How to Automate LinkedIn Posts Using AI Without Losing the Human Touch
Most professionals know they should post on LinkedIn regularly - but between blank page anxiety and busy schedules, consistency is nearly impossible. This Make.com workflow solves both problems by generating posts from your raw notes using Claude AI, while keeping you firmly in control through a simple email approval process.
The LinkedIn Content Problem
Professionals face two conflicting realities on LinkedIn: consistent posting builds authority and visibility, but creating quality content takes time most don't have. The result? Either sporadic posting that fails to build momentum, or rushed, generic content that doesn't reflect your expertise.
This automation solves both problems by turning your raw notes - meeting insights, project updates, technical solutions - into polished LinkedIn posts automatically. At 2:15 in the video, Jesse explains: "I work in AI automation but never posted about it - until this system handled the writing for me."
Content creation paradox: The professionals who have the most valuable insights are often too busy delivering client work to package those insights for LinkedIn. This workflow closes that gap by automating the packaging while preserving your unique perspective.
System Overview
The LinkedIn automation pipeline combines six components into a seamless workflow: Google Sheets as the control panel, Make.com running two scenarios, Claude AI for content generation, Gmail for approvals, Twilio for notifications, and LinkedIn's API for publishing.
Here's how data flows through the system: Your raw notes go into Google Sheets → Make.com detects new entries → Claude AI generates a draft → You approve via email → Make.com publishes to LinkedIn. The entire process maintains a human review gate while automating the time-consuming parts.
Google Sheets Control Panel
At 3:42 in the video, the Google Sheet reveals why it's the perfect hub for this workflow. Each row represents one LinkedIn post, with columns tracking: raw notes (your input), topic tag (for categorization), status (pending/draft ready/published), AI draft content, final approved version, post date, LinkedIn URL, and email thread ID.
The status column drives everything. Changing a cell to "pending" triggers the content generation scenario. As the post moves through the system, the status updates automatically - no manual tracking needed. The email thread ID is particularly clever, serving as the handoff token between the two Make.com scenarios.
Gmail Approval Workflow
The approval process relies on two smart Gmail features: labels and filters. At 5:18, the video shows how a filter automatically applies the "LinkedIn approved" label to any email reply containing "approve" in the subject line. This labeled reply is what Make.com's second scenario watches for.
When you receive a draft email, you have three response options: reply "approve" to publish as-is, "reject" to cancel, or include your edited version. The system handles all three cases through a router in Make.com, ensuring your intent translates to the correct LinkedIn action.
Scenario 1: Content Generation
The first Make.com scenario (shown at 7:30) runs every 15 minutes with one job: find pending rows in Google Sheets and turn them into draft LinkedIn posts. It follows six precise steps:
Step 1: Google Sheets Trigger
Watches for rows where status equals "pending" - your signal that new content needs generation.
Step 2: Claude AI Module
Passes your raw notes to Claude with a custom voice prompt that ensures the output matches your writing style.
Step 3: Update Google Sheets
Writes the AI draft back to the sheet and changes status to "draft ready".
Step 4: Twilio Notification
Sends a text to your phone that a new draft is ready for review.
Step 5: Gmail Delivery
Emails you the formatted draft with original notes and response instructions.
Step 6: Log Thread ID
Records the email's thread ID in Google Sheets - the key to matching your reply later.
Custom voice matters: At 8:05, Jesse emphasizes the Claude prompt specifies "short sentences, technical details, no hype" - ensuring the AI output sounds authentic rather than generic.
Scenario 2: Publishing Workflow
The second Make.com scenario (shown at 10:45) handles publishing and runs every 5 minutes. It's triggered by labeled replies in Gmail and follows this decision tree:
Path 1: Approved as-is
If you reply "approve", it posts the AI draft directly to LinkedIn via API, updates the sheet status to "published", and sends a confirmation text.
Path 2: Rejected
If you reply "reject", it updates the sheet status to "rejected" and takes no further action.
Path 3: Edited Version
If you include your own text, it strips the email formatting and posts your edited version instead.
All paths update Google Sheets with the final status, post date, and LinkedIn URL - creating a complete record of every post's journey through the system.
Why Human-in-the-Loop Matters
At 13:20, Jesse makes a crucial point: "The human review gate is intentional - I'm not blindly publishing AI content." This reflects a key principle in AI automation - technology should enhance human judgment, not replace it.
