## Introduction
In modern product teams, delivering timely, relevant tutorials to users can significantly improve onboarding, reduce churn, and enhance engagement. However, manually triggering tutorials based on user actions or behaviors is inefficient and error-prone. Automation ensures that tutorials are delivered precisely when users need them, creating a personalized experience.
This technical guide will walk you through building an automated workflow using n8n, an open-source automation tool, to trigger tutorials based on user behavior. This workflow benefits product managers, automation engineers, and growth teams aiming to increase user adoption by delivering contextually relevant learning resources.
—
## Use Case: Automated Tutorial Triggering
Imagine you have a SaaS product and want to automatically send tutorial links or trigger in-app tutorial modals when a user performs (or fails to perform) specific actions. For example:
– When a user signs up but hasn’t completed their profile within 48 hours
– When a user uses a new feature for the first time
– When a user repeatedly struggles with a certain step (e.g., submitting a form)
The goal is to detect these behaviors, then send an appropriate tutorial via email, Slack, or an in-app notification.
—
## Tools and Services Integrated
– **n8n**: Core automation engine to build workflow
– **Your product’s analytics/event tracking system** (e.g., Segment, Mixpanel, or custom webhook)
– **Email service** (e.g., Gmail via SMTP or SendGrid)
– **Slack** (optional for team alerts or user messaging)
– **Database or Google Sheets** (optional for storing user states or history)
—
## Workflow Overview
The workflow will:
1. Receive user behavior events via webhook or polling analytics
2. Evaluate the event against trigger conditions
3. Check user state to avoid duplicated tutorial sends
4. Send tutorial via email or Slack
5. Log or update the user’s tutorial status
—
## Step-by-Step Technical Tutorial
### Step 1: Set up n8n and Create a New Workflow
– Install n8n locally, on a server, or via n8n.cloud.
– Create a new workflow and name it, e.g., “Tutorial Trigger Automation.”
### Step 2: Add a Webhook Node to Receive User Events
– Add the **Webhook** node as the starting point.
– Configure it with POST method and set the path, e.g., `/user-behavior`.
– This node waits for event payloads sent by your product or analytics platform.
**Payload example:**
“`json
{
“userId”: “12345”,
“event”: “feature_used”,
“feature”: “advanced_reporting”,
“timestamp”: “2024-06-01T15:22:00Z”
}
“`
### Step 3: Add a Function Node to Parse and Filter Events
– Add a **Function** node after the webhook.
– Write JavaScript code to:
– Extract relevant fields (userId, event, feature).
– Define which events should trigger tutorials.
– Filter others out.
“`javascript
const data = [];
const event = items[0].json.event;
const feature = items[0].json.feature;
const userId = items[0].json.userId;
// Define triggers
const triggers = [“feature_used”, “profile_incomplete”];
if (triggers.includes(event)) {
data.push({ json: { userId, event, feature } });
}
return data;
“`
### Step 4: Check User Tutorial State to Avoid Repetition
– Add a **Google Sheets** or **Database** node to query if tutorial sent to the user for that event.
– For example, look up the user ID and event.
– If no record exists, proceed; else, stop the workflow.
*Tip:* Using Google Sheets for small teams or Postgres for scale.
### Step 5: Define Tutorial Content Based on Event
– Add a **Set** node to map event/feature to tutorial content links or messages.
Example:
| Event | Feature | Tutorial Link |
|—————–|———————|—————————————|
| feature_used | advanced_reporting | https://docs.example.com/advanced-rep |
| profile_incomplete | N/A | https://docs.example.com/profile-setup |
Use expression or function to choose based on input.
### Step 6: Send the Tutorial via Email
– Add an **SMTP Email** node (or SendGrid node).
– Configure with your email service credentials.
– Draft the email with dynamic content referencing the tutorial link.
Example email template:
“`
Subject: Learn how to use {{ $json.feature }} feature
Hi,
We noticed you started exploring {{ $json.feature }}. Here’s a helpful tutorial to get you started:
{{ $json.tutorial_link }}
Best,
Product Team
“`
### Step 7: Log the Tutorial Delivery
– Add a **Google Sheets** or Database **Insert** node.
– Log userId, event, timestamp of tutorial sent.
– This log prevents re-sending the same tutorial.
### Step 8: Optional – Notify Team on Slack
– Add a **Slack** node to send a message to a product or support channel.
– Payload example: “Tutorial for feature ‘advanced_reporting’ sent to user 12345.”
—
## Common Errors and Tips for Robustness
– **Webhook authentication:** Secure your webhook endpoint with tokens or IP allowlisting to prevent abuse.
– **Idempotency:** Ensure the system properly checks prior tutorial sends to avoid spamming users.
– **Data delays:** If your events come with delays, consider waiting or polling instead of real-time webhook.
– **Error handling:** Use n8n’s error workflows or try-catch blocks to handle email send failures.
– **Scalability:** Store state in scalable databases rather than Google Sheets for high volume.
– **Rate limits:** Respect API limits and batch events if needed.
—
## Scaling and Adapting the Workflow
– Incorporate more user events (`event` types) and associated tutorials.
– Add personalization using user data (e.g., name, user segment).
– Integrate A/B testing by randomly assigning tutorial variants.
– Add multi-channel delivery: trigger tutorials in-app, push notifications, slack, or SMS.
– Use machine learning platforms (e.g., Segment Personas) to enrich event triggers.
—
## Summary
By using n8n to automate triggering tutorials based on user behavior, product teams can create personalized, timely, and scalable onboarding experiences. This automation reduces manual workload, avoids duplicated communications, and ultimately boosts user success.
**Bonus Tip:** Track tutorial engagement by integrating feedback events back into the workflow, enabling continuous improvement of tutorial content and delivery timing.
—
Implementing this workflow enables your product team to be proactive in user education, driving adoption and satisfaction through smart automation.