search parameters (keywords, location, job title, result limit)
2. Execute the search via ConnectSafely.ai API
3. Process and normalize the response data
4. Export to Google Sheets for CRM import or further automation
5. Optionally save as JSON file for data backup or processing

No LinkedIn cookies required. No browser automation. Platform-compliant searches that won't get your account restricted.

Watch the complete step-by-step implementation guide:

LinkedIn Search Export Automation Tutorial

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Setup steps

Step 1: Get Your ConnectSafely.ai API Credentials

Obtain API Key:

1. Log into ConnectSafely.ai Dashboard
2. Navigate to Settings → API Keys
3. Generate a new API key
4. Copy your API key (you'll need this in the next step)

Add Bearer Auth Credential in n8n:

1. Go to Credentials in n8n
2. Click Add Credential → HTTP Bearer Auth
3. Paste your ConnectSafely.ai API key
4. Save the credential

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Step 2: Configure Search Parameters

Open the Set Search Parameters node and customize your search:

Parameter	Description	Example
keywords	Search terms for profiles	CEO SaaS, Marketing Director
location	Geographic filter	United States, San Francisco Bay Area
title	Job title filter	Head of Growth, VP Sales
limit	Maximum results to return	100 (max varies by plan)

Pro Tips:

• Use specific keywords for better targeting
• Combine title + keywords for precision (e.g., keywords: "B2B" + title: "VP Sales")
• Start with smaller limits (25-50) for testing

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Step 3: Configure Google Sheets Integration

3.1 Connect Google Sheets Account

1. Go to Credentials → Add Credential → Google Sheets OAuth2
2. Follow the OAuth flow to connect your Google account
3. Grant access to Google Sheets

3.2 Prepare Your Google Sheet

Create a new Google Sheet with the following columns (the workflow will auto-populate these):

Column Name	Description
profileUrl	LinkedIn profile URL
fullName	Contact's full name
firstName	First name
lastName	Last name
headline	LinkedIn headline/tagline
currentPosition	Current job title
company	Company name (extracted from headline)
location	Geographic location
connectionDegree	1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree connection
isPremium	LinkedIn Premium member (true/false)
isOpenToWork	Open to work badge (true/false)
profilePicture	Profile image URL
extractedAt	Timestamp of extraction

3.3 Configure the Export Node

1. Open the Export to Google Sheets node
2. Select your Google Sheets credential
3. Enter your Document ID (from the sheet URL)
4. Select the Sheet Name
5. The column mapping is pre-configured for auto-mapping

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Step 4: Test the Workflow

1. Click the Manual Trigger node
2. Click Test Workflow
3. Verify:
   • Search executes successfully
   • Results appear in the Format Results output
   • Data exports to your Google Sheet
   • JSON file is generated (optional)

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Customization

Search Parameter Combinations

Sales Prospecting:

keywords: "B2B SaaS"
location: "United States"
title: "VP of Sales"
limit: 100

Recruiting:

keywords: "Python Machine Learning"
location: "San Francisco Bay Area"
title: "Senior Engineer"
limit: 50

Founder Networking:

keywords: "Seed Series A"
location: "New York City"
title: "Founder CEO"
limit: 100

Extending the Workflow

Add to CRM: Connect the Format Results output to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive nodes

Enrich Data: Add a loop to fetch full profile details for each result using the /linkedin/profile endpoint

Chain with Outreach: Connect to the LinkedIn Connection Request Workflow to automatically send personalized invites to your search results

Schedule Searches: Replace Manual Trigger with a Schedule Trigger to run daily/weekly searches

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Output Data Format

Each result includes:

{
  "profileUrl": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndoe",
  "profileId": "johndoe",
  "profileUrn": "urn:li:member:123456789",
  "fullName": "John Doe",
  "firstName": "John",
  "lastName": "Doe",
  "headline": "VP of Sales at TechCorp | B2B SaaS",
  "currentPosition": "VP of Sales",
  "company": "TechCorp",
  "location": "San Francisco, California",
  "connectionDegree": "2nd",
  "isPremium": true,
  "isOpenToWork": false,
  "profilePicture": "https://media.licdn.com/...",
  "extractedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z"
}

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Use Cases

Sales Prospecting: Build targeted lead lists of decision-makers at companies matching your ICP

Recruiting & Talent Sourcing: Find passive candidates with specific skills and experience levels

Market Research: Analyze competitor employee profiles and organizational structures

Event Planning: Build invite lists for webinars, conferences, or virtual events

Partnership Development: Identify potential partners and integration opportunities

Investor Research: Find founders and executives at companies in specific stages/verticals

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: "No results found" error

• Solution: Broaden your search parameters; try removing one filter at a time

Issue: Empty company field in results

• Solution: Company is extracted from headline; some profiles may not include company in their headline format

Issue: API authentication errors

• Solution: Verify your ConnectSafely.ai API key is valid and has proper permissions; check Bearer Auth credential format

Issue: Google Sheets not updating

• Solution: Confirm OAuth credentials are valid; check that the sheet has write permissions

Issue: Fewer results than expected

• Solution: LinkedIn limits search results; try more specific parameters or upgrade your ConnectSafely.ai plan

Issue: Rate limit errors

• Solution: Add delay between multiple searches; check your API plan limits

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Documentation & Resources

Official Documentation

• ConnectSafely.ai Docs: https://connectsafely.ai/docs
• API Reference: Available in ConnectSafely.ai dashboard
• n8n HTTP Request Node: https://docs.n8n.io/nodes/n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest

Support Channels

• Email Support: [email protected]
• Documentation: https://connectsafely.ai/docs
• Custom Workflows: Contact us for custom automation

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Connect With Us

Stay updated with the latest automation tips, LinkedIn strategies, and platform updates:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/connectsafelyai
• YouTube: youtube.com/@ConnectSafelyAI-v2x
• Instagram: instagram.com/connectsafely.ai
• Facebook: facebook.com/connectsafelyai
• X (Twitter): x.com/AiConnectsafely
• Bluesky: connectsafelyai.bsky.social
• Mastodon: mastodon.social/@connectsafely

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Need Custom Workflows?

Looking to build sophisticated LinkedIn automation workflows tailored to your business needs?

Contact our team for custom automation development, strategy consulting, and enterprise solutions.

We specialize in:

• Multi-channel prospecting workflows
• AI-powered lead scoring and qualification
• CRM integration and data synchronization
• Custom search and enrichment pipelines
• Bulk outreach automation with personalization