Automate Wedding Reels Content Research

Build an automated pipeline that scrapes competitor Reels and generates ideas.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Wedding photographers spend hours scrolling Instagram for content inspiration, trying to figure out what's working and what to post next. What if that research happened automatically, delivering fresh ideas based on real data every week?

In this project, you will build an automated content research and ideation system for your wedding photography Instagram Reels. You'll set up a pipeline that monitors competitor accounts, identifies trending formats, and generates content ideas tailored to your actual footage and capabilities.

What You'll Build

An end-to-end content intelligence system that combines automated competitor scraping, trend analysis, and AI-powered ideation into a weekly content workflow for your wedding photography business.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A content strategy document that defines your niche positioning, content pillars, visual style, and target audience.
An automated Make.com scenario that scrapes competitor Reels weekly via Apify and delivers trend analysis to Google Sheets.
A Claude Project configured as your personal content strategist that generates research-backed Reel ideas grounded in your available assets and production capabilities.
Secret Mission: Add an automated Monday morning email digest that delivers trend summaries and suggested content ideas to your inbox.

Are there any prerequisites?

You'll need a Google account, an Instagram Business or Creator account, and a willingness to invest in a few paid tools. The project uses Claude Pro ($20/month), Make.com (Core plan at $9/month), and Apify (free tier to start). No coding experience is required.

Before We Start

Before We Start...

Create Your Accounts

Before you can build your automated content research system, you need accounts on three platforms.

Each platform handles a specific part of the pipeline: one for AI-powered strategy, one for no-code automation, and one for data scraping.

In this step, get ready to:

Sign up for Claude Pro ($20/month) to access Projects with custom instructions and knowledge files.
Create a free Make.com account for building automated workflows.
Create a free Apify account for scraping Instagram Reels data.

Sign up for Claude Pro

Claude Pro gives you access to unlimited Projects, which let you upload documents and set custom instructions that persist across all chats within a project. This is how you'll build a personalized content strategist that remembers your business context.

Open your browser and go to claude.ai.
Click Sign up and create a new account using your email address.
Once signed in, click your initials in the bottom-left corner to open Settings.
Select Billing from the settings menu.
Click Upgrade to Pro and enter your payment information.
Click Confirm subscription to activate your Pro plan at $20/month.

Why Claude Pro instead of the free plan?

The free plan limits you to 5 projects. The Pro plan gives you unlimited projects with higher usage limits, which you'll need for uploading strategy documents and running frequent content ideation sessions.

Confirm your subscription is active by checking that Pro appears next to your plan in the Billing section of Settings.

Not seeing the upgrade option?

Claude Pro is available in certain supported locations. If you don't see the upgrade option, check that your account region is supported by visiting the Anthropic help center.

Help me troubleshoot the Claude Pro upgrade

Sign up for Make.com

Make.com is a no-code automation platform that connects apps together into workflows called scenarios. You'll use it to schedule weekly scraping jobs and route data between services.

Open make.com in your browser.
Click Sign up with Google to use your existing Google account. You can also sign up with your email if you prefer.
Select US as your Hosting Region (or EU if you're based in Europe).
Select your country from the dropdown.
Click Sign up for FREE to create your account.

What does the free plan include?

The Make.com free plan gives you 1,000 credits per month with no time limit. It includes the visual workflow builder, access to 3,000+ app integrations, and a 15-minute minimum interval between scenario runs.

This is enough for testing your automation. You'll upgrade to Core ($9/month for 10,000 credits) once your workflow is working reliably.

Once signed in, you should see the Make.com dashboard with an option to create your first scenario.

Sign up for Apify

Apify is a web scraping platform that provides pre-built scrapers (called actors) for popular sites. You'll use a specialized actor that extracts hook text, engagement data, and posting patterns from competitor Reels.

Open apify.com in your browser.
Click Sign up free in the top-right corner.
Create your account using your email or a social login option.
Complete any onboarding prompts that appear after signing in.

What does the Apify free tier include?

The Apify free tier includes $5/month in platform credits. The Instagram scraper you'll use costs $1.80 per 1,000 Reel results, so your free credits cover roughly 2,700 Reels of scraping per month.

For this project's weekly scraping of 200 Reels, that free allowance is more than enough to get started.

Confirm you can see the Apify Console dashboard after signing in. You should see a sidebar with options like Actors, Runs, and Storage.

Having trouble creating any of these accounts?

Make sure you're using a supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge). Try disabling ad blockers if the sign-up form doesn't load correctly.

If you're still stuck, check whether your region is supported by each service.

Help me troubleshoot my account setup

Your three accounts are ready. Next up, you'll use Claude to build a complete content strategy document tailored to your wedding photography business.

Build Your Content Strategy with Claude

Your accounts are ready. Now it's time to build the foundation that makes your entire content system work: a written strategy that defines who you are, what you create, and what you have to work with.

