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Transform viral Instagram Reels into original scripts with AI, Perplexity & Apify

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Transform viral Instagram Reels into original scripts with AI, Perplexity & Apify preview
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Important notice

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

1. Workflow Overview

How it works Please guys, stop staring at a blank page. This workflow turns viral Instagram trends into original scripts for your channel automatically. Scrapes Trends: Finds viral reels in your ni...

Best for

  • Content Creation automation workflows
  • Multimodal AI automation workflows
  • intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.limit, n8n-nodes-base.scheduletrigger, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.googlesheets, n8n-nodes-base.merge, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openai, 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 Neal Mcleod.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Transform viral Instagram Reels into original scripts with AI, Perplexity & Apify
Workflow name
Transform viral Instagram Reels into original scripts with AI, Perplexity & Apify

How it works

Please guys, stop staring at a blank page. This workflow turns viral Instagram trends into original scripts for your channel automatically.

  • Scrapes Trends: Finds viral reels in your niche using Apify.
  • Transcribes: Downloads the video and converts the audio to text.
  • Researches: Uses Perplexity to find facts and add depth to the topic.
  • Writes: Generates a fresh, unique script based on the viral structure using AI.
  • Saves: meaningful content directly to your Google Sheet, ready for filming.

Set up steps

  • Apify: You need an account to run the Instagram scraper.
  • API Keys: Have your OpenAI (for writing/transcription) and Perplexity (for research) keys ready.
  • Google Sheet: Create a sheet with headers for URL, Transcript, and Final Script.
  • Credentials: Enter your keys into the node credentials in n8n.
  • Test: Start with a low limit (e.g., 1-2 items) to verify the flow.

Who is this for?

  • Content Creators: Beat writer's block and post more consistently.
  • Social Media Managers: Scale research without hiring a team.
  • Agencies: Rapidly repurpose trends for multiple clients.

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 - Limit

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

Block 2 - Schedule Trigger

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger - scheduleTrigger
Config choices
Version 1.2

Block 3 - Run Apify Scraper

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

Block 4 - Check Existing Entries

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets - googleSheets
Config choices
Version 4.5

Block 5 - Remove Duplicate Reels

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.merge - merge
Config choices
Version 3

Block 6 - Add New Reels to Sheet

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets - googleSheets
Config choices
Version 4.5

Block 7 - Download Reel Video

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

Block 8 - Transcribe Reel Audio

Type / Role
@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openAi - openAi
Config choices
Version 1.6

Block 9 - Filter + Generate Script Ideas

Type / Role
@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openAi - openAi
Config choices
Version 1.6

Block 10 - Research with Perplexity

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

Block 11 - Generate Final Script

Type / Role
@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openAi - openAi
Config choices
Version 1.6

Block 12 - Update Sheet with Script

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets - googleSheets
Config choices
Version 4.5

Block 13 - Sticky Note

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

3. Summary Table

Workflow Transform viral Instagram Reels into original scripts with AI, Perplexity & Apify
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 13
Categories Content Creation, Multimodal AI
Author Neal Mcleod
Published 23 Dec 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/12045/12045.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 Transform viral Instagram Reels into original scripts with AI, Perplexity & Apify do?

How it works Please guys, stop staring at a blank page. This workflow turns viral Instagram trends into original scripts for your channel automatically. Scrapes Trends: Finds viral reels in your ni...

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 Content Creation, Multimodal AI use case.