Stop manual content grind: automate 3 scalable styles
You know the drill: staring at a blank screen, scripting hooks, editing videos, tweaking text overlays just to squeeze out 3-5 social posts a week. That's 15 hours burned every week on repetitive creation, while competitors pump out 20+ pieces with AI polish. A 2025 HubSpot report reveals 73% of marketers call content production their top time sink, eating 40% of weekly hours.
I got fed up and built this: a single Make.com workflow that ingests a topic from Google Sheets and spits out three battle-tested content styles. Face-led videos, problem-first hooks, and minimal-text graphics. All fully scripted and ready to post. No more hard-mode grinding. This setup cranks 20 posts/week, saves me 10 hours weekly (that's $500 at $50/hour), and costs under $25/month.
It replaces your manual brainstorm-script-edit cycle with AI orchestration. Face-led builds trust via avatar clips (38% higher engagement per 2025 Buffer report). Problem-first grabs scrolls with pain-point openers. Minimal text keeps eyes glued. The Zanopy AI team says face-led content builds instant trust and holds focus. Their platform powers similar automations. Here's exactly what I set up. Copy it, run it, scale.
TL;DR • Automate face-led videos, problem-first hooks, minimal-text graphics from one topic • Tools: Make.com, Anthropic Claude, Akool, Google Sheets, Buffer • Saves 10 hours/week ($500 value), from 15h manual to 30min oversight • Difficulty: Intermediate (basic no-code knowledge)
Tools you'll need
These are the exact tools in my stack. All have free tiers to test. Make.com and Google Sheets are non-negotiable essentials. Total starter cost: $18/month once scaled.
| Tool | Purpose | Free Tier Limits | Paid Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Make.com | Orchestrates the full workflow (Sheets → AI → posting) | 1,000 operations/month | $9/month Starter (10k ops) |
| Anthropic Claude (API) | Generates scripts/prompts for all styles | $0 entry, pay-per-use | $3/million input tokens (~$5/month for 20 posts/week) |
| Akool (Vidu Q3) | Face-led AI video generation | 10 credits (1-2 short clips) | $29/month Pro (100+ credits) |
| Google Sheets | Topic input trigger | Unlimited | Free |
| Buffer | Auto-schedules posts | 10 posts/channel, 3 channels | $6/month Essentials |
Make.com has native integrations for all these, no custom code. Akool's API hooks right in via HTTP module. Free tiers get you 5-10 posts/week to validate.
Step-by-step setup
This builds one Make.com scenario handling all styles in parallel branches. Input a topic like "AI content automation" in Sheets, output: 3 ready posts. Takes 20 minutes to set up. I run it daily, zero manual tweaks.
Set up your Google Sheets trigger
Create a new Sheet named "Content Topics." Column A: "Topic" (e.g., "solopreneur time hacks"). Column B: "Platform" (e.g., "LinkedIn").
In Make.com, hit "Create a new scenario." Search "Google Sheets" → "Watch New Rows." Connect your Google account, select the Sheet, set "Limit" to 1 row.
Test it: Add a row. Make pulls the topic instantly. This triggers the whole flow.
Generate content with Anthropic Claude
Add an "Anthropic" module (search "Claude"). Connect your API key from console.anthropic.com (free signup).
Use this exact prompt in the "Prompt" field, paste it as-is. It outputs JSON for all styles:
You are a content machine. Input topic: {{topic from Sheets}}. Platform: {{platform}}.
Generate THREE styles in JSON:
{
"face_led": {
"script": "30-sec avatar video script starting with 'Hey [audience], ever feel...' End with CTA.",
"akool_prompt": "Text-to-video prompt for Akool Vidu: realistic avatar face, speaking script, dynamic camera."
},
"problem_first": {
"hook": "Open with problem: 'Tired of X?'. Full 280-char post + CTA.",
"image_idea": "Simple graphic prompt for Canva AI."
},
"minimal_text": {
"frames": ["Frame1: Bold problem text", "Frame2: Solution bullet", "Frame3: CTA overlay"],
"video_prompt": "Minimal text animation prompt for Akool."
}
}
Keep engaging, platform-specific. Use 2026 trends: short, value-first.
Set "Model" to claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022. Max tokens: 2000. Test: Outputs clean JSON parsed automatically by Make.
This one call handles all styles, saves you from making separate API requests.
Branch for face-led video (Akool integration)
Add a "Router" module after Claude. First branch: Filter {{face_led.akool_prompt}} exists.
Next: "HTTP - Make a Request" for Akool API. URL: https://api.akool.com/v1/video/generate (get from Akool dashboard).
Headers:
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_AKOOL_KEY
Content-Type: application/json
Body (JSON):
{
"prompt": {{face_led.akool_prompt}},
"duration": 15,
"model": "vidu-q3",
"audio": true
}
Akool generates 15-sec clip with native audio, multi-shot. Output: Video URL. Store in Iterator for later.
Handle problem-first and minimal-text branches
Second Router branch: For problem-first, add "Text Parser → Parse JSON" then "Buffer → Create Post." Paste {{problem_first.hook}} as text, attach image if needed.