Without a clear strategy, AI tools generate generic ideas that could belong to any photographer. In this step, you'll work with Claude to create three documents that anchor every future content suggestion in your specific business.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a content strategy document defining your niche, pillars, style, and audience.
Build a content asset inventory of footage and materials you already have.
Write a production capabilities doc outlining what's easy vs. effortful to produce.

Create your content strategy document

Your content strategy document is the single most important piece of your system. It tells Claude exactly who you serve, what makes your work distinctive, and what themes to focus on.

Switch to your Claude tab in your browser.
Start a new regular chat (not a Project). You'll move these documents into a Project later.
Paste the following prompt into Claude, replacing the placeholder sections with details about your own business:

I'm a wedding photographer building a content strategy for Instagram Reels. Help me create a comprehensive content strategy document.

Here's information about my business:
- Who I serve: [[YOUR_CLIENTS="describe your ideal couples, e.g. adventurous couples who want outdoor elopements"]]
- What makes my style unique: [[YOUR_STYLE="describe your photography style, e.g. documentary-style, moody editing, candid moments"]]
- What type of couples I attract: [[YOUR_AUDIENCE="describe the couples who book you, e.g. couples aged 28-35 who value authentic moments over posed shots"]]
- My geographic market: [[YOUR_MARKET="your city/region, e.g. Pacific Northwest"]]

Please help me formulate:
1. A niche positioning statement (one sentence that captures what makes me different)
2. 4-5 content pillars (recurring themes I'll create Reels around)
3. My visual and editorial style guidelines (how my Reels should look and feel)
4. A target audience persona (who I'm trying to reach with my content)

What does this prompt do?

This prompt gives Claude enough context about your business to generate strategy recommendations that are specific to you. The four outputs (positioning, pillars, style, persona) will form the backbone of every content suggestion your system produces later.

If Claude's first response feels too generic, follow up with more detail. Tell Claude about specific weddings you've shot, feedback clients give you, or what you want to be known for.

Review Claude's response. Refine any section that doesn't feel true to your brand by asking Claude to adjust it.
Once you're happy with all four sections, copy the final strategy into a new Google Doc or local text file and name it Content Strategy Document.

Make it conversational

Don't treat this as a one-shot prompt. Have a back-and-forth conversation with Claude. Share examples of photographers you admire, describe your favourite weddings to shoot, or explain what couples always compliment you on. The more context you give, the sharper your strategy becomes.

Claude's suggestions feel too generic?

This usually means Claude needs more specific detail about your work. Try sharing a link to your portfolio, describing a specific wedding that represents your brand, or telling Claude what you do NOT want to be known for.

Help me make my content strategy more specific to my photography business.

Create your content asset inventory

Your asset inventory tells the AI what raw material you actually have to work with. Without this, Claude might suggest Reels that require footage or content you don't have.

In the same Claude chat, paste this follow-up prompt:

Now help me create a content asset inventory. I need to catalog what types of footage and content I already have available for making Reels.

For each category below, help me think through:
- How much footage I typically have from each wedding
- Whether it requires model releases or permissions
- Whether it's ready to use or needs editing first

Categories to cover:
1. Ceremony footage
2. Couple portraits
3. Getting-ready moments
4. Vendor setups (florals, cake, decor, venue styling)
5. Client testimonials or text reviews
6. Behind-the-scenes of me working
7. Venue details and architecture
8. Detail shots (rings, invitations, shoes, etc.)

Ask me questions about each category so we can fill this out accurately.

Why does the AI need to know my assets?

When your system suggests a Reel idea later, it will cross-reference this inventory. Instead of suggesting "film a client testimonial video" when you don't have any, it can suggest "create a text-overlay Reel using a written review you already have." This makes every suggestion actionable.

Answer Claude's questions honestly for each category. Be specific about quantities (e.g., "I have 10-15 ceremony clips per wedding" or "I rarely shoot BTS footage").
Ask Claude to format the final inventory as a table or structured list with columns for: Category, Typical Quantity, Requires Release?, and Ready to Use?
Copy the completed inventory into a new document and name it Content Asset Inventory.

Not sure what counts as an asset?

If you're unsure whether something counts, include it. Even a single behind-the-scenes photo or a screenshot of a 5-star Google review is usable content. The goal is to capture everything you could potentially turn into a Reel.

Help me figure out what content assets I have available.

Create your production capabilities document

Knowing what you have is only half the picture. Your AI also needs to know what's easy for you to produce vs. what takes significant extra effort. This prevents suggestions that sound great but aren't realistic for your schedule.

Continue in your Claude chat and paste this prompt:

Finally, help me create a production capabilities document. I need to clearly define what I can realistically produce for Reels content.

Help me sort my production capabilities into three tiers:

1. EASY (can do with minimal effort):
   - Example: pulling and trimming clips from existing wedding footage
   - Example: adding text overlays to existing photos

2. MODERATE (requires some dedicated time):
   - Example: recording voice-over narration
   - Example: creating custom graphics or templates

3. HIGH EFFORT (requires coordination or significant time):
   - Example: filming client video testimonials
   - Example: shooting dedicated BTS content at a wedding

Ask me about my editing tools, available time per week for content creation, and any constraints I have.

