Skip to content

n8n integration

Buyer intent leads in n8n workflows

Needle POSTs one signed JSON event per lead to your n8n webhook, on n8n Cloud or your own server. The starter workflow checks the signature before anything else runs.

Try free for 7 daysBrowse all integrations

7-day free trial - no card. Cancel anytime.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Save a brand and turn on Auto Search

    Add the problem phrases, competitors, and communities you care about. Needle reruns the search on your schedule.

  2. Step 2

    Import the workflow

    Create a workflow in n8n and import needle-n8n-workflow.json. Add your Slack and Google Sheets credentials to the two placeholder nodes, then activate it.

  3. Step 3

    Test and enable in Needle

    Paste the Webhook node’s Production URL (it ends in /webhook/needle-leads) under Alerts & Integrations → n8n and click Test and enable. Needle shows the signing secret once.

  4. Step 4

    Paste the signing secret

    Put the secret in the Verify signature node and save. The test event arrived before the node had the secret, so that one execution fails at verification - expected.

Why teams run Needle leads through n8n

Available on the Growth plan and up.

  • Verified before it runs

    The Code node recomputes the HMAC-SHA256 signature on the raw body and stops anything that is not from Needle or is over 5 minutes old.

  • Self-host the whole path

    Run n8n on your own infrastructure and keep lead data inside it after Needle delivers it.

  • Branch on intent

    The template already splits on lead.tier: hot leads go to Slack, every lead goes to the sheet.

Download the n8n workflow

Webhook (POST, path needle-leads, Raw Body on) → Verify signature (Code) → Hot lead? (IF) → Slack, plus Google Sheets for every lead.

Download workflow (JSON)

needle-n8n-workflow.json

  • Self-hosted n8n: the Code node needs require("crypto"). Set NODE_FUNCTION_ALLOW_BUILTIN=crypto (or add crypto to your existing list) and restart n8n.
  • Paste the secret into the Code node, or set NEEDLE_SIGNING_SECRET in the environment if your instance lets Code nodes read env variables.
  • The Webhook node answers as soon as a request arrives, so Needle sees success even when a later node fails. Watch the n8n executions list.
  • Test events are verified and then dropped, so they never reach Slack or the sheet.
  • The Slack and Google Sheets nodes have no credentials, channel, or spreadsheet set. Fill them in or replace them.

What the Verify signature node checks

n8n lower-cases header names, so the node reads x-needle-signature.

HeaderValue
Content-Typeapplication/json
X-Needle-Event-IdSame value as event_id in the body.
X-Needle-Signaturet=<unix seconds>,v1=<hex HMAC-SHA256(secret, "<t>.<raw body>")>

When n8n is the wrong choice

  • n8n is not reachable from the internet

    Needle sends from its servers to a public https URL. An instance on localhost or behind a VPN will not receive events.

  • You do not already run n8n

    For a lead log, Google Sheets, Notion, or Airtable need no workflow host. For chat alerts, use the native Slack or Discord destinations.

  • You want a CRM record per lead

    On Scale, HubSpot and Pipedrive are native destinations that create one record per lead.

Frequently asked questions

Setup, limits, and every platform are covered in the docs.

Which n8n URL do I paste?
The Production URL of the Webhook node, with the workflow active. The Test URL only listens while the editor is waiting for a test event.
Does Needle restrict the n8n host?
No. n8n is often self-hosted, so this destination accepts any public https URL.
Where is the full payload documented?
On the custom webhook page: every LeadEvent v1 field, the headers, and Node and Python verification code.
Does n8n get one request per lead or a digest?
One per lead. Needle sends one request per hot or worth-engaging lead after each Auto Search run - at most 25 per destination per run - and never sends the same lead to the same destination twice within 30 days. Runs follow the interval you set per brand: every 4 to 24 hours on Growth, as often as hourly on Scale.
Which plan includes n8n?
n8n is available on the Growth plan and up. The 7-day free trial lets you try it first.
Does Needle reply or post for me?
No. Needle finds and ranks conversations and can draft a reply for you to edit. You decide whether to respond, and you post it yourself.

Connect Needle to n8n today

Send ranked buyer threads to n8n on your Auto Search schedule, so the conversations worth replying to land where your team already works.

Try free for 7 daysBook a demo

Cancel anytime