Guide

How to share an HTML file with a custom link

To share an HTML file under a custom link, host it on a platform that lets you set the URL path yourself rather than handing you a random string. On LiveSend (Pro), you upload the HTML and choose a slug under your own username, so the link reads yourname/q3-report instead of a random code. For a full custom domain, deploy on Vercel or Netlify and point a subdomain at it. The choice comes down to how much setup you want and whether a clean username path is enough or you need your own domain.

The URL is part of the deliverable

If you send HTML to clients, a proposal, a report, a dashboard, an interactive mockup, the link itself does real work before anyone reads a word. A random string of characters tells the recipient "this is a temporary upload". A readable, branded path tells them "this is the document, prepared for you". The difference is the same gap between a file dumped on a free host and a finished deliverable, and for consultants and agencies it is often the detail that makes the work look worth what it cost.

There are two distinct meanings of "custom link" worth separating, because they have very different setup costs:

  • A custom path on a shared domain, such as livesend.io/yourname/acme-proposal. Readable, branded to you, near-zero setup.
  • A custom domain you own, such as reports.youragency.com. Maximum control, but it requires hosting and DNS work.

Option 1, a branded path on LiveSend (lowest setup)

LiveSend gives every account a username, chosen once. On Pro, each document can take a custom slug under that username, so the link reads yourname/q3-report rather than a random code. The workflow is three steps:

  1. Upload or paste your HTML to create the document.
  2. On the Access tab, set the custom slug (must be unique in your account).
  3. Send the branded link. The original random URL keeps working too.

The branded link carries everything else with it: view tracking, optional password, expiration, inline editing without changing the URL. Honest limits: it lives under the LiveSend domain (no fully custom domain yet), there is a 3MB (6MB for Pro) cap per file, and the custom slug is a Pro feature.

Option 2, a custom domain on Vercel, Netlify, or Cloudflare Pages

If the link absolutely has to be on your own domain, deploy the HTML as a static site and point a subdomain at it, for example reports.youragency.com. This is the right answer when the domain itself is part of the brand promise.

The cost is setup and maintenance: a Git repository or drag-and-drop deploy, DNS records for the subdomain, and a redeploy every time the document changes (which also tends to change the path unless you manage it carefully). None of these platforms include per-recipient view tracking, password protection, or expiration out of the box, so you would build or bolt those on yourself.

Option 3, a URL shortener with a custom alias

Tools like Bitly or Dub let you create a short link with a custom alias that redirects to wherever the HTML is hosted. This cleans up the visible link but does not change where the file lives, you still need a host underneath, and the recipient's address bar shows the real destination URL once redirected. Shorteners also add a hop that some corporate email filters flag. Useful as a cosmetic layer, not a hosting solution.

Which one fits your work

If you want a readable, branded link in under a minute and you also want to know when the client opened it: a custom slug on LiveSend. If the link must be on a domain you own and you have the appetite for hosting and DNS: deploy on Vercel or Netlify. If you only need to tidy up an existing link cosmetically: a shortener with a custom alias. For most client deliverables, the branded path plus built-in tracking is the shortest path to something that looks finished.

Already generating the HTML with an AI tool? See how to share an AI-generated report with a client.

Frequently asked questions

  • Why does a custom link matter when sending an HTML file to a client?
    A link like example.com/v/rj8s1xq2k reads as throwaway, something temporary or auto-generated. A link like example.com/yourname/acme-proposal reads as a deliverable you prepared. For consultants, agencies, and anyone sending a paid output, the URL is the first thing the client sees, before the page even loads. A branded, readable path signals that the document is finished and yours.
  • How do I set a custom slug on LiveSend?
    Custom slugs are a Pro feature. Once you pick a username (set once during onboarding), every document can take a custom path under it: yourname/your-chosen-slug. You set it on the document's Access tab. The slug must be unique within your account. The original random URL keeps working too, so existing links never break.
  • Can I use my own domain (mycompany.com) instead of a username path?
    LiveSend does not support fully custom domains yet, the branded path lives under the LiveSend domain as yourname/slug. If you need the link to be on mycompany.com, deploy the HTML on Vercel, Netlify, or Cloudflare Pages and point a subdomain at it. That gives you a true custom domain at the cost of a heavier setup and no built-in view tracking.
  • Can I keep view tracking and a password with a custom link?
    Yes, on LiveSend the custom slug is independent of the other controls. A branded link can still log every view (timestamp, optional viewer email, country, time spent), sit behind a password, carry an expiration date, and be toggled off, all at once. The custom path changes how the URL reads, not what the document can do.
  • What happens to the link if I edit the HTML later?
    On LiveSend, editing the document or uploading a new version keeps the same URL, custom slug included. The recipient bookmarks one link and always sees the current version. Updates are stored as versions you can roll back to. This is the main advantage over re-hosting a file, where a new upload usually means a new link.

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