📊 SEO Keyword Research Workflow (n8n)

This workflow automates SEO keyword research using:

• Google Gemini (PaLM) for keyword idea generation
• DataForSEO API for search volume and competition metrics
• A custom ranking algorithm to score and select the top 50 keywords
• Email delivery of results as a CSV attachment

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📌 Features

• Accepts a seed keyword and recipient email via webhook
• Expands the seed into multiple related keyword ideas using Google Gemini LLM
• Cleans and formats the keywords into an array
• Queries DataForSEO for search volume, CPC, and competition index
• Ranks keywords by a custom formula:

  score = (search_volume * (cpc + 0.1)) / (competition_index + 1)
  

  → high volume + high CPC + low competition rank higher
• Selects the top 50 keywords
• Converts the results into a CSV file
• Sends the CSV report by email

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📂 Workflow Overview

graph TD
    A[Webhook - Receive Seed Keyword + Email] --> B[Edit Fields - Map Input]
    B --> C[Gemini LLM Chain - Generate Keyword Ideas]
    C --> D[Code - Clean & Parse JSON Keywords]
    D --> E[Edit Fields - Prepare for API]
    E --> F[HTTP Request - DataForSEO Search Volume]
    F --> G[Code - Rank, Score & Generate CSV]
    G --> H[Send Email - Deliver CSV Report]

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🛠️ Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Running n8n (Docker recommended)
• Credentials:
  • Google Gemini API key (configured in n8n credentials)
  • DataForSEO API credentials (Base64 encoded in HTTP header)
  • SMTP credentials (for Send Email node)

Install

1. Import the workflow JSON into n8n.
2. Configure credentials for:
   • Google Gemini (PaLM)
   • SMTP (Send Email node)
   • DataForSEO → update Authorization header in HTTP Request node.
3. Activate the workflow.

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▶️ Usage

Send a POST request to your n8n instance:

curl -X POST "http://<your-n8n-host>/webhook/keyword-research" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"seed": "best smartphones", "mailto": "[email protected]"}'

• The workflow generates related keyword ideas
• Queries DataForSEO for metrics
• Ranks keywords by score
• Sends a CSV with the top 50 keywords to the provided email

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📊 Example CSV Output

keyword,search_volume,competition_index,cpc,score
best smartphone for photography,5400,22,1.12,275.72
affordable cell phone options,2900,15,0.85,154.26
premium smartphone vs budget device,1800,30,1.40,81.62
...

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🔧 Ranking Algorithm Variations

Different use cases require different scoring strategies. Here are the variations you can use by modifying the Code node:

1. SEO-focused (rank easiest to target)

score = search_volume / (competition_index + 1);

• Prioritizes low competition
• Best if your site is new or has low domain authority

2. Commercial-focused (maximize monetization)

score = (search_volume * (cpc + 0.1)) / (competition_index + 1);

• Balances traffic + CPC value
• Best for affiliate, ecommerce, or paid campaign planning

3. Traffic-only focus (maximize visibility)

score = search_volume;

• Ignores CPC and competition
• Best if you just want high traffic blog topics

4. Balanced score (traffic + difficulty tradeoff)

score = (Math.log(search_volume + 1) * (cpc + 1)) / (competition_index + 1);

• Penalizes very high difficulty more strongly
• Useful if you want steady traffic growth with realistic targets

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📈 Future Enhancements

• Add SERP analysis using SerpApi or custom scraper
• Keyword clustering for topic groups
• Integrate with Google Sheets instead of email
• Schedule automatic daily/weekly runs

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🚨 Troubleshooting

• Email not attaching CSV → Ensure attachments = data in Send Email node matches the binary property from Function node.
• Unexpected socket close → Check SMTP port/SSL settings (465 = SSL/TLS, 587 = STARTTLS).
• Gemini output parse errors → Verify it returns valid JSON (use prompt to enforce JSON array output).