Use n8n to schedule and post content on LinkedIn automatically

If you're managing LinkedIn content for your brand or clients, posting manually can quickly become a bottleneck. And while social media automation tools exist, many come with limitations, high costs, or lack flexibility. Enter n8n — a powerful, open-source workflow automation tool that can help you automate your LinkedIn posting schedule exactly how you want. In this post, you’ll learn how to set up seamless n8n LinkedIn automation to schedule and publish content to LinkedIn without lifting a finger.

Why Use n8n for LinkedIn Automation?

n8n gives you full control over your automation flows. Unlike other tools that lock you into predefined actions, n8n allows you to create custom workflows using LinkedIn’s API and a variety of time-triggered or content-based events.

Benefits of using n8n for automating LinkedIn:

No recurring subscription fees (self-host for free)
Customizable logic for posting content
Schedule posts using Cron or timezone-specific triggers
Pull content dynamically from Google Sheets, Notion, or any CMS
Connect AI tools like ChatGPT to auto-generate captions

Whether you're a solopreneur building thought leadership or a digital marketer managing multiple pages, n8n makes your LinkedIn automation smarter and scalable.

To get started, you can install and run n8n without paying a cent by checking out this free n8n setup guide.

What You Need to Get Started

To build a functional LinkedIn posting workflow with n8n, you’ll need:

A self-hosted or cloud instance of n8n
A LinkedIn Developer App for authentication
An access token with the right LinkedIn API permissions
Content source: Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, or plain text
Time trigger or event trigger in your workflow
The HTTP Request node (for sending posts to LinkedIn)

Let’s break it down step by step.

Step-by-Step: Automating LinkedIn Posts with n8n

Step 1: Create a LinkedIn App

To post to LinkedIn using n8n, you must authenticate via LinkedIn's API:

Go to LinkedIn Developers
Click Create App and fill in your details
Under Auth, note your Client ID and Client Secret
Set a redirect URL (e.g., https://n8n.io if testing locally)
Request w_member_social and r_liteprofile permissions

Once approved, you’ll use these credentials in n8n’s OAuth2 setup.

Step 2: Set Up OAuth2 Credentials in n8n

In n8n:

Go to Credentials > OAuth2 API
Select:
- Auth URL: https://www.linkedin.com/oauth/v2/authorization
- Token URL: https://www.linkedin.com/oauth/v2/accessToken
- Scope: w_member_social r_liteprofile
Use your LinkedIn Client ID and Secret
Set your redirect URL to match the app

After saving, n8n will guide you through authorizing the app, which will store your access token securely.

Step 3: Build Your LinkedIn Workflow

You can now build a workflow to automate posting:

Example Workflow Structure:

Trigger (e.g. Cron or Google Sheet Row Read)
   ↓
Text Generator (Optional, e.g., OpenAI for caption writing)
   ↓
Format Node (compile text + image URL)
   ↓
HTTP Request Node (send to LinkedIn API)

Let’s dive into each.

Step 4: Add a Trigger Node

Use a Cron node to schedule posts:

Set it to run at desired times and days
Example: Every weekday at 9 AM

Alternatively, use Google Sheets integration to detect new rows of content to post.

Step 5: Extract and Format Your Post

Use a Set node to prepare the post text:

{
  "text": "Excited to share our latest blog post! 🎉 Visit: https://example.com"
}

Or add personalization by using OpenAI with n8n to auto-write your captions with a prompt like:

"Write a professional LinkedIn post announcing this article: {{url}}"

Step 6: Use HTTP Node to Post to LinkedIn

Use an HTTP Request node to interact with LinkedIn API:

Method: POST
URL: https://api.linkedin.com/v2/ugcPosts
Authentication: Use your LinkedIn OAuth2 credentials

In the body parameters (JSON), use the following structure:

{
  "author": "urn:li:person:YOUR_PROFILE_ID",
  "lifecycleState": "PUBLISHED",
  "specificContent": {
    "com.linkedin.ugc.ShareContent": {
      "shareCommentary": {
        "text": "Excited to launch our new feature today!"
      },
      "shareMediaCategory": "NONE"
    }
  },
  "visibility": {
    "com.linkedin.ugc.MemberNetworkVisibility": "PUBLIC"
  }
}

⚠️ Tip: You can retrieve your profile ID by sending a GET request to https://api.linkedin.com/v2/me.

Bonus: Add Media (Images or URLs)

To include rich links or images:

Use "shareMediaCategory": "ARTICLE" for links
Add a "media" array under ShareContent

Example for a post with a blog article:

"media": [
  {
    "status": "READY",
    "originalUrl": "https://example.com/blog-post",
    "title": {
      "text": "Learn how we automated scheduling with n8n"
    }
  }
]

Step 7: Test and Activate Your Workflow

Before going live:

Run the workflow manually to verify it posts correctly
Check LinkedIn to confirm visibility
Then, activate the scheduled workflow

You now have a fully automated LinkedIn scheduling system powered by n8n!

Pro Tips for Better n8n LinkedIn Automation

Stagger your posts: Use multiple Cron triggers with delays
Use Google Sheets as a content calendar: Let clients or teammates add drafts, and schedule them dynamically
Add error checking: Use error handling in n8n workflows to retry failed posts or send alerts
Backup workflows regularly: Don’t forget to automate your backup

Sample Use Case Table

Here’s a quick look at real-world LinkedIn use cases automated with n8n:

Use Case	Trigger	Content Source	Frequency
Thought leadership posts	Cron at 9AM daily	Static JSON / AI-generated	Daily
Company news updates	Google Sheet row added	Google Sheets	Ad hoc
Blog promotion	New RSS feed item detected	RSS Feed	2x per week
Hiring announcements	Airtable status change	Airtable	Weekly

Want to cross-post your content?

n8n supports automating Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms too. Customize once, distribute across channels — all from a single n8n workflow!

FAQ

Can I automate posting to a LinkedIn Company Page?

Yes. Your LinkedIn developer app must request permissions for organizations, and you’ll need the company's URN (urn:li:organization:+ID). Update the author field in the API payload accordingly.

Is it free to automate LinkedIn posts with n8n?

Yes! If you self-host n8n, you'll pay nothing beyond server costs. Cloud-hosted versions offer added simplicity for a fee.

Can I schedule posts with different content every day?

Absolutely. Use a dynamic trigger like pulling new rows from a Google Sheet, and combine it with the Cron node for precise timing.

What happens when a LinkedIn post fails?

You can enable a fallback alert via email or Telegram, or automatically retry the HTTP Request using n8n’s built-in retry-on-failure functionality.

How do I know if my LinkedIn post was published successfully?

LinkedIn’s API will return a 201 status with a post ID. Log it or send yourself a summary message to confirm.

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With n8n powering your LinkedIn automation, you’re not just saving time — you’re building smarter, more personalized workflows. Start automating today and never miss a prime engagement window again. Ready to scale? Launch your n8n instance here.