Start here
Before you start
Gather these first and the setup takes about 30 minutes. Most of the extra time on self-hosted n8n is the one-time Google OAuth client.
#What you need
| You need | Why | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| n8n 2.x | Runs the workflows | n8n Cloud or self-hosted. Checked on 2.47.3. You need permission to import workflows and create credentials. |
| A Google account | Stores the content queue and error log in Google Sheets | Share the Sheet with the account you will sign in with in n8n. |
| A Zernio account and API key | Publishes to the Facebook Page | Create the key in the Zernio dashboard (shown once). It goes into an n8n Header Auth credential, never into a node or the Sheet. |
| A Facebook Page | Where posts appear | The person who clicks the Zernio connect link must be Admin or Editor. Personal profiles cannot post. |
| The kit files | The workflows and sample headers | Buyer copies in workflows/ (social-posting-zernio.json, social-posting-error-handler.json, optional social-content-ai-planner.json), plus the CSV headers. |
#Values you'll collect
Keep a note open while you work. You'll paste these into the Config node in setup.
| Value | Example | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheet ID | YOUR_SHEET_ID |
The long part of the Sheet's address between /d/ and /edit |
| Zernio account id | YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID |
Returned after the Page is connected (accountId) |
| Zernio profile id | YOUR_PROFILE_ID |
The profile you created for this client |
| Your n8n address | https://n8n.yourdomain.com |
Used only for the Google OAuth redirect URI |
| Zernio API key | sk_… |
Zernio dashboard (n8n credential, not Config) |
#The three workflows
| Workflow | Do you need it? | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Social Posting – Facebook Page via Zernio (Content Queue) | Yes | Reads the queue, posts approved due rows, writes back post_id or error. |
| Social Posting – Error Handler | Yes (recommended) | Runs when a posting execution fails. Appends one row to error_log. It never posts. |
| Social Content – AI Planner | Optional | Fills the queue with pending_approval captions (and optional images). It never posts and never sets approved. |
#Time and cost
- Time: about 30 minutes, plus time for the first Google Cloud OAuth client on self-hosted n8n, and however long the client takes to click the Facebook connect link.
- n8n nodes: built-in only for posting and the error handler. The planner uses official n8n 2.47.3 chat-model sub-nodes plus HTTP Request for images.
- Zernio: first two connected accounts are free on current published pricing (checked 11 November 2026). Each Facebook Page counts as one account. Re-check zernio.com/pricing before you quote a client.
- AI (optional): OpenRouter
openrouter/freecan write captions with daily limits. Image models are paid (default about $0.007 each). ChatGPT Plus and SuperGrok do not include API access.