Automatically Capture HubSpot Contacts from File Views
In this tutorial, we’ll explore how to capture contacts in HubSpot when files are viewed using CloudFiles’ Soft-Gated and No-Gate Capture methods through the CloudFiles - HubSpot Integration, allowing for efficient contact tracking in both social media and direct outreach scenarios.
By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Set up soft-gated capture methods for document sharing.
- Create personalized links for targeted document access.
- Automatically capture and update contacts in HubSpot when files are viewed.
Before you start with the set-up, please ensure you have installed CloudFiles and connected it to your cloud storage of choice.
CloudFiles is available on the app marketplace and can be installed using the standard app installation process. Check out Installation guide for CloudFiles HubSpot Integration
Login to your external storage of choice such as Google Drive, SharePoint etc. through the CloudFiles interface. This will give you instant access to your external files within HubSpot. The GIF below shows the steps quickly.
Check out Quick start for file connector in HubSpot for more information.
- Create a test HubSpot record.
- Navigate to the record and locate the CloudFiles widget in the sidebar.
- Add a file in any supported format (e.g., DOCX, XLS) from cloud storage and create a sharing link.
- In the Link Security settings, enable "Require Email." This ensures that viewers will be required to enter their email addresses before accessing the document. (For more details, refer to the Secure File Sharing article.)
- Share the link via email, on your website's CTAs, or directly with specific clients.
- When clients access the link, they will be prompted to enter their email address.
- CloudFiles will check the entered email against your HubSpot contact list. If no contact matches, a new one will be created.
The GIF below demonstrates the steps involved along with the expected output.
- Create a test record (it can be a contact, deal, or company).
- Navigate to the record and locate the CloudFiles widget in the sidebar.
- Upload a file in any supported format (e.g., DOCX, XLS) from cloud storage.
- Click on “Actions” and click on "Get Link" from the dialog.
- Append the contact's email to the link in the following format: ?email={{contact.email}}
- Share the personalized link via email or your preferred method.
- When clients access the link, they will be shown the file directly. CloudFiles will log the specific email ID from the URL.
- CloudFiles will check the entered email against your HubSpot contact list. If no contact matches, a new one will be created.
The GIF below demonstrates the steps involved along with the expected output.
With these steps, you can now capture contacts in HubSpot using both soft-gating and no-gating options in CloudFiles. Soft-gating works well for broad sharing, while no-gating is suited for direct, personalized links. This setup allows for easier contact tracking and more organized document engagement within HubSpot.