How will this document be used?

When Claude generates Reel ideas later, it will check each suggestion against your production tiers. A week where you're busy editing client work gets "Easy" tier suggestions. A quieter week might include one "Moderate" tier idea. "High Effort" suggestions only appear when you explicitly ask for them.

Work through Claude's questions about your editing tools, weekly time budget, and constraints.
Make sure each tier has 4-6 specific production types listed.
Copy the final document and save it as Production Capabilities Document.

Struggling to define your tiers?

Think about your last month of content creation. What did you actually make? Anything you posted without stress goes in "Easy." Anything you thought about but didn't do probably belongs in "High Effort." Everything in between is "Moderate."

Help me sort my production capabilities into realistic tiers.

Confirm you have all three documents saved:

Content Strategy Document with your niche positioning, content pillars, style guidelines, and audience persona.
Content Asset Inventory with your footage categories, quantities, release requirements, and readiness status.
Production Capabilities Document with your three production tiers and specific examples in each.

You now have a strategy foundation that's unique to your business. Next, you'll set up automated competitor research so your system can combine your strategy with real-world data about what's actually working in your niche.

Set Up Competitor Research with Apify

You have a content strategy, an asset inventory, and a production capabilities document. Now you need data about what is actually working in your niche.

Instead of manually scrolling through competitor accounts and guessing which Reels perform well, you'll set up Apify to automatically scrape and analyze public Reels data from accounts in your space. This gives you structured intelligence about hooks, engagement patterns, and posting cadence.

In this step, get ready to:

Identify 8-10 competitor and inspiration accounts in your niche.
Configure the Apify Instagram Reel Hooks & Competitor Analyzer actor.
Run a test scrape and verify the output dataset.

Identify 8-10 competitor and inspiration accounts

The analyzer needs a list of public Instagram accounts to monitor. You want accounts whose Reels consistently perform well in the wedding photography and videography space.

Open Instagram and search for wedding photographers and videographers in your geographic area and style niche.
Look for accounts that post Reels regularly and get strong engagement (lots of comments, shares, saves).
Aim for a mix: some direct competitors in your local market, some aspirational accounts with a similar style, and some larger accounts in the wedding space that consistently go viral.
Write down 8-10 Instagram usernames (or their full profile URLs like https://www.instagram.com/username/).
Save this list somewhere accessible. You'll need it in the next substep.

How to spot strong Reels accounts

Look at the ratio of Reels views to follower count. An account with 10,000 followers getting 50,000+ views on Reels is outperforming. Accounts that regularly exceed their follower count in views have cracked something worth studying.

Why track competitors instead of just trending audio?

Trending audio changes daily, but content patterns repeat. By tracking competitors over time, you'll see which hook styles, formats, and posting times consistently drive engagement in the wedding niche specifically.

55% of Reels views come from non-followers, making Reels Instagram's strongest discovery format. Understanding what works in your niche helps you tap into that discovery engine.

Configure the Apify Instagram Reel Hooks & Competitor Analyzer

Apify uses pre-built tools called Actors that handle specific scraping and analysis tasks. The actor you need extracts hooks, engagement data, and posting patterns from public Reels.

Return to your Apify Console at console.apify.com.
In the search bar at the top, type Instagram Reel Hooks & Competitor Analyzer and press Enter.
Find the actor by Core Gent (username coregent) and click on it.
Click Try for free to open the actor's configuration page in your Console.

You should now see the actor's input configuration form. Configure it with your competitor accounts.

In the Profiles or Reel URLs field (startUrls), enter your competitor Instagram profile URLs or bare usernames. Add one per line.
Set Max Reels Per Profile (maxReelsPerProfile) to 20.
Confirm that Skip Pinned Reels (skipPinnedReels) is set to true. Pinned Reels distort benchmarks because accounts pin their best-performing content.
Confirm that Include Derived Fields (includeDerivedFields) is set to true. This enables the hook style classification, CTA type detection, engagement ratios, and performance benchmarks.
Leave all other settings at their defaults.

What are derived fields?

When includeDerivedFields is enabled, the actor computes additional analytics beyond raw scraping. It classifies the opening hook style (question, how-to, list, story, etc.), detects CTA types (link in bio, DM, save, follow, share, buy), calculates engagement ratios, and benchmarks each Reel against the account's average performance.

These derived fields are what make this actor especially useful for content strategy. Raw view counts alone don't tell you much without context.

Click Start to run your first test scrape.
Wait for the run to complete. For 8-10 accounts at 20 Reels each, this may take a few minutes.

What does the test scrape cost?

This actor charges $1.80 per 1,000 Reel results. Scraping 10 accounts at 20 Reels each gives you 200 results, costing approximately $0.36. Your Apify free tier includes $5/month in platform credits, so this test is well within your free allowance.

Scrape taking too long or failing?

Make sure all the usernames you entered are public accounts. The actor can only access public data. If an account is private, the actor will skip it.

If the run fails entirely, try reducing your list to 2-3 accounts first as a smaller test. You can add the rest once you've confirmed the actor works.

