> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.blotato.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.blotato.com/integrations-and-automation-templates/n8n/faqs.md).
# FAQs
Troubleshoot Blotato n8n nodes, uploads, polling, and publishing.
For installation, use the [n8n node guide](/integrations-and-automation-templates/n8n/n8n-blotato-node.md). For workflow order and completion checks, read [Async jobs and polling](/api-and-mcp-concepts/async-jobs-and-polling.md).
## How do I get started with the Blotato API in n8n?
1. Follow the [Blotato API Quickstart](/start-with-an-ai-agent/start.md) to get your API key and install the official Blotato n8n node
2. Import one of the [Automation Templates](/integrations-and-automation-templates/templates.md) to start with a working workflow
3. To create videos or carousels: add the Blotato CREATE VISUAL node, select a template from the dropdown, and click Execute. Start with a carousel template -- it renders near-instantly so you get a result right away
4. To publish: add the Blotato PUBLISH node. Pass your image/video URLs directly into the `mediaUrls` parameter -- no upload step required
**Important:** If you're using an older template that includes a "Upload to Blotato" or "Media > Upload" node, you can disable or delete it. Media upload is now optional -- you can pass URLs directly to the Publish node's `mediaUrls` parameter. 5. To debug requests: open the [Logs](https://my.blotato.com/logs) and click on any request to see the full payload and response
Use the official Blotato n8n node. It handles API keys and account selection through dropdowns, so you do not need to copy/paste IDs or write raw JSON.
***
## What is the file size limit for binary data uploads?
If you are using the n8n "Binary Data" upload option, the file size limit is 15MB. For larger files, switch to URL-based upload:
1. Use the [Presigned Upload](/rest-api-reference/publish-post/upload-media-v2-media.md#presigned-upload-local-files) endpoint (`POST /media/uploads`) to upload directly to Blotato -- no Google Drive or S3 needed. Upload size depends on your plan (see [Plan Limits](/settings/billing-and-credits.md#plan-limits)).
2. Or upload your media to Google Drive, AWS S3, or another cloud storage service and pass the public URL into the Blotato node
***
## How do I post an Instagram story instead of a reel?
Open the Instagram publish node in n8n, click "Add Option", select "Media Type", and set it to "Story".
By default, Instagram posts with video publish as Reels. Setting Media Type to "Story" overrides this.
Instagram Stories do not support captions through Meta's publishing API. Leave the Caption field empty. To display text, render it into the image or video before publishing.
Native Story text, link stickers, and other interactive stickers require manual editing in Instagram. See [Instagram Story limitations](/social-accounts-and-platform-faqs/instagram/limitations.md#story-captions-and-text-overlays).
***
## How do I post to a LinkedIn page instead of personal LinkedIn?
Open the LinkedIn publish node in n8n, click "Add Option", and select "LinkedIn Page" from the dropdown. This lets you pick which LinkedIn company page to post to.
***
## Having issues with the Blotato node in n8n?
Make sure you follow these instructions to install the official Blotato n8n node: [Install Guide](/start-with-an-ai-agent/start.md#n8n)
You may need to re-import your workflow template after installing the official Blotato n8n node.
***
## How do I use the Source nodes in n8n?
The Source nodes allow you to extract content from YouTube, TikTok, articles, PDFs, audio, or AI research queries.
### Create Source Node
1. Add a Blotato node
2. Select "Source" > "Create"
3. Choose your source type:
* **URL**: YouTube, TikTok, Article, PDF, or Audio URL (auto-detected)
* **Text**: Raw text content
* **AI Research**: Perplexity-powered web search query
4. Optionally add Custom Instructions to transform the extracted content
5. Execute to get a source ID
### Get Source Node
1. Add a Blotato node after Create Source
2. Select "Source" > "Get"
3. Pass the source ID from Create Source
4. Enable "Clean Transcript" to remove timestamps (recommended)
5. Execute and inspect `status` before using the content.
6. For `queued` or `processing`, wait at least 10 seconds and check the same ID again within a bounded wait.
7. For `completed`, use `content`. For `failed`, stop and read the API result's `message`.
### Workflow Pattern
```
[Create Source] --> [Wait at least 10s] --> [Get Source] --> [Check status]
| completed: use content
| queued/processing: bounded wait and check again
| failed: stop and report message
```
One Wait followed by Get does not prove completion. Inspect the result before another generation or publication. The node's `_hint` is not a substitute for the operation's status and error fields.
