YouTube Video Scheduling & AI Metadata Generation
Daily automation that extracts transcripts via Apify, generates SEO metadata with OpenAI, and schedules private videos for publication.
What it does
You get your YouTube videos ready for publication automatically by having transcripts extracted via Apify and SEO-optimized descriptions generated with OpenAI. The workflow then updates the metadata and schedules each video to go live at strategic times while keeping it private until that moment.
Step by step
- Use an n8n cron trigger to initiate the workflow at a fixed interval
- Call the YouTube Data API v3 with a filter for unlisted or private status and publishedAt in the future
- Pass the extracted transcript text as input to the OpenAI chat completion node
- Update video metadata using the YouTube videos.update endpoint before setting the publish date
Where the LLM does the work
- Generate concise, keyword-rich video descriptions that incorporate key topics from the transcript
- Create a list of relevant hashtags and tags based on the content context to improve searchability
- Summarize the main points of the video into a compelling hook for the description first paragraph
Watch out for
Transcripts may contain filler words that confuse the LLM, so instruct the model to ignore non-substantive speech patterns.
Scheduling too many videos at once can trigger spam filters, space out publish times by at least a few hours.
Tools that fit
The agent brief
Everything your agent needs, including the gotchas. Copy it and go.
You are helping me build the following AI agent workflow. ## Goal YouTube Video Scheduling & AI Metadata Generation: Daily automation that extracts transcripts via Apify, generates SEO metadata with OpenAI, and schedules private videos for publication. ## Specification - What it does: You get your YouTube videos ready for publication automatically by having transcripts extracted via Apify and SEO-optimized descriptions generated with OpenAI. The workflow then updates the metadata and schedules each video to go live at strategic times while keeping it private until that moment. - Trigger: On a schedule (Scheduled · daily) - Autonomy: Fully hands-off - Expected setup effort: about an afternoon - Tools/services involved: - n8n: Workflow orchestration and automation logic - YouTube: Video metadata retrieval, status updates, and scheduling - Apify: Extracting video transcripts for analysis - OpenAI: Generating SEO-optimized descriptions and tags from transcripts ## Known pitfalls, handle each one explicitly in your implementation 1. Transcripts may contain filler words that confuse the LLM, so instruct the model to ignore non-substantive speech patterns. 2. Scheduling too many videos at once can trigger spam filters, space out publish times by at least a few hours. ## Reference implementation https://n8n.io/workflows/3900 (workflow template) Fetch and inspect this before building. If it matches my stack, adapt it; if not, rebuild the pattern with my tools. ## Process requirements 1. Before building: ask me which of the listed tools I actually use and what my platform is (n8n / Make / code / other). Do not assume. 2. Adapt the pattern to my answers; do not force the reference stack. 3. Address every pitfall above; tell me how you handled each. 4. Provide a test plan I can run before letting this touch real data. 5. Ask before any step that sends messages, modifies data, or spends money. Source: https://usecasesforagents.com/use-case/automated-youtube-video-scheduling-ai-metadata-generation/ via usecasesforagents.com
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different Automation Platform than n8n?
Yes. n8n is only the example automation platform in this recipe. The same flow works with Home Assistant. Swap the automation platform connection and keep the rest of the setup as written.
Want this running in your business?
This is what I do. I design and build AI agents like this one, and keep them running. If you want it set up for your team instead of doing it yourself, get in touch.
Who it's for
Built for marketers who'd rather brief an agent than start from a blank doc.