Help me troubleshoot my Apify actor run

Verify the output dataset

Once the run completes, you need to confirm the output contains all the data fields your system will use for trend analysis.

When the run finishes, click on the Dataset tab in the run results to see the output.
Verify that you can see rows of data, one per Reel.
Check that the following fields are present in the output: hookText, hookStyle, ctaType, hashtags, audioTitle, postingWeekday, engagementRateByFollowers, and performanceBucket.
Click on any individual row to expand it and see the full record with all fields.

What do the key output fields mean?

hookText is the opening line of the Reel caption (the first thing viewers read).
hookStyle classifies the hook as question, how_to, list, story, warning, or other styles using rule-based heuristics.
ctaType detects what action the creator asks for: link_in_bio, dm, save, follow, share, or buy.
performanceBucket rates each Reel as high, avg, or low compared to the account's own average views.

Try switching the view to Table mode to see all rows in a spreadsheet-like view. This is how the data will look when it lands in your Google Sheet later.

Missing fields in the output?

If you don't see hookStyle or performanceBucket, go back to the actor's input configuration and confirm that Include Derived Fields is set to true. Re-run the actor after changing this setting.

Some fields like audioTitle or viewsCount may show as null for certain Reels. This is normal. Instagram does not always make this data publicly available.

Help me check my Apify output dataset for missing fields

Your competitor research pipeline is configured and verified. Next up, you'll connect this data source to Google Sheets using Make.com so the analysis runs automatically every week.

Connect Apify to Google Sheets via Make.com

You now have Apify scraping competitor Reels and returning rich data. The next challenge is turning that raw data into something useful without manually exporting files and copying results every week.

In this step, you will build a Make.com scenario that automatically runs your Apify scraper on a schedule, pipes the results into a Google Sheets spreadsheet, and uses Claude to summarize the trends. By the end, you will have a fully automated weekly pipeline that does the research for you.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a Google Sheet with structured tabs for raw data and trend summaries.
Build a Make.com scenario connecting a scheduled trigger, Apify, Google Sheets, and Claude.
Test the full automation pipeline end-to-end.

Create your Google Sheet

Before building the automation, you need a destination for the scraped data. A well-structured spreadsheet ensures every module in your pipeline knows exactly where to send its output.

Open Google Sheets at sheets.google.com.
Click Blank spreadsheet to create a new sheet.
Rename the spreadsheet to Wedding Reels Intelligence by clicking on the title in the top-left corner.
At the bottom of the screen, right-click the default tab (Sheet1) and select Rename.
Type Raw Data and press Enter.
Click the + icon next to the tab to add a second tab.
Name the second tab Trends Summary.

Now set up the column headers in your Raw Data tab so the automation knows where to put each field.

Click on the Raw Data tab to make sure you are on it.
In row 1, enter the following column headers across cells A1 through H1:

A1: Hook Text.
B1: Hook Style.
C1: CTA Type.
D1: Hashtags.
E1: Audio Info.
F1: Posting Cadence.
G1: Engagement Ratios.
H1: Performance Benchmarks.

Why these columns?

These headers map directly to the output fields from the Apify Instagram Reel Hooks & Competitor Analyzer actor you configured in the previous step. When the automation runs, each scraped Reel will populate one row with data across these categories.

Verify your sheet has two tabs at the bottom: Raw Data (with column headers) and Trends Summary (empty for now).

Don't see two tabs?

Make sure you clicked the + icon at the bottom of the screen next to the existing tab. If you accidentally created a second spreadsheet instead, delete it and add a tab within the same spreadsheet.

Help me set up my Google Sheet tabs correctly.

Build your Make.com scenario

A Make.com scenario is a visual workflow where modules pass data from one app to the next. You will chain together a schedule trigger, an Apify action, and a Google Sheets action to automate your weekly scrape.

Switch back to Make.com in your browser.
In the left sidebar, click Scenarios.
Click + Create a new scenario in the top-right corner.

You will see a blank canvas with a large + icon in the centre. This is where you add your first module.

Click the + icon on the canvas.
In the module search bar, type Apify and select the Apify app.
Choose the Run an Actor action.

What is the Run an Actor module?

This module tells Make.com to start a specific Apify actor (your Instagram Reel Hooks & Competitor Analyzer) and wait for it to finish. Once the actor completes its run, the data flows to the next module in your scenario.

Make.com will ask you to create a connection to Apify. Click Create a connection.
Switch to your Apify console in another tab.
In Apify, click Settings in the left sidebar, then click Integrations.
Click Add token to create a new API token.
Name it Make Connection and click Save.
Copy the generated token and store it somewhere safe. You will not be able to view it again.
Return to Make.com and paste the token into the API token field.
Click Save to establish the connection.

Now configure the Apify module to run your specific actor.

In the Actor field, search for and select the Instagram Reel Hooks & Competitor Analyzer actor you configured earlier.
Leave the input settings as defaults. The actor will use the configuration (competitor usernames, maxReelsPerProfile set to 20, derived fields enabled) you saved in the previous step.
Click OK to close the module settings.

