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Overview

The ChatAds n8n node lets you add affiliate links to your automated workflows. Use it with chatbots, email automations, content generation, and any workflow that processes user messages.

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Installation

npm install n8n-nodes-chatads
Then restart n8n to load the new node.

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Option 2: Manual Installation

  1. Download the node package
  2. Copy to your n8n custom nodes directory (~/.n8n/custom/)
  3. Restart n8n

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Configuration

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Credentials Setup

  1. In n8n, go to Credentials → New
  2. Search for “ChatAds API”
  3. Enter your credentials:
FieldValue
API KeyYour key from app.getchatads.com
Base URLhttps://api.getchatads.com
Store your API key securely. Never expose it in client-side code or commit it to version control. The Base URL must use HTTPS — the node rejects plaintext HTTP URLs to prevent sending API keys insecurely.

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Node Parameters

message is the only required parameter. See the API Reference for the full list of available fields.

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Advanced Settings

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endpoint
string
default:"/v1/chatads/messages"
API endpoint path (for custom deployments).
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maxConcurrency
number
default:"4"
Maximum parallel requests (1-50). Increase for high-throughput workflows.
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timeoutSeconds
number
default:"30"
HTTP request timeout in seconds (5-300).

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Input Modes

The node supports two input modes:

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GUI Mode (Default)

Configure each parameter individually using n8n’s form interface. Good for simple workflows and visual configuration.

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JSON Mode

Pass a complete request payload as JSON. Enable by toggling “JSON Parameters” in the node settings: 
{
  "message": "What's the best yoga mat for beginners?",
  "country": "US"
}
Use JSON mode for:
  • Dynamic payloads from expressions
  • Complex configurations
  • Copying requests from API Explorer

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Response

The node outputs the standard ChatAds API response. Access response fields using n8n expressions: 
{{ $json.data.offers[0].url }}
{{ $json.data.offers[0].link_text }}
{{ $json.data.returned > 0 }}
{{ $json.data.returned }}

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Workflow Examples

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AI Chatbot with Affiliates

Add affiliate links to AI responses:
1

Trigger

Webhook receives user message
2

ChatAds Node

Analyze message for product keywords
3

IF Node

Check {{ $json.data.returned > 0 }}
4

OpenAI Node

Generate response with affiliate link in prompt:
Include this product recommendation if relevant:
{{ $json.data.offers[0].link_text }} - {{ $json.data.offers[0].url }}
5

Response

Return AI response to user

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Email Product Mentions

Scan emails for product mentions: 
Trigger: Gmail (new email)
  → ChatAds (analyze email body)
  → IF (returned > 0)
    → Slack (notify with affiliate opportunity)

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Content Generation Pipeline

Enrich generated content with affiliate links: 
Trigger: Schedule
  → HTTP Request (fetch content topics)
  → ChatAds (find affiliate for each topic)
  → Merge (combine content + affiliate)
  → WordPress (publish with affiliate links)

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Error Handling

Enable “Continue on Fail” to handle errors gracefully:
  1. Click the ChatAds node
  2. Go to Settings
  3. Enable Continue on Fail
Failed items will pass through with error data: 
{
  "error": {
    "message": "Daily quota exceeded",
    "httpCode": 429
  }
}
Use an IF node to route errors: 
{{ $json.error ? 'Error' : 'Success' }}

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Best Practices

Use expressions for dynamic messages

{{ $json.userMessage }}
Pull messages from previous nodes instead of hardcoding.

Handle no-match cases

Always check data.returned > 0 before using affiliate data. Design workflows for both matched and unmatched scenarios.

Set appropriate concurrency

Increase maxConcurrency for batch processing. Keep it low (4-8) for real-time chatbots.

Monitor usage

Check meta.usage in responses to track quota consumption.

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Troubleshooting

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Node Not Appearing

  1. Ensure the package is installed: npm list n8n-nodes-chatads
  2. Restart n8n completely (not just refresh)
  3. Check n8n logs for load errors

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Authentication Errors

  • Verify API key starts with cak_
  • Check credentials are saved (not just entered)
  • Test key with curl first

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Timeout Errors

Increase timeoutSeconds in Advanced Settings for:
  • Complex queries with standard resolution
  • Network latency issues
  • High-traffic periods

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Rate Limit Errors

  • Lower maxConcurrency to spread requests
  • Add a Wait node between batches
  • Upgrade plan for higher limits