# n8n Zero-Cost AI Lead Generation Workflow

> An n8n automation pipeline for scraping and verifying business leads using Gemini

This automation blueprint uses self-hosted or cloud n8n alongside Google Gemini to generate targeted search queries, scrape contact information, and verify emails into Google Sheets. It splits the workload across parent and child workflows to handle batching and deduplication without commercial scraping tools. It provides a free framework for continuous B2B prospect discovery.

## How it works

Multi-stage lead scraping and verification workflow architecture in n8n:

1. Parent Automation:
2. Trigger: Schedule Trigger / Manual trigger.
3. Target Data: Reads target industry and location from a Google Sheet.
4. Brain: Uses an AI Agent node connected to Google Gemini Chat Model to generate search queries in structured JSON format.
5. Processing: Formats output with a Code node, loops over items, and executes the Child Automation via an Execute Workflow node.
6. Child Automation:
7. Trigger: Execute Workflow Trigger.
8. Web Scraping: Sends HTTP requests based on the generated search queries to pull raw web data.
9. Cleaning: Uses Filter and Remove Duplicates nodes.
10. Extraction: Loops through items to extract business emails, phone numbers, website URLs, and social media profile links, then appends them to Google Sheets.
11. Email Verifier:
12. Trigger: Schedule / Sheet update trigger.
13. Validation: Checks deliverability and validates enriched email addresses.
14. Storage: Updates the lead verification status directly in Google Sheets.

## What it is for

- Scrape targeted business contact info based on specific niches and locations
- Generate search queries automatically using Gemini AI
- Filter and deduplicate raw lead lists before adding them to Google Sheets
- Verify scraped email addresses before running outreach campaigns

## Key points

- Parent workflow that reads target criteria from Google Sheets and prompts Gemini for queries
- AI Agent node generating structured JSON search queries
- Child workflow using HTTP Request nodes to scrape prospective business contacts
- Data cleaning nodes to filter results and remove duplicate records
- Extraction of business emails, phone numbers, websites, and social links
- Verification workflow to test email deliverability directly in Google Sheets

## Pricing

Free blueprint; uses free tiers of n8n, Gemini API, and Google Sheets

## Details

- Type: Tip
- Category: [Marketing & Sales](https://xiry.app/topics/marketing-sales.md)
- Topic: [Lead Generation](https://xiry.app/topics/marketing-sales/lead-generation.md)
- Open source: no
- Platforms: Self-hosted, Web
- For: Growth marketers, sales teams, and agency owners looking for no-cost lead generation
- Alternative to: Apollo.io, Clay, PhantomBuster
- Tags: n8n, leadgen, automation, scraping, gemini, workflows

## Why it was saved

- [@pranathi.rai, 11 August 2025](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNN4wu2hOkN/): Enables automated scraping of thousands of business leads with contact details and verified emails each week without paying for commercial scraping subscriptions.

## Compare

- [Alternatives to Clay](https://xiry.app/alternatives/clay.md)
- [Alternatives to Apollo.io](https://xiry.app/alternatives/apollo-io.md)
- [Alternatives to PhantomBuster](https://xiry.app/alternatives/phantombuster.md)

## Related

- [Parser.im](https://xiry.app/resources/parser-im): Cloud scraping and monitoring service for Instagram audience and contact data (Web app, Freemium)
- [Seamless.AI](https://xiry.app/resources/seamless-ai): Real-time B2B search engine for verified emails, phone numbers, and leads (Web app, Freemium)
- [AI Accelerator](https://xiry.app/resources/ai-accelerator): Free Skool community sharing AI automation workflows, tutorials, and business systems. (Free)
- [AI Lead Generation Agent](https://xiry.app/resources/ai-lead-generation-agent): Open-source agent workflow finding leads on Quora and exporting to Google Sheets (Web app, Open source)
- [Claude Code + Exa Lead Generation Workflow](https://xiry.app/resources/claude-code-exa-lead-generation-workflow): Step-by-step terminal workflow for building scored B2B lead lists (Tip, Free)
- [Competitor Review Cold Email Playbook](https://xiry.app/resources/competitor-review-cold-email-playbook): A cold outreach tactic targeting angry competitor reviewers mid-churn. (Tip, Free)

Updated 3 October 2026. Page: https://xiry.app/resources/n8n-zero-cost-ai-lead-generation-workflow

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