Next, add a module to send the scraped data to your Google Sheet.

Hover over the right side of the Apify module until you see a connector appear, then click it.
In the module search bar, type Google Sheets and select the Google Sheets app.
Choose the Add a Row action.
Make.com will ask you to connect your Google account. Click Create a connection and follow the OAuth prompts to authorize access.
In the Spreadsheet field, search for and select Wedding Reels Intelligence.
In the Sheet field, select Raw Data.
Map the Apify output fields to the corresponding columns: hook text to column A, hook style to column B, CTA type to column C, hashtags to column D, audio info to column E, posting cadence to column F, engagement ratios to column G, and performance benchmarks to column H.
Click OK to save the Google Sheets module configuration.

Mapping fields in Make.com

When you click into a column field in the Google Sheets module, Make.com shows a panel of available data from the previous module (Apify). Click the matching field from the Apify output to map it automatically.

Finally, set up the scheduled trigger so this scenario runs automatically every week.

Click the clock icon at the bottom-left of the canvas (the scheduling settings).
Set Run scenario to At regular intervals.
Set the interval to run once per week.
Choose Sunday at 8:00 AM as the run time.
Click OK to confirm the schedule.

Why Sunday morning?

Running the scrape on Sunday morning means fresh trend data is ready for you to review on Monday. You will use this data in your Claude Project to plan content for the upcoming week.

Verify your scenario canvas shows three connected modules: the scheduled trigger, the Apify Run an Actor module, and the Google Sheets Add a Row module.

Apify module showing an error?

Make sure your Apify API token was pasted correctly with no extra spaces. If the connection failed, delete it and create a new one by generating a fresh token in Apify under Settings then Integrations.

Help me troubleshoot my Apify connection in Make.com.

Add a Claude analysis step

Scraped data alone is just noise. Adding an AI analysis module means your spreadsheet receives a human-readable summary of what is trending each week, ready for you to act on.

Claude API vs. Claude Pro subscription

The Anthropic Claude module in Make.com requires an API key from console.anthropic.com. This is separate from your Claude Pro web subscription at claude.ai.

You will need to create an Anthropic Console account and purchase API credits. The API charges based on tokens used, and this workflow will use a small amount each week.

Before adding the module, you need to upgrade your Make.com plan. Click your profile icon in the bottom-left corner of Make.com.
Select Billing or Subscription.
Upgrade to the Core plan ($9/month). This gives you 10,000 credits and the ability to connect external AI providers with your own API key.

Why upgrade to Core?

The free plan allows building scenarios with most apps, but connecting external AI providers (like Anthropic Claude with your own API key) requires a paid plan. The Core plan also enables minute-level scheduling and unlimited active scenarios.

Now get your Anthropic API key.

Open a new browser tab and go to console.anthropic.com.
Create an account or sign in.
In the bottom-left corner, click the key icon to access API Keys.
Click + Create Key.
Select your workspace and name the key Make Connection.
Click Add to generate the key.
Copy the key immediately and store it in a safe place. You will not be able to view it again after closing this window.
Add API credits to your Anthropic Console account under the Billing section. A small amount (such as $5) is sufficient for weekly trend analysis.

Return to your Make.com scenario and add the Claude module.

Hover over the right side of the Google Sheets module until the connector appears, then click it.
In the module search bar, type Anthropic Claude and select the Anthropic Claude app.
Choose the Create a Prompt action.
Click Create a connection when prompted.
In the API Key field, paste the Anthropic API key you just copied.
Click Save to establish the connection.

Now configure what Claude should analyse.

In the Model dropdown, select a Claude model (Claude Sonnet is a good balance of speed and quality for analysis).
In the Messages field, add a user message. Map the data from the Google Sheets module (or directly from the Apify output) into the message body.
Write a prompt instructing Claude to: identify the top 3 trending formats this week, list the most effective hooks, note trending audio, and describe posting patterns. Ask it to format the output as a concise summary.

Writing a good analysis prompt

Be specific about what you want. For example: "Analyse the following Instagram Reels data from wedding photography accounts. Identify the top 3 trending content formats, the 5 most effective opening hooks, any trending audio tracks, and notable posting patterns (best days/times). Format as a brief executive summary."

Finally, send Claude's analysis to your Trends Summary tab.

Add another Google Sheets module after the Anthropic Claude module by clicking the connector on the right side.
Select Google Sheets and choose the Add a Row action.
Select Wedding Reels Intelligence as the spreadsheet.
Select the Trends Summary tab.
Map Claude's response output to the first column. You can also add a date column so each weekly summary is timestamped.
Click OK to save.

Your full scenario should now show four connected modules: Schedule trigger, Apify (Run an Actor), Google Sheets (Add a Row to Raw Data), Anthropic Claude (Create a Prompt), and a second Google Sheets (Add a Row to Trends Summary).

Click Run once at the bottom-left of the canvas to test the full pipeline manually.
Wait for all modules to complete. You should see green checkmarks on each module.
Open your Wedding Reels Intelligence Google Sheet.
Check the Raw Data tab for newly added rows of scraped Reels data.
Check the Trends Summary tab for Claude's analysis summary.

