Contnet publishing from Gmail
A custom Gmail add-on that empowers editors to automate the extraction, formatting, and publishing of press releases directly from their inbox using Gemini AI and context-aware image optimization.
Tech stack used in this project
Detailed Case Study
For modern publishers, press releases are a double-edged sword. While essential for content volume and organic reach, the manual effort required to publish them is a significant operational drain.
The Challenge
Our client faced a recurring bottleneck: editors were spending hours every day on “low-value” tasks—copy-pasting text from various formats, manually resizing images, and reformatting content for their CMS. Because press releases arrive in a chaotic mix of formats—ranging from PDFs and Google Drive links to raw website URLs—the workflow was impossible to standardize using traditional tools. The goal was to eliminate this “busy work” while keeping editors in control of the final output.
The Solution
We built a semi-automated, “human-in-the-loop” publishing engine integrated directly into the editor’s workflow via a custom Gmail Add-on.
The Universal Ingestion Engine
The technical hurdle was the variability of input. We developed an intelligent analyzer that identifies how a press release is shared. Whether the content is buried in a PDF attachment, linked on an external site, or shared via Google Drive, the add-on extracts the text and assets automatically. It then intelligently splits the content into structured fields—headlines, leads, and body text—ready for the web.
AI-Powered Image Optimization
One of the most innovative features is the automated image processing. Using Gemini AI, the system doesn’t just resize images; it performs context-aware cropping. The AI analyzes the image content to define the optimal frame, ensuring that the subject remains the focus regardless of the required website dimensions.
The One-Click Review Loop
To ensure quality, the process is semi-automated rather than “black box.” Once an editor selects a press release via the Gmail add-on, the system processes the data and uploads it to the CMS as a draft. The editor then receives an automated notification with a direct link to the draft article, allowing them to perform a final 30-second polish instead of a 20-minute manual migration.
The Impact
By moving the publishing process directly into the inbox, we transformed a tedious manual chore into a streamlined, one-click operation.
- 60% Workload Reduction: Editors saved over half the time previously assigned to press release management, allowing them to focus on original investigative journalism.
- Format Agnostic Workflow: The system successfully unified disparate inputs (PDF, Drive, Web) into a single, consistent publishing pipeline.
- Optimized Visuals: AI-driven cropping ensured that 100% of published images met site specifications without manual editing.
Technical Stack
- Gmail: The primary interface and content source for the editorial team.
- Gemini AI: For context-aware image cropping and content structuring.
- Google Apps Script: The backbone of the Gmail Add-on and workflow orchestration.
- Custom CMS API: For seamless communication between Gmail and the publishing platform.
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