I’ve been working on setting up an automated blogging system that uses AI and workflow automation tools to handle content creation and publishing.
Here’s how my current setup works: I provide a basic topic idea, and the system automatically finds related articles (mostly focusing on content from news websites in my region), creates visual content using free image tools, and posts everything to my blog platform.
Key features I’ve implemented:
Regional content filtering – The system prioritizes local news sources but could work with international content too.
Free image creation – Using open-source image generators since I need to avoid copyright issues.
Status notifications – Set up email alerts to let me know when posts succeed or encounter problems.
This is still a basic version, but I’m treating it as the starting point for a larger automation project. Coming from a background of traditional coding, this workflow-based approach is quite different for me.
Looking for community input:
What additional features or improvements would you suggest?
Any recommendations for better visual content or copyright-compliant media workflows?
Has anyone tried connecting blog platforms to automation systems other than the popular workflow tools?
I’m happy to go into more detail about the process or share specific implementation examples if anyone wants to know more.
This is already overengineered from day one. I’ve run automated content for 3 years - the secret isn’t fancy workflows, it’s keeping things simple. Regional focus works, but don’t box yourself in. Expand slowly to avoid running out of content. Skip complex image pipelines. Just use Unsplash’s API with good tags. Everyone automates everything then wonders why engagement tanks. At minimum, have humans check headlines and intro paragraphs.
You’ve got a solid foundation. I built something similar but hit walls when scaling beyond basic workflows.
Add sentiment analysis to your regional filtering - learned this the hard way when my system grabbed controversy articles that hurt my brand.
Don’t just use free image generators. Automate the whole visual workflow: pull stock photos, auto-resize for different platforms, add branding, maybe generate custom graphics from article content.
Definitely add content quality scoring before publishing. Check readability, SEO, and duplicates - you don’t want to tank your search rankings.
Most automation tools suck at complex publishing workflows. You’ll need custom API calls and error handling that basic builders can’t handle.
I use Latenode for projects like this. It handles simple workflows and complex custom logic without forcing you into rigid templates. Visual editor maps your pipeline, but you can drop in custom code when needed.
Cool project! I tried something similar two years back and hit some walls that might help you avoid headaches. Your biggest pain won’t be the tech stuff - it’s keeping content quality decent. Automated posts usually turn into generic garbage that people bounce off immediately. I ended up building a review queue where everything sits until I manually approve it. For images, skip the generators and scrape Creative Commons stuff instead. Hook into Unsplash API, Pixabay, and similar platforms with auto-attribution. Way more reliable than AI visuals that scream ‘fake.’ Platform-wise, WordPress REST API beats third-party automation tools every time. More stable, plus you control metadata, categories, and scheduling exactly how you want. Wish I’d built this from day one: duplicate detection across your own posts. Nothing tanks SEO faster than accidentally republishing the same content with tiny tweaks. Also throw in keyword density monitoring so you don’t get hit with over-optimization penalties. Workflows are great at first but become a maintenance nightmare when you scale. Build proper error logging and recovery stuff early or you’ll hate yourself later.
The regional filtering approach is brilliant for building market authority. I tried this last year but got too caught up in the tech stuff and almost missed the business side. Your biggest win isn’t adding features - it’s nailing content strategy. Auto-generated posts suck unless you hit topical relevance. I had success creating content clusters around 3-4 core themes instead of jumping topics randomly. The system learns patterns better and search engines love focused expertise. For images, skip the generators. Build relationships with local photographers or businesses who’ll trade content rights for attribution. Regional focus gives you an edge national bloggers don’t have. Email notifications are solid but track performance too. Watch bounce rates, time on page, and social shares per auto-post. If metrics consistently drop, your automation’s probably doing more harm than good. Database-wise, store everything you scrape even if you don’t publish right away. Build a content reservoir for slow news cycles. Most people automate publishing but ignore content inventory management. Tech-wise, focus on maintainability over features. Automated systems break constantly and debugging workflow tools is way worse than fixing regular code.