Modules showing red errors?

If the Anthropic Claude module fails, confirm your API key was pasted correctly and that you have credits loaded in your Anthropic Console billing section.

If the Google Sheets module fails, make sure you authorized the correct Google account and that the spreadsheet name matches exactly: Wedding Reels Intelligence.

Help me debug my Make.com scenario errors.

Your automated research pipeline is live. Every Sunday morning, fresh competitor data will flow into your spreadsheet and Claude will deliver a trend summary. Next up, you will set up a dedicated Claude Project that uses this data to generate content ideas tailored to your actual footage and production capabilities.

Build Your Claude Strategy Project

Your automated pipeline collects fresh competitor data every week and drops it straight into your Google Sheet. The intelligence is flowing in on autopilot.

Now you need a brain that can actually use that data. In this step, you'll configure a Claude Project as your personal content strategist. It will know your business, your assets, and your style so every content idea it generates is grounded in what you can actually produce.

In this step, get ready to:

Create a Claude Project with a custom system prompt defining its strategist role.
Upload your strategy documents as persistent knowledge files.
Test the system by generating your first batch of research-backed Reel ideas.

Create the Claude Project

Claude Projects are self-contained workspaces with their own knowledge base and custom instructions. Once you upload documents to a project, Claude uses them as context across every chat in that workspace.

Switch back to Claude in your browser at claude.ai/projects.
Click + New Project.
Name the project Wedding Content Strategist.
Click Set project instructions.

This is where you define how Claude should behave in every chat within this project. Paste the following system prompt into the instructions field:

You are a wedding photography content strategist. Your role is to generate Instagram Reel ideas that are:

1. Grounded in real competitor research data (trends, hooks, formats that are currently performing well)
2. Based on the content assets I actually have available (footage categories, quantity, readiness)
3. Realistic given my production capabilities (what I can easily produce vs. what requires extra effort)

For EVERY content idea you suggest, you MUST include:
- Which asset type it requires (ceremony footage, BTS clips, portraits, detail shots, etc.)
- Whether it uses existing footage or needs new production
- Estimated production time
- A specific hook (the first 2 seconds)
- Suggested posting day/time based on engagement patterns

Never suggest ideas that require assets I don't have or production capabilities I haven't listed. If a trending format doesn't match my available assets, explain why and suggest an adaptation that does work.

When I share weekly trends data, analyze it for patterns and generate 5-7 actionable Reel ideas with a suggested publishing schedule for the week.

What do these instructions do?

The system prompt establishes three guardrails for Claude. It must reference real data, use your actual assets, and respect your production limits. This prevents generic advice that sounds good but is impossible for you to execute.

The requirement to specify asset type and production needs for every idea is what makes this system practical. You will never get a suggestion like "film a drone shot at golden hour" if your asset inventory shows you only have handheld footage.

Click Save instructions.

Keep instructions under 500 words

Project instructions are loaded into every chat. Shorter, more precise instructions leave more room for your actual conversation and documents to fit in the context window.

Upload your knowledge files

The project knowledge base gives Claude persistent context. Anything you upload here stays available across all chats in this project without you needing to re-paste it every session.

Find the project knowledge base on the right side of your project's main page.
Click the + button to add content to the project.
Upload your Content Strategy Document (the one with your niche positioning, content pillars, style guidelines, and audience persona).
Click the + button again and upload your Content Asset Inventory.
Click the + button one more time and upload your Production Capabilities Document.

You should now see all three files listed in your project's knowledge base panel.

What is the knowledge base?

The knowledge base acts like a permanent briefing folder. Claude reads these documents whenever you start a new chat in this project. On paid plans, if your knowledge base grows large enough, Claude automatically activates RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) to expand capacity by up to 10x while keeping responses fast.

Use clear, descriptive filenames

Name your files something obvious like "Content Strategy - Wedding Photography" or "Asset Inventory - Available Footage." Well-named files help Claude retrieve the right information when answering your questions.

Don't see the knowledge base panel?

The knowledge base appears on the right side of the project's main page (not inside a chat). If you are inside a chat conversation, click the project name at the top to return to the project home page.

Help me find where to upload files to my Claude Project.

Test with your first research cycle

Time to see if your strategist actually works. You will feed it real competitor data and check whether the ideas it produces are grounded in your specific assets and capabilities.

Open your Wedding Reels Intelligence Google Sheet.
Navigate to the Trends Summary tab.
Select all the data in the latest row (the summary your Make.com scenario generated during testing).
Copy the data to your clipboard.
Return to your Wedding Content Strategist project in Claude.
Start a new chat within the project by clicking in the message input area.
Paste the trends data and add this request: "Based on this week's trends data and my available assets, give me 5-7 Reel ideas for this week with a publishing schedule."

What should I see in the response?