Third branch: Minimal-text. Use "JSON → Parse" then another HTTP to Akool for text animation:
Prompt: {{minimal_text.video_prompt}}, style: minimal overlays, no clutter.
Merge all with "Aggregator." Final module: Buffer "Schedule Post" for each style. Set queue for tomorrow.
Example Output JSON (from my test):
{
"face_led": {"script": "Hey marketers, drowning in manual posts?...", "akool_prompt": "Avatar nodding, problem zoom-in..."},
"problem_first": {"hook": "Stop wasting 15h/week on content. Automate now..."},
"minimal_text": {"frames": ["15h/week LOST", "AI FIXES IT", "Start FREE"]}
}
Hit "Run Once." Boom, three posts queued.
Testing and troubleshooting
Verify with this checklist. Run a test topic like "email automation tips."
- Add row to Sheets → Make triggers in <1min.
- Check Claude output → JSON parses, no errors.
- Akool generates video → Download URL works, 15-sec clip plays.
- Buffer queues posts → Preview matches styles.
- End-to-end: 3 posts ready in 2-5min.
API rate limits hit Claude or Akool throttles on free tier. Solution: Upgrade to paid or add "Delay" module (30sec between calls). My Pro Akool handles 100/week fine.
JSON parse fails
Prompt outputs malformed JSON. Solution: Wrap Claude prompt in Parse this as JSON: {your output} and set "Parse JSON" strict mode off.
Buffer rejects post Character limit or no media. Solution: Add "Text Parser → Replace" to trim to 280 chars; attach Akool URL as video.
No video audio Vidu Q3 native sound glitch. Solution: Toggle "audio: true" in Akool body; regenerate if <15sec.
These fixes cover 95% of issues, I hit them all first week.
Results
This workflow transformed my output. Manual: 3 posts/week, inconsistent styles. Automated: 20 posts, always on-brand. Engagement up 2.5x from styled variety (mirrors 2025 Social Media Today data: styled content lifts clicks 45%).
| Metric | Before Automation | After Automation | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Posts/Week | 3-5 | 20 | 15 more posts |
| Time per Batch | 15 hours | 30 minutes oversight | 10 hours/week ($500 value) |
| Cost | $0 + time | $18/month | $300/mo vs VA hire |
| Engagement Rate | 2% avg | 5% (face-led boost) | 150% lift |
Dollar math: 10h x $50/hr = $500 saved. Scales to $11k/mo potential like that full-time YouTuber breaking down sponsorships + AdSense (transparent January numbers: $6.6k sponsors, $2.4k AdSense). Post consistently, revenue follows.
Level up
Tweak for your stack, these extensions add 2-5x output.
Add Midjourney via Discord webhook for custom thumbnails, pairs perfect with minimal-text. Integrate Airtable for performance tracking: Pull Buffer analytics back to Sheets. Auto-personalize with Google Trends API: Pre-populate topics via cron trigger (highest-impact: doubles relevance, 30% engagement bump). Chain to email: Send video links to ConvertKit list. Swap Claude for Grok API (x.ai, $5/million tokens) for edgier tone.
My go-to: Trends trigger. Set it weekly, zero input needed.
FAQ section
Can I swap Make.com for Zapier? Yes, Zapier has identical modules (Sheets trigger, OpenAI swap for Claude, Webhooks for Akool). Free tier: 100 tasks/month vs Make's 1k ops. Switch if you prefer UI; costs $20/mo Pro.
How does it scale to 100 posts/week? Upgrade Make to $29/mo Teams (unlimited ops), Akool Enterprise ($99/mo, 1k credits). Total $140/mo, still cheaper than 1 part-time VA ($2k/mo). Handles volume; I cap at 50 to avoid spam flags.
What if AI output sucks? Refine prompts with your voice, add "Match my style: casual, direct" to Claude. Error rate drops to <5% with 2-3 test runs. A/B test in Buffer.
Cost at high volume? 20 posts/week: $18/mo. 100/week: $140/mo including APIs. ROI: 5x output justifies; tracks to $5k+/mo revenue via affiliates/sponsors per creator benchmarks.
Akool integration limits? API caps 50 calls/day free, unlimited Pro. No native Make app, but HTTP works flawlessly. Fallback: Export prompts to HeyGen ($29/mo alt, easier avatars).
Tool alternatives for video? HeyGen for faces ($24/mo, free 1min), RunwayML Gen-3 ($12/mo, cinematic). Stick with Akool Vidu Q3 for 15-sec audio-native, best for social shorts.
Error handling in workflows? Make's built-in "Error Handler" routes fails to Slack/email. Set it on HTTP modules: retries 3x, then notify. Keeps 99% uptime.
Frequently asked questions
How much time does this really save long-term? 10 hours/week ongoing after 1h/week maintenance. A 2025 Content Marketing Institute study shows automated creators output 4x more with 30% less effort.
Does face-led content work on LinkedIn vs TikTok? Yes, 38% engagement lift across platforms per Buffer 2025 data. Avatars feel human, tune prompts for pro tone on LI.
Free tier enough to start? Absolutely: 10 posts/week free. Test 2 weeks, upgrade when monetizing. Matches solo marketer budgets ($0-500/mo).
