Export LinkedIn search results to Google Sheets using ConnectSafely.ai API

Description

Who's it for

This workflow is built for sales professionals, recruiters, founders, and growth marketers who need to build targeted prospect lists from LinkedIn without risking their accounts. Perfect for anyone who wants to find decision-makers, build lead lists, or research target audiences at scale.

If you're running outbound campaigns, building ABM lists, sourcing candidates, or doing competitive research, this automation handles LinkedIn searches and exports results directly to your Google Sheet—no browser cookies, no session hijacking, no ban risk.

How it works

The workflow automates LinkedIn people searches by leveraging ConnectSafely.ai's compliant API, then exports structured results to Google Sheets or JSON files.

The process flow:

Define your search parameters (keywords, location, job title, result limit)
Execute the search via ConnectSafely.ai API
Process and normalize the response data
Export to Google Sheets for CRM import or further automation
Optionally save as JSON file for data backup or processing

No LinkedIn cookies required. No browser automation. Platform-compliant searches that won't get your account restricted.

Watch the complete step-by-step implementation guide:

LinkedIn Search Export Automation Tutorial

Setup steps

Step 1: Get Your ConnectSafely.ai API Credentials

Obtain API Key:
Log into ConnectSafely.ai Dashboard
Navigate to Settings → API Keys
Generate a new API key
Copy your API key (you'll need this in the next step)

Add Bearer Auth Credential in n8n:
Go to Credentials in n8n
Click Add Credential → HTTP Bearer Auth
Paste your ConnectSafely.ai API key
Save the credential

Step 2: Configure Search Parameters

Open the Set Search Parameters node and customize your search:

| Parameter | Description | Example |
|-----------|-------------|---------|
| keywords | Search terms for profiles | CEO SaaS, Marketing Director |
| location | Geographic filter | United States, San Francisco Bay Area |
| title | Job title filter | Head of Growth, VP Sales |
| limit | Maximum results to return | 100 (max varies by plan) |

Pro Tips:
Use specific keywords for better targeting
Combine title + keywords for precision (e.g., keywords: "B2B" + title: "VP Sales")
Start with smaller limits (25-50) for testing

Step 3: Configure Google Sheets Integration

3.1 Connect Google Sheets Account
Go to Credentials → Add Credential → Google Sheets OAuth2
Follow the OAuth flow to connect your Google account
Grant access to Google Sheets

3.2 Prepare Your Google Sheet

Create a new Google Sheet with the following columns (the workflow will auto-populate these):

| Column Name | Description |
|-------------|-------------|
| profileUrl | LinkedIn profile URL |
| fullName | Contact's full name |
| firstName | First name |
| lastName | Last name |
| headline | LinkedIn headline/tagline |
| currentPosition | Current job title |
| company | Company name (extracted from headline) |
| location | Geographic location |
| connectionDegree | 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree connection |
| isPremium | LinkedIn Premium member (true/false) |
| isOpenToWork | Open to work badge (true/false) |
| profilePicture | Profile image URL |
| extractedAt | Timestamp of extraction |

3.3 Configure the Export Node
Open the Export to Google Sheets node
Select your Google Sheets credential
Enter your Document ID (from the sheet URL)
Select the Sheet Name
The column mapping is pre-configured for auto-mapping

Step 4: Test the Workflow

Click the Manual Trigger node
Click Test Workflow
Verify:
Search executes successfully
Results appear in the Format Results output
Data exports to your Google Sheet
JSON file is generated (optional)

Customization

Search Parameter Combinations

Sales Prospecting:
keywords: "B2B SaaS"
location: "United States"
title: "VP of Sales"
limit: 100

Recruiting:
keywords: "Python Machine Learning"
location: "San Francisco Bay Area"
title: "Senior Engineer"
limit: 50

Founder Networking:
keywords: "Seed Series A"
location: "New York City"
title: "Founder CEO"
limit: 100

Extending the Workflow

Add to CRM: Connect the Format Results output to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive nodes

Enrich Data: Add a loop to fetch full profile details for each result using the /linkedin/profile endpoint

Chain with Outreach: Connect to the LinkedIn Connection Request Workflow to automatically send personalized invites to your search results

Schedule Searches: Replace Manual Trigger with a Schedule Trigger to run daily/weekly searches

Output Data Format

Each result includes:

{
"profileUrl": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndoe",
"profileId": "johndoe",
"profileUrn": "urn:li:member:123456789",
"fullName": "John Doe",
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Doe",
"headline": "VP of Sales at TechCorp | B2B SaaS",
"currentPosition": "VP of Sales",
"company": "TechCorp",
"location": "San Francisco, California",
"connectionDegree": "2nd",
"isPremium": true,
"isOpenToWork": false,
"profilePicture": "https://media.licdn.com/...",
"extractedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z"
}

Use Cases

Sales Prospecting: Build targeted lead lists of decision-makers at companies matching your ICP

Recruiting & Talent Sourcing: Find passive candidates with specific skills and experience levels

Market Research: Analyze competitor employee profiles and organizational structures

Event Planning: Build invite lists for webinars, conferences, or virtual events

Partnership Development: Identify potential partners and integration opportunities

Investor Research: Find founders and executives at companies in specific stages/verticals

Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: "No results found" error
Solution:** Broaden your search parameters; try removing one filter at a time

Issue: Empty company field in results
Solution:** Company is extracted from headline; some profiles may not include company in their headline format

Issue: API authentication errors
Solution:** Verify your ConnectSafely.ai API key is valid and has proper permissions; check Bearer Auth credential format

Issue: Google Sheets not updating
Solution:** Confirm OAuth credentials are valid; check that the sheet has write permissions

Issue: Fewer results than expected
Solution:** LinkedIn limits search results; try more specific parameters or upgrade your ConnectSafely.ai plan

Issue: Rate limit errors
Solution:** Add delay between multiple searches; check your API plan limits

Documentation & Resources

Official Documentation
ConnectSafely.ai Docs:** https://connectsafely.ai/docs
API Reference:** Available in ConnectSafely.ai dashboard
n8n HTTP Request Node:** https://docs.n8n.io/nodes/n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest

Support Channels
Email Support:** [email protected]
Documentation:** https://connectsafely.ai/docs
Custom Workflows:** Contact us for custom automation

Connect With Us

Stay updated with the latest automation tips, LinkedIn strategies, and platform updates:

LinkedIn:** linkedin.com/company/connectsafelyai
YouTube:** youtube.com/@ConnectSafelyAI-v2x
Instagram:** instagram.com/connectsafely.ai
Facebook:** facebook.com/connectsafelyai
X (Twitter):** x.com/AiConnectsafely
Bluesky:** connectsafelyai.bsky.social
Mastodon:** mastodon.social/@connectsafely

Need Custom Workflows?

Looking to build sophisticated LinkedIn automation workflows tailored to your business needs?

Contact our team for custom automation development, strategy consulting, and enterprise solutions.

We specialize in:
Multi-channel prospecting workflows
AI-powered lead scoring and qualification
CRM integration and data synchronization
Custom search and enrichment pipelines
Bulk outreach automation with personalization