Claude should return 5-7 specific Reel ideas. Each idea should include a concept description, a hook (the first 2 seconds of the Reel), which asset type it uses from your inventory, production notes indicating whether existing footage works or new filming is needed, estimated production time, and a suggested posting day and time.

If any idea references assets you do not have (like drone footage when your inventory lists only handheld clips), your system prompt is not working correctly. Go back and double-check the instructions are saved.

Verify that every idea in the response references a specific asset type from your inventory.
Verify that the response includes production notes and a publishing schedule.

Getting generic ideas that ignore your assets?

If Claude produces ideas without referencing your specific asset categories, your knowledge files may not have uploaded correctly. Click the project name to return to the project home page and confirm all three files appear in the knowledge base panel on the right.

Also check that you saved your project instructions. Click Set project instructions and verify your system prompt text is still there.

Help me troubleshoot why my Claude Project is ignoring my uploaded documents.

Your AI strategist is locked and loaded. It knows your niche, your footage library, and your production limits. Next up, you will run the full system end-to-end and generate your first real weekly content plan.

Run Your First Full Cycle

Your Claude Project is configured, your Make.com automation is built, and your competitor list is ready. Now it's time to run the entire pipeline end-to-end and turn the output into an actionable content plan.

In this step, you'll trigger your automation manually, verify that data flows correctly from Apify through Google Sheets to Claude's trend analysis, and then use those insights to generate your first real weekly content plan.

In this step, get ready to:

Trigger and verify your full automation pipeline end-to-end.
Generate a complete weekly content plan from your Claude Project.
Schedule your automation to run automatically every Sunday.

Trigger your Make.com scenario manually

Before you rely on the weekly schedule, you need to confirm that the full pipeline works from start to finish. A manual trigger runs every module in sequence so you can watch the data flow through in real time.

Switch back to your Make.com scenario (the weekly scraper you built in the previous step).
Click Run once at the bottom-left of the scenario editor to trigger a full manual run.

What does Run once do?

Run once executes every module in your scenario exactly one time, regardless of the schedule you've set. It lets you verify data flows correctly before trusting the weekly automation to run on its own.

Wait for the run to complete. You'll see green checkmarks appear on each module as it finishes processing.
Open your Wedding Reels Intelligence Google Sheet.
Check the Raw Data tab. You should see new rows populated with scraped Reels data from your competitor accounts.
Check the Trends Summary tab. You should see a new entry with Claude's analysis of top trends, effective hooks, and posting patterns.

Not seeing data in your Google Sheet?

If the Raw Data tab is empty, click on the Apify module in Make.com to check its output. A common issue is that the actor hasn't finished running yet. Apify scrapes can take a few minutes to complete.

If Raw Data has entries but Trends Summary is empty, check the Claude module for errors. Make sure your Anthropic API connection is still active and the prompt references the correct data fields.

Help me troubleshoot my Make.com scenario that isn't populating my Google Sheet with Apify data or Claude analysis.

Generate your weekly content plan

Your Trends Summary now has fresh data about what's working in the wedding photography Reels space. You'll bring this into your Claude Project to generate content ideas that are grounded in real competitive intelligence AND your actual production capabilities.

In your Google Sheet, switch to the Trends Summary tab.
Select and copy the latest trends summary entry (all columns for the most recent row).
Switch back to your Wedding Content Strategist project at claude.ai.
Start a new chat within the project.
Paste the trends summary data and ask Claude for a full weekly content plan with 5-7 Reel ideas. Each idea should include: concept, hook (first 2 seconds), required assets, production notes (what to film if needed), estimated production time, suggested posting day/time, and relevant hashtags.

Be specific about your week

When you prompt Claude, mention any upcoming weddings, events, or assets you recently shot. The more context you give about your current week, the more actionable and realistic the suggestions become.

Review the content plan Claude generates. Verify that each idea references specific asset types from your inventory and includes realistic production estimates.
In your Google Sheet, create a new tab called Content Calendar.
Copy your weekly content plan into the Content Calendar tab with columns for each field: concept, hook, required assets, production notes, estimated production time, posting day/time, and hashtags.

Why save the plan to a spreadsheet?

Keeping your content plans in the same Google Sheet as your research data creates a single source of truth. You can look back at which trends inspired which content ideas, track what you actually published, and spot patterns in what performs well for your audience over time.

Claude's ideas feel too generic?

If the content ideas don't reference your specific assets or production constraints, check that your three knowledge files (content strategy, asset inventory, production capabilities) are still attached to the project. Open your project settings and verify all three documents appear under the knowledge section.

Help me improve the content plan my Claude Project is generating so it's more specific to my assets and production capabilities.

Set up your weekly workflow

The final piece is establishing the rhythm that makes this system sustainable. Your Make.com scenario handles the automated research. You'll handle the creative ideation step each week with Claude.

Return to your Make.com scenario.
Confirm the schedule is set to run every Sunday (you configured this when building the scenario). If it needs adjusting, click the clock icon on the Scheduled trigger module and set it to run weekly on Sundays at 8:00 AM.
Make sure the scenario toggle is switched ON (active) so it runs automatically each week.

