SEVOsmith User Guide – Complete Setup & Usage

You’ve just acquired SEVOsmith—a 326-node n8n workflow system that transforms keyword research into publication-ready, AI-citable articles.

This comprehensive guide walks you through everything from API account creation to your first published article.

Version 1.5.0 | December 2025

Part 1: Required API Accounts

1. DataForSEO Account

What it does: 9 parallel research endpoints (SERP, keywords, AI Mode, topics)

1. Go to https://dataforseo.com
2. Click “Sign Up”
3. Verify email
4. Navigate to Dashboard → Billing
5. Add $50 minimum deposit
6. Go to Dashboard → API Access
7. Go to Dashboard → API Access
8. Copy your Login (usually your email)
9. Copy your Password (API password, NOT your account password)
10. Save both credentials securely

2. Firecrawl API

What it does: Sitemap extraction, competitor content scraping

Cost: Free tier available, then pay-as-you-go

Setup Steps:

1. Go to https://firecrawl.dev
2. Click “Sign Up”
3. Sign up with email or GitHub
4. Verify email
5. Navigate to Dashboard → API Keys
6. Click “Create API Key”
7. Copy the API key
8. Save securely

Free tier: 500 requests/month (sufficient for testing)

3. Perplexity API

What it does: Deep web research, real-time fact verification

Cost: Pay-as-you-go (used sparingly in workflow)

Setup Steps:

1. Go to https://www.perplexity.ai/settings/api
2. Sign in with Google/email
3. Navigate to “API” section
4. Click “Generate API Key”
5. Copy the API key (starts with pplx-...)
6. Save securely

Note: Optional but recommended for better research quality

4. WordPress Site

What it does: Where final articles are published

Requirements:

• WordPress site with admin access
• REST API enabled (default on most hosts)

Setup Steps:

1. Log into WordPress as admin
2. Go to Users → Your Profile
3. Scroll to Application Passwords
4. Enter name: “SEVOsmith n8n”
5. Click “Add New Application Password”
6. Copy the generated password (format: xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx)
7. Save password securely

Verify REST API is enabled:

• Visit: https://yoursite.com/wp-json/
• Should see JSON response (not 404 error)
• If disabled, contact hosting provider to enable

What you need for n8n:

• Application Password: The password you just generated
• WordPress site URL: https://yoursite.com
• Username: Your admin username

READ MORE: WordPress Application Passwords: Complete n8n Setup Guide

5. Google Workspace (Google Sheets + Drive + Gmail)

What it does:

• Google Sheets: Campaign management interface
• Google Drive: HTML report storage
• Gmail: Completion notifications

Cost: FREE (uses personal Google account)

Setup Steps:

For Google Sheets & Drive:

1. Go to https://console.cloud.google.com
2. Create new project: “SEVOsmith”
3. Enable APIs:
   • Google Sheets API
   • Google Drive API
   • Gmail API (for notifications)
4. Create OAuth 2.0 credentials:
   • Go to “Credentials” → “Create Credentials” → “OAuth client ID”
   • Application type: “Desktop app”
   • Name: “SEVOsmith n8n”
   • Download JSON credentials file
5. Save credentials file (you’ll upload this to n8n)

For Gmail:

• Already enabled if you enabled Gmail API above
• Uses same OAuth credentials

What you need:

• OAuth credentials JSON file
• Google account with Sheets/Drive/Gmail access

Refer this video: Set up Google Credentials in n8n in 5 minutes

Follow my guide here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JKWb5o5WSpN2tpk1OKAW32ZPlUZ6pajpduODMvSZF0w/edit?usp=sharing

6. Google AI Studio

What it does: Powers all 10+ AI agents (writing, research, analysis, QA)

1. Go to https://aistudio.google.com
2. Sign in with Google account
3. Click “Get API Key”
4. Create new project (or select existing)
5. Click “Create API Key”
6. Copy the API key (starts with AIza...)
7. Save securely

Billing Setup:

1. Go to Google Cloud Console: https://console.cloud.google.com
2. Navigate to “Billing”
3. Enable billing for the project
4. Add payment method

Important: Without billing enabled, you’ll hit free tier limits quickly

7. Cloud Storage

Option A: Google Drive (FREE, recommended)

• Already set up in step 8 above
• Free 15GB storage
• HTML reports stored here

Option C: Cloudflare R2 (S3-compatible, cheaper)

