google-forums-api

Search Google Forums and return discussion threads with titles, sources, snippets, and links. Apify-backed n8n community node, pay-per-result, and usable as an AI agent tool.

Package Information

Released: 4 mo ago
Downloads: 10 weekly / 291 monthly
Latest Version: 0.1.1
Author: John Cole

Available Nodes

Google Forums icon
Google Forums
Search Google Forums and return discussion threads with titles, sources, snippets, and links

Documentation

n8n-nodes-google-forums-api

An n8n community node that searches Google Forums and returns structured discussion threads: position, title, source, snippet, and link. It is backed by the Google Forums API on Apify and bills per result, so there are no subscriptions and no minimums.

Installation · Credentials · Operations · Output · Example workflows · Pricing · Resources

What it does

Give the node a query, and it returns one item per forum thread with the title, source community, snippet, and link. It also works as an AI Agent tool, so an agent can surface community discussions on demand. This is useful for social listening and product research.

  • Search Google's forum discussions (Reddit, Quora, community boards, and more)
  • Localize with a country code and language code, and set the device
  • Toggle safe search and fetch multiple pages
  • Choose how much data to return per thread: Simplified, Raw, or Selected Fields

Installation

Follow the n8n community nodes installation guide:

  1. In n8n, open Settings > Community Nodes.
  2. Select Install.
  3. Enter n8n-nodes-google-forums-api as the npm package name.
  4. Agree to the risks of using community nodes, then select Install.

After it installs, the Google Forums node appears in the nodes panel.

n8n Cloud only allows verified community nodes. Until this node is verified, install it on a self-hosted n8n instance.

Credentials

You need a free Apify account and an API token.

  1. Sign in to the Apify Console.
  2. Open Settings > Integrations and copy your Personal API token.
  3. In n8n, create a new Apify API credential and paste the token.
  4. Use the credential's Test button to confirm it works.

The node also supports Apify OAuth2 if you prefer to connect that way.

Operations

Thread > Search returns forum threads that match a query.

Parameter Description
Search Query The query to search forum discussions for. Required.
Location Location to run the search from. Optional.
Country Code / Language Code Localization, for example us and en.
Device Desktop, Mobile, or Tablet.
Safe Search Active or Off.
Maximum Pages How many result pages to fetch.
Output How much data to return: Simplified, Raw, or Selected Fields.

Output

Each forum thread is returned as its own n8n item. The Output parameter lets you choose how much to return:

  • Simplified (default): a compact object with position, title, source, snippet, displayedMeta, and link. This mode is also used automatically when the node runs as an AI Agent tool, to keep responses small.
  • Raw: every field the API returns for each thread, using the original field names below.
  • Selected Fields: pick exactly which fields to include.

Fields (Raw and Selected Fields)

Field Type Description
position integer Rank of the thread on the page
title string Thread title
link string Thread URL
redirect_link string Google redirect URL
displayed_meta string Displayed metadata, for example replies and recency
snippet string Short excerpt from the thread
snippet_highlighted_words array Words highlighted in the snippet
source string Community or site the thread is from
read_more_link string Link to more results from the same source
about_this_result object Google's "about this result" details
about_page_link string Link to the about-this-result page

Example workflows

1. Social listening for a product

  1. Schedule Trigger: run daily.
  2. Google Forums: Search Query your product name, Output Simplified.
  3. Slack: post new threads with title, source, and link.

2. Research community sentiment

  1. Manual Trigger.
  2. Google Forums: a topic query, Maximum Pages 3.
  3. Google Sheets: append title, source, and snippet for analysis.

3. Let an AI Agent read the forums

  1. AI Agent node.
  2. Attach Google Forums as a tool.
  3. Ask "What do people say about this product on forums?" The agent calls the node (in Simplified mode) and summarizes the threads.

Pricing

This node calls the Google Forums API on Apify, which is billed pay-per-result, with no subscription and no minimums. Apify also includes a free monthly usage tier that covers typical volumes. See the Actor page for current rates.

Resources

License

MIT

Discussion