The system gives you three levels of control: 1) You choose which notes become posts by marking them "pending", 2) You approve/reject/edit every draft, and 3) You can always manually override the sheet. This ensures your LinkedIn presence remains authentically yours, just with less grunt work.
Best of both worlds: The automation handles the writing and logistics (saving 5+ hours weekly), while you maintain quality control and strategic direction over your content.
Watch the Full Tutorial
See the complete workflow in action from 4:15 to 6:30 in the video, where Jesse demonstrates the Google Sheets interface and explains how the status column drives the automation. Then jump to 9:45 to watch the approval email trigger the LinkedIn publishing process.
Key Takeaways
This LinkedIn automation proves you can leverage AI for content creation without sacrificing authenticity. By combining Claude's writing with your oversight through a simple email approval process, you maintain control while eliminating the blank page struggle.
In summary: Google Sheets manages the pipeline, Make.com orchestrates the workflow, Claude AI generates drafts in your voice, and you make the final call via email - resulting in consistent, quality LinkedIn content with minimal time investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about LinkedIn automation
The system uses Gmail labels to manage approvals. When a draft is generated, it's emailed to you with clear instructions for responding.
Your reply ("approve", "reject", or edited text) triggers different actions in Make.com. The email thread ID ensures the system matches your response to the correct draft in Google Sheets.
- Approved posts publish immediately via LinkedIn API
- Rejected drafts update the sheet status but don't publish
- Edited versions get cleaned up before publishing
Absolutely. The system includes a text parser specifically for handling edited versions. When you reply with your own text, it strips out quoted email content and posts only your edited version.
The original AI draft remains in Google Sheets for reference, but your edited text becomes the published version on LinkedIn. This maintains a complete record while allowing for last-minute refinements.
- Edit directly in your email reply
- No special formatting required
- System preserves your changes exactly
The content generator scenario runs every 15 minutes to check Google Sheets for new pending posts. This interval balances responsiveness with API rate limits.
The publisher scenario runs more frequently - every 5 minutes - to check for approval responses in Gmail. This ensures quick publishing once you approve a draft while maintaining efficient resource usage.
- Content generation: 15-minute intervals
- Publishing: 5-minute intervals
- Adjustable in Make.com scenario settings
When you reject a draft, the system updates the Google Sheets status to "rejected" and takes no further action. No content gets published to LinkedIn.
The original notes remain in the sheet, allowing you to either try generating a new version later or manually create content from those notes. All historical data stays preserved for reference and reporting.
- No LinkedIn post created
- Sheet status updates to "rejected"
- Original notes remain for future use
The system sends two notifications for each draft: a text message via Twilio to your phone and an email to your Gmail inbox.
The email contains the full draft content, original notes, and clear instructions for responding (approve, reject, or edit). You can manage the entire approval process right from your email without needing to check Google Sheets.
- Instant SMS notification to your phone
- Detailed email with draft and instructions
- Reply directly from email to approve
Yes, the Claude AI integration includes a custom voice prompt that specifies your preferred writing style. In the example shown at 8:05 in the video, it's configured for "short sentences with technical details and no hype or buzzwords."
You can modify this prompt to match your brand voice, whether that's more conversational, technical, or industry-specific. The prompt accepts any style guidelines that will help Claude generate content sounding like you.
- Editable voice prompt in Make.com
- Accepts any style guidelines
- Test different prompts for best results
The Google Sheet serves as both content calendar and system control panel. It tracks raw notes (your input), topic tags (for categorization), status (pending/draft ready/published/rejected), AI draft content, final approved version, post date, LinkedIn URL, and email thread ID.
The status column is particularly important as it drives the entire automation workflow. Changing a cell to "pending" triggers content generation, while other statuses reflect where each post is in the pipeline.
- Complete audit trail of every post
- Status column drives automation
- Historical data for analysis
GrowwStacks specializes in building custom automation workflows like this LinkedIn content pipeline. We'll design a system tailored to your specific platforms, approval processes, and content needs.
Our team handles the Make.com scenario development, API integrations (LinkedIn, Claude AI, Twilio), and thorough testing to ensure reliable operation. We can also train your team on using and maintaining the system.
- Free 30-minute consultation to assess your needs
- Custom workflow design and implementation
- Ongoing support and optimization
Ready to Automate Your LinkedIn Content?
Every day you manually write posts is a day wasted on repetitive work. Our automation specialists can build this exact LinkedIn pipeline for your business - customized to your tools and workflow - in under 2 weeks.