1. Go to https://dash.cloudflare.com
2. Navigate to R2
3. Create bucket: “sevosmith-reports”
4. Generate API token
5. Save credentials

Recommendation: Start with Google Drive (free, simple). Upgrade to S3/R2 if you exceed 15GB. Read my detail guide: How to Get Cloudflare R2 Access Key for n8n

Part 2: n8n Workflow Import & Setup

Step 1: Download SEVOsmith Package

1. Download from Gumroad
2. Extract ZIP file to your computer
3. Import Workflows to n8n

   SEVOsmith-v1.5.0/
   ├── SEVOsmith_v1.5.0_The_AI-Citable_Content_Engine.json     (main workflow)
   ├── SEVOsmith_Keyword_Research_Engine_v1.5.0.json           (sub-workflow)
   ├── SEVOsmith_Tools_v1.5.0.json                             (sub-workflow)
   └── README.md

   SEVOsmith-v1.5.0/
   ├── SEVOsmith_v1.5.0_The_AI-Citable_Content_Engine.json     (main workflow)
   ├── SEVOsmith_Keyword_Research_Engine_v1.5.0.json           (sub-workflow)
   ├── SEVOsmith_Tools_v1.5.0.json                             (sub-workflow)
   └── README.md

Step 2: Copy google sheets and setup your folder in google drive

2.1 Create folders in your google drive

📁 Google Drive (root)
└── 📁 SEVOsmith (Main Folder - stores Manager Sheet and all SEVOsmith files)
    ├── 📁 KW_research_report (Sub-folder for HTML reports)
    └── 📁 KW_research_raw_data (Sub-folder for raw keyword data from DataForSEO API)

📁 Google Drive (root)
└── 📁 SEVOsmith (Main Folder - stores Manager Sheet and all SEVOsmith files)
    ├── 📁 KW_research_report (Sub-folder for HTML reports)
    └── 📁 KW_research_raw_data (Sub-folder for raw keyword data from DataForSEO API)

2.2 Copy Template Files

You’ll receive 2 template files in the SEVOsmith download package:

1. SEVOsmith_Content_Planner – Campaign control center. You should make a copy and save it to SEVOsmith folder.
2. Raw Data Template – Keyword research data storage. You should make a copy and save it to KW_research_raw_data folder.
3. Copy this get_style_guide_samples, the sample guides the Writer Agent to maintain the same tone and voice as your existing content, ensuring consistency with your brand style. You will need it later on main workflow setting.

📁 Google Drive (root)
└── 📁 SEVOsmith
    ├── 📄 SEVOsmith_Content_Planner
    ├── 📁 KW_research_report
    └── 📁 KW_research_raw_data/
        ├── 📄 Template Keyword Research with DataForSEO

📁 Google Drive (root)
└── 📁 SEVOsmith
    ├── 📄 SEVOsmith_Content_Planner
    ├── 📁 KW_research_report
    └── 📁 KW_research_raw_data/
        ├── 📄 Template Keyword Research with DataForSEO

2.3 Get Folder and File IDs

Extract 3 critical folder IDs (they will be used later):

• SEVOsmith folder ID
• KW_research_report folder ID
• KW_research_raw_data folder ID

Step 3: Configure the sub-workflow: SEVOsmith_Keyword_Research_Engine_v1.5.0

After import the workflow SEVOsmith_Keyword_Research_Engine_v1.5.0.json, you need to setup:

3.1 Create Data Table names: SEVOsmith_KW_Cache

In your n8n instance, navigate to “Data tables” tab, and create a new table with exact name: SEVOsmith_KW_Cache

Then create 4 collumns as below (keeps exact collumn names):

Project (string)

session_id (string)

cache_id (string)

cache_content (string)

Project (string)

session_id (string)

cache_id (string)

cache_content (string)

3.2 Update 2 nodes: Get Cache and Create Cache

3.3 Update Credentials and sheet ID for all Google Sheet nodes

Find all (total 8) Google Sheet nodes in the workflow, and update the Credential and the Google sheets you copied in step 2.2: SEVOsmith_Content_Planner

⚠️ Important: Before updating any Google Sheets node, create a backup copy first.

Why: Updating Google Sheets nodes sometimes removes pinned parameters, and you may forget how they were configured.

