Is there a way to create a link in Webflow that allows only specific individuals with the link to view a page with downloadable PDFs, without requiring a login for clients?

Published on
September 22, 2023

Yes, in Webflow, you can create a link that allows only specific individuals with the link to view a page with downloadable PDFs without requiring a login for clients. Here's how to do it:

  1. Start by creating a new page or selecting an existing page where you want to add the link for the PDFs.
  2. Design the page to include the necessary information or elements to display the downloadable PDFs.
  3. Upload the PDFs to your Webflow project using the asset manager. Make sure the PDFs are set to public so they can be accessed through a link.
  4. In the Designer, select the element (such as a button or text) that you want to turn into a link.
  5. From the right sidebar, click on the "Link Settings" tab.
  6. In the "Link to" field, enter the URL of the PDF file. You can find the URL by going to the asset manager, right-clicking on the PDF, and selecting "Copy link address."
  7. To make the link only accessible to specific individuals, you can add a query string parameter to the URL. For example, you can add "?access_code=1234" at the end of the URL.
  8. Next, go to the Pages panel on the left sidebar and select the page where you added the link.
  9. Click on the page settings gear icon and go to the "SEO" tab.
  10. In the "Meta title" and "Meta description" fields, optimize the page's meta tags to help with search engine optimization.
  11. Publish your Webflow site to make the link live.

By adding a query string parameter to the URL, you can create a unique link that grants access to the page with downloadable PDFs only to individuals who have this specific link. This method allows you to control who can view the page without requiring a login for clients.

Example URL: https://www.example.com/pdf-page?access_code=1234

This way, only those who have the URL with the query string parameter ?access_code=1234 will be able to access the page and download the PDFs.

Keep in mind that this method is not foolproof and can easily be shared by those with the link. If strict access restrictions are needed, it's recommended to implement a more secure authentication system or use a password-protected file sharing service.

Additional questions:

  1. How do I optimize meta tags for SEO in Webflow?
  2. Can I password-protect a Webflow page?
  3. Is there a way to track the number of downloads for PDFs in Webflow?