How to share a document link without needing to provide email addresses

[schwami]

I want to create a shareable link for a document but don't yet know who will click on it. Hubspot asks me to incude an email address for the person who will click on it. Do I need the email address of every person who will click on it or can I just share a placeholder email address and anyone who clicks on the link will be able to view it after entering an email address.

[MFrankJohnson · Accepted solution]

You may use a placeholder email address and anyone who clicks on the link will be able to view it after entering an email address -- example below. However, we don't recommend doing this at scale because the tool wasn't designed to operate this way. Meaning, we've noticed that tracking notifications may be delivered inconsistently when using this 'generic link' method.

- see MFrankJohnson_Article_Portfolio.pdf

- see Upload and share documents

[spatrizi-cv · Accepted solution]

You could upload it as a File (Marketing > Files & Templates > Files), set the URL as Public and copy the link. You won't get any of the download intel that you get with Documents, not sure how important that is for your use case.

[ChrisEustace · Accepted solution]

I see this thread has been active recently, and many people are frustrated with HubSpot's requirement to enter email addresses for document sharing.

For those looking for more flexible document sharing options, Box Connector offers several alternatives:

- Create public shareable links without requiring email addresses

- Generate trackable links that still provide analytics without the friction

- Set up secure sharing with optional email requirements (not mandatory)

- Create time-limited links that expire automatically for added security

This eliminates the workaround of using placeholder emails while still maintaining the tracking capabilities that make HubSpot's document system valuable. For teams that need flexible document sharing without the email requirement friction, we offer a 7-day free trial: https://boxconnector.sparkgridsoftware.com/trial HubSpot Marketplace: https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/apps/box-connector

[spatrizi-cv · Accepted solution]

You could upload it as a File (Marketing > Files & Templates > Files), set the URL as Public and copy the link. You won't get any of the download intel that you get with Documents, not sure how important that is for your use case.

[DianaGomez]

Hi @spatrizi-cv,

Thanks for sharing an alternative 🙂

Best,

Diana

[JoeFromPinch]

Hubspot team.

You have nearly the complete set of features for a form gated piece of downloadable content right here, but you have made it irrational to set up, which causes users, us, to be non confident in executing.

The main use case for housing documents inside of Hubspot, is 100%, for "Download Presentation" style soft conversions on web. You have CTAs, check, you have forms, check. I want to simply redirect the form, to the Hubspot hosted presentation doc. I should not need to set an email address when I upload my doc. I just want to generate the URL to redirect to. Because they will be Hubspot form fillers that are navigating to it, they will already be cookied. 

[GudrunTh]

This is still relevant today. Is there a solution out yet. We want to publish an ebook where people input information in a webform and then get routed to the pdf that we wanted to share though Hubspot. This is not possible today as the workaround would require people to input the email again in a very annoying manner. Would be very helpful to fix this! 

[Assuaged]

It would be nice if they fixed this. I would rather just provide a link to my G-Drive (with bit.ly tracking) for now or another software; it's a turn-off for people to view a document and have to enter their e-mail every time. Thank you, Hubspot Family!!

[Alex_Elborn]

@Rokkas If you put your email address in, you should be able to share it with other people and get notifications when they view it. This works for me anyway.

[Vishesh_Singhal]

We have designed an enhancement over HubSpot Documents called CloudFiles that lets you do just this and much more. You can independently upload files, create links, track usage and optionally ask your clients to very their email (Hard ID Validation) or just enter their email (Soft ID Validation) or simply access without entering their email (no ID Validation). The app is also smart enough to know when the person is actually viewing the file and when the system has gone idle. You can try out the app from HubSpot Marketplace.

[MScholinz]

might as well use docsend at that price. 

[KateElizabeth]

I'm also wondering this. I can't believe you have to add an email address. Why can't there be a "share link" that's trackable, and an option to require an email address to view doc.

[MFrankJohnson · Accepted solution]

You may use a placeholder email address and anyone who clicks on the link will be able to view it after entering an email address -- example below. However, we don't recommend doing this at scale because the tool wasn't designed to operate this way. Meaning, we've noticed that tracking notifications may be delivered inconsistently when using this 'generic link' method.

- see MFrankJohnson_Article_Portfolio.pdf

- see Upload and share documents

[Rokkas]

Where is the example of HOW to actually do it?