Recommendation:

• Right-click the node → Duplicate
• Update the original node. If data is lost, refer to the duplicated node for the configuration.
• Delete the backup once you’ve verified the update worked.

3.4 Add DataForSEO Credentials for all 9 HTTP request to DataForSEO

You need to enter your user (your email) and API password created from dataforSEO Dashboard. Refer at Authorization and API key

3.5 Configure Google Sheets Template ID for Keyword Research Data

Add google sheet ID of “Template Keyword Research with DataForSEO” which is the Raw Data Template you copied in the step 2.2 above.

3.6 Add Cloudflade R2 Credentials for node “Upload HTML Report S3“

3.7 Add Credentials for all Gmail nodes (total 2 nodes)

Update credential for Gmail nodes.

Step 4: Configure the sub-workflow: SEVOsmith_Tools_v1.5.0

This SEVOsmith_Tools_v1.5.0 workflow is a production-ready, multi-tool microservice for the SEVOsmith ecosystem. It is designed to be called by other workflows to perform specific, isolated tasks. Its primary functions include:

• Web Scraper: Utilizes Firecrawl to fetch sitemaps or scrape the content of any given URL.
• get sitemap: Takes a URL as input and uses Firecrawl to return a sitemap.
• Status Reporter: Provides a centralized endpoint to update the main “Manager” Google Sheet with the status of various workflow stages (e.g., “Processing”, “Completed”).
• Utility Toolkit: Includes a robust JSON parser for sanitizing and structuring AI agent outputs.

By consolidating these functions into a single, triggerable workflow, it acts as a scalable and maintainable “toolbox” that keeps the main content generation workflow clean and focused.

4.1 Set the Firecrawl API key

4.2 Add the Credentials and Sheet ID for all Google Sheets nodes

Add the credentials for the Google sheet nodes (total 12 nodes)

Step 5: Configure the main workflow: SEVOsmith_v1.5.0_The_AI-Citable_Content_Engine

Import the workflow SEVOsmith_v1.5.0_The_AI-Citable_Content_Engine.json, this is main workflow.

There are 12 zones requiring setup. To facilitate tracking, we should proceed zone by zone.

5.1 Zone 1: Campaign Initiation & Data Ingestion

Similar to Step 3, you’ll need to update credentials for all Google Sheets nodes. Make sure to duplicate each node as a backup before updating.

5.2 Zone 2: AI-Powered Research & Strategic Analysis

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X1. You can choose Gemini 2.0 Flash or Gemini 1.5 Pro, or switch to ChatGPT or Claude if preferred.
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow:
  • Call ‘SEVOsmith_Keyword_Research_Engine_v1.5.0’
  • Parse Analyst Output
  • Parse Strategist Output
  • Parse Architect Output
  • Update keyword_research status

5.3 Zone 3: Competitor Intelligence Analyst

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X2
• Find Perplexity node (simple_search, pro_search)
  • Click “Create New Credential”
  • Select “Perplexity API”
  • Enter the your Perplexity key (from Part 1, Step 3)

• Update the node to execute sub-workflow:
  • Parse Competitor Analyst Output
  • Update competitor_analyst status

5.4 Zone 4: Content & SEvO Strategist

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X3
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow:
  • Parse Master Strategist Output
  • Update content_strategist status

5.5 Zone 5: Elite E-E-A-T Curation

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X4
• Update Perplexity node (authority_assessor)
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow:
  • Parse E-E-A-T Output
  • Update eeat_curation status

5.6 Zone 6: Internal Linking

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X5
• Update Perplexity node (authority_assessor)
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow:
  • Parse Internal Linking Output
  • Update internal_linking status
  • url_search
  • get_sitemap

5.7 Zone 7: Article Outline & Content Generation

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X6
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow:
  • Update outline_architect status
  • Update content_writer status
• Update credential for Google docs node: get_style_guide_samples. This node connects to a sample article that the Writer Agent uses as a reference to maintain consistent tone and voice with your existing articles, ensuring the output matches your expectations.

