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Instagram visual analysis with Apify scraping, OpenAI GPT-5 & Google Sheets

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Instagram visual analysis with Apify scraping, OpenAI GPT-5 & Google Sheets preview
Open on n8n.io

Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

Pull recent Instagram post media for any username, fetch the image binaries, and run automated visual analysis with OpenAI — all orchestrated inside n8n. This workflow uses a Google Sheet to supply...

Best for

  • Market Research automation workflows
  • intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.manualtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.googlesheets, n8n-nodes-base.filter, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmchatopenai, n8n-nodes-base.splitout, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Robert Breen.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Instagram visual analysis with Apify scraping, OpenAI GPT-5 & Google Sheets
Workflow name
Instagram visual analysis with Apify scraping, OpenAI GPT-5 & Google Sheets

Pull recent Instagram post media for any username, fetch the image binaries, and run automated visual analysis with OpenAI — all orchestrated inside n8n. This workflow uses a Google Sheet to supply target usernames, calls Apify’s Instagram Profile Scraper to fetch recent posts, downloads the images, and passes them to an OpenAI vision-capable model for structured analysis. Results can then be logged, stored, or routed onward depending on your use case.


🧑‍💻 Who’s it for

  • Social media managers analyzing competitor or brand posts
  • Marketing teams tracking visual trends and campaign content
  • Researchers collecting structured insights from Instagram images

⚙️ How it works

  1. Google Sheets – Supplies Instagram usernames (one per row).
  2. Apify Scraper – Fetches latest posts (images and metadata).
  3. HTTP Request – Downloads each image binary.
  4. OpenAI Vision Model – Analyzes visuals and outputs structured summaries.
  5. Filter & Split Nodes – Ensure only the right rows and posts are processed.

🔑 Setup Instructions

1) Connect Google Sheets (OAuth2)

  1. Go to n8n → Credentials → New → Google Sheets (OAuth2)
  2. Sign in with your Google account and grant access
  3. In the Get Google Sheet node, select your spreadsheet + worksheet (must contain a User column with Instagram usernames)

2) Connect Apify (HTTP Query Auth)

  1. Get your Apify API token at Apify Console → Integrations/API
  2. In n8n → Credentials → New → HTTP Query Auth, add a query param token=<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>
  3. In the Scrape Details node, select that credential and use the provided URL:

3) Connect OpenAI (API Key)

  1. Create an API key at OpenAI Platform
  2. In n8n → Credentials → New → OpenAI API, paste your key
  3. In the OpenAI Chat Model node, select your credential and choose a vision-capable model (gpt-4o-mini, gpt-4o, or gpt-5 if available)

🛠️ How to customize

  • Change the Google Sheet schema (e.g., add campaign tags or notes).
  • Adjust the OpenAI system prompt to refine what details are extracted (e.g., brand logos, colors, objects).
  • Route results to Slack, Notion, or Airtable instead of storing only in Sheets.
  • Apply filters (hashtags, captions, or timeframe) directly in the Apify scraper config.

📋 Requirements

  • n8n (Cloud or self-hosted)
  • Google Sheets account
  • Apify account + API token
  • OpenAI API key with a funded account

📬 Contact

Need help customizing this (e.g., filtering by campaign, sending reports by email, or formatting your PDF)?

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - When clicking ‘Execute workflow’

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger - manualTrigger
Config choices
Version 1

Block 2 - Scrape Details

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 4.2

Block 3 - Get Google Sheet

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets - googleSheets
Config choices
Version 4.6

Block 4 - Filter

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.filter - filter
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 5 - AI Agent

Type / Role
@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent - agent
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 6 - OpenAI Chat Model

Type / Role
@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmChatOpenAi - lmChatOpenAi
Config choices
Version 1.2

Block 7 - Split Out

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.splitOut - splitOut
Config choices
Version 1

Block 8 - HTTP Request

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 4.2

Block 9 - Sticky Note53

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 10 - Sticky Note1

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 11 - Sticky Note61

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 12 - Sticky Note63

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 13 - Sticky Note64

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

3. Summary Table

Workflow Instagram visual analysis with Apify scraping, OpenAI GPT-5 & Google Sheets
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 13
Categories Market Research
Author Robert Breen
Published 30 Aug 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/8068/8068.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Instagram visual analysis with Apify scraping, OpenAI GPT-5 & Google Sheets do?

Pull recent Instagram post media for any username, fetch the image binaries, and run automated visual analysis with OpenAI — all orchestrated inside n8n. This workflow uses a Google Sheet to supply...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Market Research use case.