Creating Public Links

Learn how to share tracks with anyone using secure, password-protected links.

What Are Public Links?

Public links let you share tracks with people who don’t have Feedtracks accounts. Perfect for sending demos to clients, sharing works-in-progress with bandmates, or getting feedback from external collaborators.

Key features:

• Share any track with a simple URL
• Optional password protection
• Expiration dates for time-limited access
• Guest comments and feedback allowed
• No recipient signup required

When to Use Public Links

Best Use Cases

Client reviews:

• Send mastered tracks for approval
• Share revision options
• Get sign-off on final mixes

External collaborators:

• Share stems with session musicians
• Send demos to potential label contacts
• Collaborate with producers not on your plan

Portfolio sharing:

• Include in your website or EPK
• Share on social media (with password)
• Embed in email newsletters

When NOT to Use Public Links

Use shared drives instead when:

• Working with regular team members (better collaboration tools)
• Sharing full project folders (public links are per-track)
• Need granular permissions (view/comment/edit roles)

Use direct downloads when:

• Recipient needs the actual audio file
• Sharing for offline use
• Sending to iTunes, distributors, or platforms

Creating Your First Public Link

Step 1: Select a Track

1. Navigate to the track you want to share
2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the track name
3. Select Share → Create Public Link

The sharing dialog appears.

Step 2: Configure Link Settings

Basic settings:

Password Protection (recommended)

• Toggle ON to require a password
• Enter a secure password (8+ characters)
• Share password separately from the link (security best practice)

Expiration Date (optional)

• Set a date when the link stops working
• Options: 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, or custom
• Useful for time-sensitive reviews or NDA compliance

Guest Comments

• Toggle ON to allow recipients to leave comments
• Guests can add text and audio feedback
• Comments appear alongside your team’s feedback

Step 3: Copy and Share

1. Click Create Link
2. Click Copy Link to clipboard
3. Share via email, Slack, text, or your preferred method

Sharing the link:

Here's the track for review:
https://feedtracks.com/s/abc123xyz

Password: MixReview2025

Let me know your thoughts by Friday!

Security tip: Send the link and password in separate messages (email + text, or Slack + DM).

Managing Public Links

Editing Link Settings

1. Find the link in your dashboard
2. Click Edit
3. Change settings:
   • Update password
   • Extend expiration date
   • Toggle guest comments
   • Rename the link

Note: Changing the password requires re-sharing with recipients.

Revoking Access

To disable a link immediately:

1. Find the link in your dashboard
2. Click Revoke
3. Confirm deletion

The link stops working instantly. Recipients see “This link has expired.”

When to revoke:

• Project completed and approved
• Deadline passed (alternative to expiration)
• Link accidentally shared publicly
• Security concerns or breach

Monitoring Link Activity

Track who’s accessing your shared tracks:

View statistics:

• Total views count
• Unique visitors (estimate)
• Last accessed timestamp
• Comments left by guests

Activity log (Pro/Studio plans):

• IP addresses (anonymized)
• Access times and duration
• Comment activity
• Download attempts

Advanced Public Link Features

Password Protection Best Practices

Strong passwords:

• ✅ Use 10+ characters
• ✅ Mix letters, numbers, symbols
• ✅ Avoid common words or patterns
• ✅ Different password per sensitive link

Password sharing:

• ✅ Separate channel from link (email link, text password)
• ✅ Use expiring messages (Signal, Snapchat)
• ✅ Share verbally for high-security needs
• ❌ Don’t include in email subject line
• ❌ Don’t post on social media

Example:

• Email: “Here’s the link: feedtracks.com/s/abc123”
• Text: “Password is J&k9$mP2@xL”

Expiration Strategies

Short-term reviews (7 days):

• Client approval needed by deadline
• Time-sensitive competitive demos
• Event-based sharing (conference, showcase)

Medium-term projects (30 days):

• Standard project reviews
• Back-and-forth revision cycles
• External collaborator onboarding

Long-term access (90 days or no expiration):

• Portfolio pieces
• Reference tracks for ongoing projects
• Evergreen client access

Auto-renewal option (Studio plan):

• Links auto-extend before expiration
• Set max renewals (1-5x)
• Receive notification before final expiration

Guest Comment Moderation

When guest comments are enabled:

Guests can:

• Leave timestamped text comments
• Record audio feedback (2 min max)
• Reply to existing threads
• See other guest comments

Guests cannot:

• Edit or delete comments after posting
• Access other tracks
• See project files or metadata
• Download the track (unless separately enabled)

Moderating guest comments (track owner):

• Edit or delete any guest comment
• Resolve/unresolve guest feedback
• @mention guests in replies
• Export guest feedback as PDF (Pro/Studio)

Security and Privacy

What Recipients Can See

With public link access:

• ✅ Track title and description
• ✅ Waveform player with comments
• ✅ Comment timestamps and authors
• ✅ Guest comments (if enabled)
• ❌ Your other tracks or folders
• ❌ Team member information
• ❌ File metadata or version history
• ❌ Download button (unless explicitly enabled)

Data Protection

Encryption:

• All public links use HTTPS (encrypted in transit)
• Audio files encrypted at rest on our servers
• Passwords hashed using bcrypt

GDPR compliance:

• Guest email addresses not collected (unless they leave comment)
• IP addresses anonymized after 30 days
• Right to deletion honored for guest comments
• Data processing agreement available on request

Link Security Tips

For sensitive content:

1. Always use password protection
2. Set aggressive expiration (7 days)
3. Monitor access statistics
4. Revoke immediately after use
5. Don’t reuse links for different recipients

For general sharing:

1. Reasonable expiration (30-90 days)
2. Monitor for unusual activity
3. Use guest comments for engagement
4. Revoke when project completes

Troubleshooting

“Link has expired”

Cause: Link passed its expiration date or was revoked

Solutions:

1. Check the expiration date in your dashboard
2. Create a new link if needed
3. Update the expiration date (before it expires)
4. Ensure link wasn’t accidentally revoked

“Incorrect password”

Cause: Wrong password entered or password changed

Solutions:

1. Verify password spelling and case-sensitivity
2. Check for extra spaces or characters
3. Confirm you’re using the most recent password
4. Request a new link from the sender

Link won’t load or play audio

Cause: Network issues or browser compatibility

Solutions:

1. Refresh the page
2. Try a different browser
3. Check internet connection
4. Disable browser extensions (ad blockers)
5. Clear browser cache

Guest comments not showing

Cause: Guest comments disabled or permission issue

Solutions:

1. Confirm guest comments are enabled (link creator)
2. Ensure you’re logged in as guest (if required)
3. Check if comment moderation is enabled
4. Refresh the page

Billing and Limits

Public Link Quotas

Fan Plan:

• 10 active public links
• 30-day max expiration
• Password protection included
• Guest comments: 50 per link

Pro Plan:

• 50 active public links
• 90-day max expiration
• Advanced analytics included
• Guest comments: 500 per link

Studio Plan:

• Unlimited public links
• No expiration limits
• Full activity logs
• Unlimited guest comments

Usage Tips

Stay within limits:

• Revoke old links when projects complete
• Use shorter expirations to free up quota
• Archive inactive links periodically
• Upgrade for unlimited access

Related Articles

• Password-Protected Sharing - Advanced security options
• Understanding Access Levels - Public vs private vs protected
• Creating Shared Drives - Team collaboration alternative
• Managing Track Versions - Share specific versions

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