### Example: YouTube to Visual Content
1. Create Source with YouTube URL
2. Wait at least 10 seconds.
3. Get Source and branch on its status.
4. Once completed, pass its content to an authorized visual-generation step.
5. [Verify the visual](/agent-workflows/agent-workflows/visuals.md) before a separate authorized publication.
### Source Node Not Showing?
Check the installed Blotato package version and resource selector. The official node source includes Source > Create and Source > Get. Follow the [update instructions](/integrations-and-automation-templates/n8n/n8n-blotato-node.md#update-the-blotato-node) if your installed version lacks them. Package changes require the instance owner's or administrator's approval.
If an update is unavailable, use the [source REST contract](/rest-api-reference/create-source.md) in an HTTP Request node. Do not assume n8n and Make expose the same choices or update behavior.
***
## Troubleshooting Make.com and n8n Automations
**The most common errors I see are related to:**
* wrong API key or account IDs
* invalid JSON (e.g. wrongly formatted)
* invalid API request (e.g. wrong parameters)
* invalid file format (e.g. wrong video dimensions)
Store the API key in the official node's credential and select accounts from its dropdown. Verify saved account selections after reconnection. See the [credential setup](/integrations-and-automation-templates/n8n/n8n-blotato-node.md#configure-and-verify-the-credential).
### First step: click "Fix My Automation" in the Logs (n8n only)
The fastest way to fix a failing n8n workflow is to let Blotato AI fix it for you automatically.
1. Go to your [Logs](https://my.blotato.com/logs)
2. Click the failed request
3. Click the green **FIX MY AUTOMATION** button at the top
4. Blotato AI will attempt to fix your n8n workflow automatically
This feature is **n8n only** — it does not work for Make.com, Claude, MCP, or direct REST API calls. For those, use the manual checklist below.
### Manual troubleshooting checklist
* Check your Blotato API key, Account IDs, and Page IDs are correct
* Check that the correct Account ID is connected and passed in every Publish API call
* If you are publishing to a Facebook Page or LinkedIn Company Page, you must also pass the Page ID, in addition to Account ID.
* Check your [Logs](https://my.blotato.com/logs) - click on any request to see the full payload, error response, and which account it was sent to
* Verify that the JSON data in the HTTP Request contains the right parameters:
1. Ask ChatGPT to check if your **JSON is valid**.
2. Check it again with JSON Validator: [https://jsonlint.com](https://jsonlint.com/)
3. If your JSON is valid, ask ChatGPT to **compare your JSON to Blotato's API docs**. Use this prompt:
```
You are an expert in Blotato API: https://help.blotato.com/api/api-reference/publish-post
Check the following JSON is valid and conforms to the Blotato API:
PASTE_YOUR_JSON_REQUEST_HERE
```
***
## Issues with JSON Request to Blotato API?
I recommend using ChatGPT to troubleshoot your JSON payload:
1. Ask ChatGPT to check if your **JSON is valid**.
2. Check it again with JSON Validator: [https://jsonlint.com](https://jsonlint.com/)
3. If your JSON is valid, ask ChatGPT to **compare your JSON to Blotato's API docs**. Use this prompt:
```
You are an expert in Blotato API: https://help.blotato.com/api/api-reference/publish-post
Check the following JSON is valid and conforms to the Blotato API:
PASTE_YOUR_JSON_REQUEST_HERE
```
***
## Submitting Wrong Video Dimensions to API?
A video longer than 120 seconds must arrive ready for the target platform. Blotato does not crop, resize, or re-encode longer videos.
