Extract leads from Google Maps into Google Sheets using the Places API

Who is this for

This workflow is designed for sales teams, marketing professionals, and business developers who want to automate lead generation. It is ideal for budget-conscious individuals or small businesses looking to collect structured contact information from Google Maps without manual searching or relying on third-party middleware providers.

How it works

The workflow operates in two modes: Manual and Automated.

• Manual Mode: Submit a search query via an n8n Form node to trigger the workflow instantly.
• Automated Mode: A Schedule trigger processes pending queries from a Google Sheets spreadsheet.

Once triggered, the workflow uses the Places API (New) to find businesses matching the query. It then maps the data into structured fields (name, address, phone, and website) and saves them as leads in a separate sheet. If triggered automatically, it marks the original query as "scraped" to prevent reprocessing. Duplicate leads are prevented via a deduplication mechanism based on the Google Place ID.

Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

• Google Cloud Project: A project with billing enabled and the Places API (New) activated.
• Google Places API Key: A valid API key from your Google Cloud Console.
• Google Sheets Account: Access to Google Sheets with OAuth2 credentials configured in n8n.
• n8n Instance: A running n8n instance (self-hosted or Cloud).

Setup instructions

1. Enable the API: In the Google Cloud Console, enable the Places API (New) and generate an API key.
2. Prepare Google Sheets: * Open this spreadsheet template and click Make a copy.

• Alternatively, create a spreadsheet with two tabs named SEARCH QUERIES and LEADS. Ensure the queries tab has a Scraped column set to FALSE for new entries.

1. Configure Credentials: Set up your Google Sheets OAuth2 credentials in n8n.
2. Import Workflow: Upload the JSON file to your n8n instance.
3. Add API Key: In the Google Places Search HTTP Request node, replace the placeholder with your Places API (New) key.
4. Link Spreadsheets: Update the Google Sheets nodes (Get rows in QUERIES, Append or update lead row) with your specific Spreadsheet ID and sheet names.
5. Test and Activate: Submit a test query via the form or run the schedule trigger manually, then toggle the workflow to Active.

Customization ideas

• Expand Data Points: In the Map Places Fields node, include additional fields from the API response, such as business hours, ratings, or price levels.
• Switch Destinations: Replace the Google Sheets "Append" node with a CRM node (e.g., HubSpot, Pipedrive, or Salesforce).
• Add Notifications: Connect an Email or Slack node to get notified the moment a high-value lead is found.
• Refine Search: Modify the HTTP Request node to include specific location biases or language preferences supported by the Places API (New).