Introduction:
A few months ago, I embarked on a journey to create a Facebook Page "Hamro Khabar" that automatically scrapes and posts top Nepali news. In this series of blogs, I'll guide you through the process, from scraping news headlines to automating Facebook posts using the Graph API.
Blog Series Outline:
Part 1: Setting Up Web Scraping
a. Selecting the Top Nepali News Website: Choose a reliable Nepali news website to scrape headlines from. Ensure it has the information you want and check its terms of service to ensure compliance.
b. Setting Up a Web Scraper: Use a web scraping tool of your own preference. Since I am a Nodejs guy, I chose Cheerio to extract news headlines from the chosen website.
c. Store the scraped content into database: Store the scraped headlines and articles in your database, which you want to later post on your Facebook page. I particularly use the MongoDB Atlas since they provide a free shared cluster of 512 MB of storage, which will be sufficient for us for this project.
Part 2: Automating Facebook Posts with Graph API
a. Creating a Facebook Developer Account: Sign up for a Facebook Developer account to gain access to the Graph API. Create a new app within the developer account to obtain essential credentials for authentication.
b. Setting Up Graph API Integration: Utilize the obtained credentials to authenticate your application with the Facebook Graph API. Establish integration between your script and the Graph API, enabling seamless interaction with your Facebook page.
c. Coding the Posting Functionality: Develop a script that incorporates the Graph API to automatically post scraped news headlines on your Facebook page. Implement error handling mechanisms in your script to gracefully manage any issues that may arise during the posting process. Ensure the script is efficient in posting content, optimizing the automation of your Facebook posts.
Part 3: Deploying the Project
a. Choosing a Hosting Platform: Select a hosting platform for your project. Consider options like Render.com or Cyclic.sh based on your budget and project requirements.
b. Hosting the Project: Deploy your project on the chosen hosting platform. Configure the environment, ensuring it supports your scraping and posting scripts.
Part 4: Setting Up Cron Jobs
a. Understanding Cron Jobs: Learn about cron jobs and how they can be utilized to schedule automated tasks. Decide on the frequency at which you want to post updates on your Facebook page.
b. Choosing a Cron Job Service: Select a suitable service for running your cron jobs. Consider options like Cyclic.sh, which provides free cron jobs for up to three projects.
c. Configuring Cron Job for Automation: Set up a cron job to execute your posting script at the desired frequency. Verify that the automation works seamlessly, posting updates to your Facebook page every hour.
Conclusion:
By following this blog series, you'll be able to create your automated Nepali news Facebook page. Stay tuned for detailed instructions in each part, making the process accessible for a wide audience. Let's bring the latest Nepali news to Facebook users effortlessly!