For a portrait Instagram Reel longer than 120 seconds, use this export preset. A 9:16 frame is a recommendation, not an automatic crop rule:
1. Choose a 9:16 frame for the portrait layout.
2. Export at 1080 x 1920 or 720 x 1280 pixels.
3. Export as MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio.
4. Set the video bitrate to 25 Mbps or lower.
5. Keep the file size at 300 MB or smaller.
6. Keep the duration at 15 minutes or shorter.
7. Confirm the media URL opens without a login or access token.
8. Pass the direct media URL to `content.mediaUrls` in the Publish node.
Follow the [Instagram Reel troubleshooting checklist](/social-accounts-and-platform-faqs/instagram/faqs.md#my-instagram-reel-is-under-300-mb-and-15-minutes-why-was-it-rejected) for the web-app and API steps.
***
## How to Preserve Newlines in Multi-Paragraph Posts?
To preserve newlines in posts with multiple paragraphs, use the function toJsonString() in n8n like this:
`"text": $("Prepare for Publish").item.json.final_text_long.toJsonString()`
***
## How do you customize text styles in the carousel/slideshow?
It's on my roadmap to add more customization options and templates for carousels/slideshows!
Right now, the only customization is the caption position (top, middle, bottom).
***
## How do I check if my post was published and get the live URL?
Use the official Blotato **Get Post** node:
1. Add a Blotato node and select "Post" > "Get"
2. Pass in the `postSubmissionId` from your Publish node response
3. Inspect the returned status. A successful Get call is not itself proof of publication.
For `in-progress`, wait at least 10 seconds before another Get within a bounded wait. For `scheduled`, report the scheduled time and stop immediate polling. For `failed`, stop and read `errorMessage`. For `published`, return `publicUrl` if provided. The URL field is optional.
Retain the original `postSubmissionId` if the wait expires or a status request fails. Do not repeat Publish automatically. Follow [Publishing status](/start-with-an-ai-agent/publishing-status.md).
API docs: [Get Post](/rest-api-reference/publish-post/get-post.md)
***
## How do you post a slideshow or carousel?
Using the official Blotato node, it's now super easy to post a slideshow or carousel. In your publishing node, update the Media URLs parameter - give it a comma separated list of URLs to be posted as a slideshow/carousel.
***
## Don't see your Facebook or LinkedIn Pages in the n8n node?
As a workaround, switch from `From List` to `By ID`, then copy paste your pageId from Blotato Settings.
***
## I'm using an older template with textToImageModel and imageToVideoModel parameters. Do these still work?
Those parameters belong to an outdated template format. Switch to the new CREATE VISUAL system instead:
1. Browse all available templates at to see how they look
2. In n8n or Make, add the Blotato CREATE VISUAL node and select a template
3. Start with a carousel template -- carousels render near-instantly, so you get a fast test run
4. Click Execute to generate the carousel
5. Open your [Logs](https://my.blotato.com/logs) to see the JSON payload for each template
6. Override your desired inputs one-by-one
If you were making AI story videos, use the template called "AI Video with AI Voice."
Full documentation for each template: [Visual Templates](/rest-api-reference/visuals.md)
***
## My n8n workflow keeps generating the same content every run. How do I fix this?
This usually happens when nodes have **pinned data** that prevents them from running fresh on each execution.
### Quick Fix
1. Open your n8n workflow
2. Click each node in your workflow (especially script/AI generation nodes and the Create Visual node)
3. Look for a small **pin icon** in the output panel of each node
4. If you see a pinned icon, click it to **Unpin data**
5. Run your workflow again
### Common Causes
* **Pinned script/AI output**: If your script generation node is pinned, it will reuse the same script every run
* **Pinned Create Visual inputs**: If inputs to Create Visual are pinned, the same content gets generated
* **Pinned source data**: Any upstream nodes with pinned data will prevent fresh content
### Prevention
Only pin data temporarily for testing. Always unpin before running production workflows.
If your workflow still generates identical content after unpinning, verify that:
* Your source data actually changes between runs
* Random/variable elements are included in your prompts
* You're not hardcoding static values
***
**Didn't find your answer?**
* [General FAQs](/support/faqs.md)
* [API FAQs](/start-with-an-ai-agent/faqs.md)
* [Make.com FAQs](/integrations-and-automation-templates/make.com/faqs.md)
---
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