How to share an HTML file as a link and see who viewed it
How to turn an HTML file into a private, tracked link without hosting, and what the view analytics show.
The short answer
Drop the HTML file into ArtifactSend to get a private link that renders the page live. The report shows who viewed it by email, how far they scrolled and how long they read each section.
You do not need a server, a domain or an analytics account. It is free.
Why not email the HTML file?
An attached HTML file often fails. Some mail clients block it. Some readers do not know how to open it. Scripts may not run. And you never learn if anyone opened it.
Static hosting solves the first problems but not the last. A public host shows the page to anyone. A basic page counter shows visits, not people.
Steps
Markdown files work the same way. ArtifactSend renders them as a clean page.
- Save your page as one HTML file. Put styles and scripts inline, or load them from a public CDN.
- Go to artifactsend.com and drop the file.
- Choose a reader door: open link, email, email code, Google sign-in or allow list.
- Set an expiry date if the page is for a short review.
- Copy the link and share it.
What the analytics show
- Readers: each reader by email when you use an email-based door.
- Visits: each open, with the time.
- Active reading time: time the reader was on the page and active.
- Read depth: how far down the page each reader went.
- Time per section: time on each heading block of your page.
- Click map: where readers clicked.
- Copied text: what readers copied.
- Rage clicks: repeated clicks on one spot, often a broken button or a thing that looks clickable.
- Replay: a playback of each visit with scroll, cursor and clicks.
Make sections easy to measure
Time per section uses the structure of your page. Clear headings give clear sections. Put each main idea under its own heading. Do not put the whole page in one long block.
For a deck in HTML, make each slide its own block. The report then shows time per slide.
Good uses
- An interactive proposal with a pricing calculator.
- A product spec for a design partner.
- A data report with charts that readers can filter.
- An HTML pitch deck.
- A prototype that you want feedback on.
Common problems and fixes
- Images do not show: the file points to images on your computer. Put images inline as data, or load them from a public address.
- Styles are missing: the file links to a local stylesheet. Put the styles inside the file.
- Fonts look different: the file uses a font that the reader does not have. Load the font from a public font service.
- The page is very long with no headings: time per section falls back to five equal parts. Add headings for clearer sections.
- A button gets rage clicks: the reader expected it to work. Fix the button, or make it look like plain text.
Update the page without a new link
Drop a new version of the file onto the same link. Readers see the new version next time they open it. If you build the page in Claude Code, use the MCP tool update_artifact to push each change. The report keeps all visits under one link, so you can compare readers before and after the change.
Get told when it matters
You do not need to watch the report all day. Turn on the alert email to hear when a reader opens the link for the first time. Turn on the weekly reading report for a summary of every link in your space. Both emails are free.
Privacy and limits
Analytics stay inside your space. Only you and the members you invite see them. Tell readers that the link is tracked.
ArtifactSend serves HTML and Markdown today. PDF, Word and Excel uploads are coming.