Gatepost
WordPress email-gated downloads: emailed, signed links, lists by consent
Gatepost is for marketers and consultants offering PDFs, guides and checklists.
Inside Gatepost
Stands alone
no form plugin or download manager needed. Upload a file, put [gatepost id="..."] on a page.
The link is emailed, so the address has to be real to get the file. You can show it on the page as well.
Signed and limited
a link lasts so many days, for so many downloads. A changed link is refused.
Never public
files live in a locked folder under random names and are handed out only through a signed link.
Lists only with consent
an unticked box to join your list. Mailchimp is told to send its own confirmation (unless you turn that off), or any other list by a webhook (Zapier, Make, your own).
Turned away
throwaway inboxes (mailinator and the like, plus any domains you add), robots (a hidden field), and floods from one place.
Who asked
a log of every request and its downloads, with a CSV, kept only as many days as you choose.
Before you start
Asked first
My server is Nginx - is the folder still locked?
The folder's lock is for Apache. On Nginx the files are still under random 32-character names nobody is given, and are only ever linked through a signed link; to lock the folder too, deny wp-content/uploads/gatepost-files in your server settings.
What does the visitor agree to?
Only what the box beside the tick says. Asking for the file does not add anyone to a list.
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