5.8 Zone 8: Automated Audit & Revision Loop

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X7
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow: Update article_reviser status

5.9 Zone 9: Visual Asset & Metadata Generation

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Pro_X8
• Add WordPress Credentials for all HTTP requests (Check if Image Exists in WP, Upload Image to WP, Update WP Image Metadata, Check if Featured Image Exists in WP, Upload featured Image, Update featured image meta, Set Featured Image) and WordPress node (Create a post)
  • Find WordPress node in the workflow
  • Click “Create New Credential”
  • Select “WordPress API”
  • Enter:
    • Site URL: https://yoursite.com (NO trailing slash)
    • Username: Your WordPress admin username
    • Password: Application password (from Part 1, Step 5)
  • Click “Save”
  • Test connection (should show “Connected” or list your posts)
• Add Credentials for Cloudflade R2.
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow: Parse Metadata Output

5.10 Zone 10: . Generate Article and Audit Report in HTML

• Update the credentials for all Gemini Chat Model Gemini Flash_X1
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow: Update report_generation status

5.11 Zone 11: Publication & Final Delivery

• Update all HTTP nodes
• Update all google sheets and Gmail nodes
• Upgrade WordPress credenatial for: “Create a post”, Set Featured Image
• Update the node to execute sub-workflow: Update draft_post status

Part 3: First Test Run – SEVOsmith Content Planner Guide

The SEVOsmith Content Planner is your command center. It controls campaign execution, track progress, store outputs, and provide analytics.

Understanding the Content Planner Structure:

Control Sheets (You interact with these)

1. Manager – Campaign control panel (where you add campaigns)
2. Project_Setting – Global configuration per project/client

Output Sheets (Auto-populated by workflow)

3. Article_Report – Final outputs (WordPress links, report links)
4. Dashboard – Real-time analytics and KPIs
5. Workflow_Log – Execution metrics (time, cost, status)
6. Agent_Log – AI agent performance tracking
7. KW_Research_Report – Keyword research costs and cache hits

Utility Sheets (Reference data)

8. Filtered_Workflow – Workflow execution filtering
9. Filtered_Agents – Agent execution filtering
10. Pricing – LLM model costs (for calculations)
11. REF_Locations – 1,007 DataForSEO location/language codes

Step 1: Configure Project Settings (One-Time Setup)

Before running campaigns, configure your project in the Project_Setting sheet.

Fill in these columns:

Basic Settings (Columns A-E):

Keyword Research Settings (Columns F-I)

Storage Settings (Columns J-K, Q-R)

Email & Notifications (Columns L, S)

Visual Assets (Columns M-O)

Publishing Settings (Column P)

Advanced Settings (Columns T-X)

Brand voice tone examples:

• Blog: Conversational, friendly, helpful, clear
• Business: Professional, authoritative, trustworthy, data-driven
• Technical: Precise, detailed, educational, straightforward

How to Use Writer Voice Tone Example (Column X) – IMPORTANT!

The Content Writer AI agent (Zone 6) will learn your writing style from the example you provide in Column X.

What it does:

• Analyzes sentence structure, paragraph length, vocabulary choices
• Mimics your tone, rhythm, and voice patterns
• Applies your style to the generated article

How to set it up:

If you already have content that matches your desired style:

1. Find your best existing article:
   • Choose an article that represents your ideal voice and tone
   • Should be 500-1,000 words minimum (2-3 full sections)
2. Copy the content:
   • Copy 2-3 complete sections (including headers)
   • Include introduction + 1-2 body sections
   • Don’t just copy one paragraph—the AI needs enough text to learn patterns
3. Create a Google Doc:
   • Go to https://docs.google.com
   • Click “Blank document”
   • Paste your sample content
   • Name it: [Project Name] Voice Tone Example
   • Example: MyBlog Voice Tone Example
4. Set sharing permissions:
   • Click “Share” button (top right)
   • Change from “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link”
   • Set permission to “Viewer” (not Editor)
   • Click “Copy link”
5. Paste link in Column X:
   • In Project_Setting sheet
   • Column X (Writer Voice Tone Example)
   • Paste the Google Docs link
   • Example: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms/edit

Result: All articles generated for this project will match the voice and tone of your sample article.

Step 2: Add Your First Test Campaign

Now add a test campaign in the Manager sheet.

The Manager sheet has 33 columns divided into 3 sections:

Section 1: Input Fields (Columns A-H – You fill these)

Section 2: Zone Status (Columns I-S – Auto-updated by workflow)

These columns show real-time execution status for each zone:

You don’t touch these – the workflow updates them automatically as it progresses.

