Any tips for diagnosing why Documents can't be downloaded by some recipients?

[PBaxter]

Hi,

We periodically use sales sequences where we share content like market reports with prospects and clients, typically with outreach of 50-100 contacts.

We've been using Documents to share a PDF document (because it isn't possible to send attachments in a sequence), which appears to work most of the time. But we also get responses back occasionally from the recipients saying they couldn't use the link to download or hit another error - often pretty vague. I'm assuming this is probably because of cybersecurity measures at their end, but it is very hard to diagnose.

Does anyone have any experience or practical examples of what we might do to investigate the failures and ultimately any tips for what we can do to maximise the chances our content can be received and opened? (I've read some generic articles but maybe there's some specific HubSpot tips?)

Many thanks,

Phil 

[danmoyle · Accepted solution]

@PBaxter do you have GDPR tools turned on? Some of your Documents may have "require email address to view document" turned on and that could be throwing them a perceived error. That's my first thought. 

Secondly, I agree that if it's vague, it may be some issue on their end. 

Have you considered using Files instead of Sales Documents? You can still create a link in the emails, but it's in your file folder (marketing) instead of documents (sales). 

[JuanReyes]

Hello there, same problem here.

We have a form, you put your email / institution. You receive an email with downloading link. If I try to get the document in my phone it just show me a page that says "downloading", "pending download" (url ended in hubspotlinks.com). If I try the same link in the computer it works.

We send this to around 80 people, I know of at least 5 reporting the same problem (a significative statistic, since not all the people having the problem will report it).

File size is 11.1 MB, it is a PDF.

[MRugg]

Hi @JuanReyes – Were you ever able to identify what the bug was with this? We had complete success for about 3 months, and now we're seeing the same thing; seems to work on desktop but a lot of "Downloading... - Download pending..." on mobile devices. Thanks, Matt

[PBaxter]

Thanks for the pointers, @danmoyle

We turned off the "require email" checkbox on documents some time ago, as our team thought it made interactions too frictional.

I'll take a look at using the 'files' route, in case that helps. I guess we just need to test some things out - the issue is it's hard to close the loop - we only even know we have an issue because a few people emailed us to say they couldn't follow a link, but of course we can't repeat the error inhouse. 

[Jnix284 · Accepted solution]

@PBaxter I would try to find one contact of those that reported it that will work with you on a test, ask if you can do a zoom meeting where you send them a sales document and watch what happens in real time.

Even if the same thing isn't happening for all those who report it, just gaining insight from one could create an ah-ha moment for you to find the right alternate solution.

[danmoyle]

Love this idea @Jnix284!

[danmoyle · Accepted solution]

@PBaxter do you have GDPR tools turned on? Some of your Documents may have "require email address to view document" turned on and that could be throwing them a perceived error. That's my first thought. 

Secondly, I agree that if it's vague, it may be some issue on their end. 

Have you considered using Files instead of Sales Documents? You can still create a link in the emails, but it's in your file folder (marketing) instead of documents (sales).