Your weekly routine

Every Sunday, your Make.com scenario scrapes competitor Reels and writes a fresh trends summary to your Google Sheet. Every Monday, you open your Claude Project, paste the latest trends, and generate that week's content plan. This takes about 10-15 minutes and replaces hours of manual scrolling and guesswork.

Verify the scenario status shows ON in the bottom-left corner of the scenario editor.

Scenario won't activate?

If you see an error when toggling the scenario on, check that all module connections are still valid. Make.com requires every module to have a working connection before it allows activation. Click on any module showing a warning icon and re-authorize if needed.

Help me troubleshoot why my Make.com scenario won't activate.

Your content intelligence system is now fully operational. The automation handles research in the background, and you have a repeatable weekly process for turning competitor insights into actionable content ideas grounded in your real capabilities.

Secret mission

Add an Automated Monday Morning Email Digest

Your content intelligence system already scrapes and analyzes competitor Reels weekly. But what if the insights came to you instead of you going to them? In this bonus challenge, you'll build a second Make.com scenario that delivers a formatted trend digest straight to your inbox every Monday morning.

Clean Up Your Resources

Decide whether to keep your resources running, pause them to come back later, or delete them entirely. This project uses paid subscriptions and pay-per-use services that cost approximately $30-35/month if left running.

Cost warning

Your Make.com scenarios and Apify actor are consuming credits every week while active. On the Core plan ($9/month), your weekly automation uses approximately 15-25 credits per run. Apify charges approximately $1.80 per 1,000 Reels scraped. If you are not actively using the content calendar, pause or delete these resources to avoid ongoing charges.

Resources you used:

Make.com scenarios (Weekly Scraper and Monday Email Digest).
Apify Instagram Reel Hooks & Competitor Analyzer actor and schedule.
Google Sheet "Wedding Reels Intelligence" with three tabs (Raw Data, Trends Summary, Content Calendar).
Claude Project "Wedding Content Strategist" with uploaded knowledge files.
Claude Pro subscription ($20/month).
Make.com Core plan subscription ($9/month).
Apify account (pay-per-event usage).

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you are still actively using the content calendar and want fresh competitor data every week.

Your Make.com Weekly Scraper scenario runs every Sunday at 8am, consuming approximately 15-25 credits per run.
Your Monday Email Digest scenario runs every Monday at 7:00 AM, consuming a few additional credits per run.
Apify charges approximately $1.50-3/month for your weekly scraping volume (200 Reels/week).
Claude Pro ($20/month) and Make.com Core ($9/month) subscriptions continue billing monthly.
Your Google Sheet continues to accumulate data at no cost.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Shut down running automations to stop credit consumption while keeping everything configured for easy reactivation later.

In Make.com, open your Weekly Scraper scenario and toggle it from active to inactive. Repeat for the Monday Email Digest scenario. No credits are consumed while scenarios are inactive.
In the Apify Console, click Schedules in the left navigation menu. Open your schedule and click the Disable button on the schedule detail page. This stops the actor from running on its weekly schedule.
Your Google Sheet, Claude Project, and uploaded knowledge files remain untouched and ready to use when you return.
Your Make.com Core and Claude Pro subscriptions continue billing monthly even while paused. Consider downgrading Make.com to the free plan if you expect a long break.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Remove all project resources and cancel subscriptions to stop all charges completely.

In Make.com, open each scenario (Weekly Scraper and Monday Email Digest). Click the three-dot menu on the scenario and select Delete. Confirm the deletion.
In the Apify Console, click Schedules in the left navigation menu. Open your schedule and click Disable to stop it. Then navigate to Saved tasks in the left panel and delete your configured task.
In Claude, go to your Projects page. Find "Wedding Content Strategist", click the three-dot menu on the upper right corner of the project, and select Delete. Confirm by clicking Yes, delete.
Open Google Drive, find the "Wedding Reels Intelligence" spreadsheet, right-click it, and select Move to trash.
To cancel your Claude Pro subscription, click your initials in the lower left corner of claude.ai, select Settings, navigate to Billing, and cancel your subscription.
To cancel Make.com, go to your Make.com account settings and downgrade or cancel your Core plan subscription.
To stop Apify charges, you can leave the free account as-is (no charges accrue without active runs) or delete the account from your Apify Console settings.

That's a Wrap!

Congratulations! You've built a complete content intelligence system for your wedding photography business.

Instead of manually scrolling for inspiration or guessing what to post, you now have a self-running research machine that monitors your niche, identifies what's working, and generates ideas grounded in your actual assets.

You've learned how to:

Set up automated competitor monitoring that scrapes and analyzes 200+ Reels weekly using Make.com and Apify, delivering trend analysis to a Google Sheets dashboard.
Built a content strategy document and asset inventory that define your niche positioning, production capabilities, and available footage.
Configured a personalized Claude Project as your content strategist that generates research-backed Reel ideas grounded in real data AND your specific capabilities.
Set up an automated Monday morning email digest that delivers weekly trend summaries and content ideas straight to your inbox.

Ready to quiz yourself?