Understanding the Action Column (H)

The Action column is your workflow trigger. It has 4 states:

Workflow trigger logic:

1. You set Action to Planning (campaign draft)
2. When ready, change to ToDo
3. Workflow auto-detects ToDo and changes to Processing
4. Workflow executes all 9 zones
5. Workflow changes to Completed when done

Step 3: Review Outputs

After execution completes (Action = Completed), review all outputs.

Output 1: Article_Report Sheet

1. Click “Article_Report” tab
2. Find your campaign (Row 2 should have same keyword)
3. Review columns:

Output 2: WordPress Draft Post

1. Click the link in Article_Report column G
2. OR go to WordPress admin → Posts → All Posts
3. Find Draft post: “Keyword Research Tools” (or your keyword)

Status: Draft (not published)

Output 3: Research Report (HTML)

1. Click link in Article_Report column J (Google Drive)
2. HTML file opens in browser

Contains (Zones 1-3):

• Zone 1: Complete keyword research data
  • SERP top 20 results
  • People Also Ask
  • Related keywords (50-100)
  • Search volume, difficulty, trends
  • AI Overview detection
  • YouTube analysis
  • Topic clusters (5-8)
• Zone 2: Strategic intelligence
  • User profile and persona
  • Voice of customer analysis
  • Content cluster strategy (5-8 clusters)
  • Multimedia strategy (video, social, infographics)
• Zone 3: Competitor intelligence
  • Top 5 competitor analysis
  • Structural weakness tally
  • Gap probe findings
  • Winning angle recommendation
  • Priority 1-5 strategic recommendations

Use this to:

• Understand research foundation
• Justify content decisions to clients
• Create supporting content (videos, social posts)
• Brief freelance editors

Output 4: Audit Trail Report (HTML)

1. Click link in Article_Report column K (Google Drive)
2. HTML file opens in browser

Contains (Zones 4-8):

• Zone 4: Master Content Blueprint
  • Content angle and UVP
  • Strategic imperatives
  • Multi-platform asset briefs
• Zone 5: Linking intelligence
  • 8 vetted external citations (URLs, context, rationale)
  • Internal link recommendations (1-2 per cluster)
• Zone 6: Content execution
  • Complete outline with rationale
  • Writer’s brief (per-section directives)
• Zone 7: Quality assurance
  • Forensic metrics (keyword count, link integrity)
  • Quality score breakdown (0-100)
  • Fix tickets (if revision triggered)
• Zone 8: Visual & metadata strategy
  • 5 title options with scores
  • 3 description options with analysis
  • Image prompt strategy

Use this to:

• Prove quality to stakeholders
• Debug low-quality outputs
• Train editors on quality standards
• Comply with industry regulations

Output 5: Completion Email

Check your email (configured in Project_Setting column S):

Subject: Research & Article ready - <keyword>

Output 6: Raw Keyword Data (Google Sheets)

1. Go to Google Drive
2. Navigate to: SEVOsmith → KW_research_raw_data
3. Find file (example): n8n-keyword-research__Nextgrowth__2840__en.xlsx
4. Open it

Contains 9 sheets with raw DataForSEO API data:

• serp_google_organic (20 rows)
• serp_google_ai_mode
• serp_youtube
• keyword_overview
• keyword_ideas (50-100 rows)
• related_keywords (50-100 rows)
• search_intent
• ai_keyword_data
• topic_clusters (10 subtopics)

Use this for:

• Deep data analysis
• Custom reporting
• Export to other tools
• Historical comparison

🎉 Congratulations! You’ve successfully run your first SEVOsmith campaign.

A Note on Quality Expectations

What SEVOsmith does exceptionally well:

• ✅ Forensic keyword research
• ✅ Strategic content planning
• ✅ E-E-A-T compliance
• ✅ Structural consistency
• ✅ Complete audit trails

What still benefits from human review (30-45 minutes):

• Brand voice nuance (fine-tuning tone)
• Industry-specific examples (your unique insights)
• Controversial topics (AI is cautious, you might be bolder)
• Creative storytelling (AI follows patterns, you break them)

Recommended workflow: SEVOsmith generates draft (18-25 min) → Human editor polishes it → Total: 60-70 minutes vs 4-6 hours manual.

The goal isn’t to eliminate human expertise—it’s to eliminate the tedious 80% so you can focus on the valuable 20%.