Brett Lindenberg
The documents worth offering inside an interactive video are the ones a viewer needs right after the scene that mentions them: the slide deck after a presentation, the spec sheet after a product demo, the checklist after a training step. The ten below cover sales, marketing, training, and education videos, with where each one fits on the timeline. In Mindstamp, you offer a file with the Download File click action on a button or another interaction. Each click is recorded against the viewer and the moment in the video, and Download File is available on the Pro plan and higher.
Ten documents to offer as downloads in a video
| Document | Video it fits | Where to offer it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Slide deck | Webinar replay or recorded presentation | Magic Menu, available from the first minute |
| 2. Product one-pager | Product or campaign video | End Screen button |
| 3. Spec sheet for each model | Demo that covers several models | The answer to "Which model are you considering?" |
| 4. White paper, report, or guide | Marketing video that offers a deeper read | A button that asks for contact details first |
| 5. Case study | Sales video that mentions a customer result | On screen while the result is discussed |
| 6. Proposal or quote | Proposal walkthrough for one buyer | Beside the pricing section |
| 7. Onboarding packet | Welcome video for new hires or customers | Magic Menu |
| 8. Job aid or checklist | Training video for a task | At the step it supports |
| 9. Practice worksheet | Lesson with a worked example | After the example, before a question |
| 10. Policy or handbook | Policy or compliance briefing | End Screen, after the questions |
1. Slide deck from a presentation or webinar
People who watch a recorded presentation often want the slides to keep or forward. Put the deck in the video's Magic Menu so it is one click away at any point, and mention it early in the video so viewers know it is there. Export the deck as a PDF so viewers can open it without the presentation app.
2. Product one-pager
A one-pager gives the viewer something to pass to a colleague who did not watch. Offer it at the end, after the full pitch. In the End Screen, choose Show Button: Download File and write a message that says what the page covers.
3. Spec sheet for each model
When one demo covers several models, ask which model the viewer is considering with a multiple choice question, and set each answer to run Download File with that model's sheet. The viewer gets one relevant file, and you get the answer in the report. To offer the file later in the video, save the answer in a variable and use conditional logic to show only the matching download button. Conditional logic is on Pro and higher plans.
4. White paper, report, or guide
A long guide is a common lead magnet. Open the download button's Settings and turn on Capture Lead, and the viewer enters a name and email before the download starts. From then on, every click and answer in that view is reported under that person. Our guide to video lead generation covers where to ask for details without losing viewers.
5. Case study
A sales video that mentions a customer result raises the next question: how did they do it? Show a download button while the result is on screen, with a label that names the customer and the outcome. Viewers who want proof take the full story, and the rest keep watching.
6. Proposal or quote
In a proposal walkthrough recorded for one buyer, put the proposal PDF beside the section that explains pricing. If you send the video with a personalized link, the click is tied to that buyer, so you know before the follow-up call whether they took the document.
7. Onboarding packet
New hires and new customers return to onboarding documents for weeks. Keep the packet in the Magic Menu of the welcome video. If different roles need different files, ask for the role with a question and show each role's file with conditional logic.
8. Job aid or checklist
A one-page checklist helps a learner do the task after the video ends. Offer it at the step it supports, with a label that names the file, such as "Download the checklist". Then ask a question about that step. The download records that the learner took the file, and the answer shows whether they understood the step.
9. Practice worksheet
In a lesson, place the worksheet right after the worked example. The video pauses when the download starts, so learners can solve a problem and come back without missing anything. A Number Response question can then check their result, or an Image Response question can collect a photo of the finished sheet.
10. Policy or employee handbook
For a policy briefing, offer the full document at the end, after questions on the points that matter most. A download click records that the file was requested. The questions record what the employee understood.
How to add a file download in Mindstamp
- Put the file in your Assets library (Organize, then Assets). The upload screen lists video, audio, image, and PDF files, so export documents to PDF first. The asset library tutorial shows the screen.
- Open the video, select Interactions, move the playhead to the right moment, and click Button in the interaction bar.
- Type a label that names the file and its format, such as "Download the checklist (PDF)". A clear label tells viewers what they get and makes your click reports easier to read.
- Under Content, set the Click Action to Download File, choose Select File, and pick the file.
- If you want contact details first, open Settings and turn on Capture Lead. To change the button after a click, set its Post Click State.
- Save the button. Open the share link in a private browser window, click the button, and find the click under Reporting. Plays in the editor are not recorded as viewer sessions.
The button help article covers timing and pause settings, and the guide to adding call-to-action buttons covers placement.
Other places a download can start
- A hotspot, image, or text interaction, using the same Click Action list. A text interaction can carry HTML, so it can look like a formatted card with a download icon.
- A question answer. Choose Download File as the action for that answer.
- A button inside the Magic Menu, which keeps the file available for the whole video. Older posts call this menu the resource tray.
- The End Screen. Choose Show Button: Download File for one file, or Show Custom Screen to place several download buttons.
A download always starts from a click or an answer. Navigations, which run actions at a set time with no click, do not include Download File.
What the viewer sees on each device
On a computer or an Android phone, the video pauses and the browser downloads the file. On iPhone and iPad, the video pauses and the file opens in a new browser tab, where the viewer can save or share it.
Track who downloaded what
Mindstamp records each Download File click like any other interaction. In Reporting, the Interactions page lists every click with its label, and a single view shows what that viewer clicked and when. A click carries a name only when the viewer is identified through lead capture, a personalized link, or URL parameters. Otherwise it belongs to an anonymous viewer.
To send download clicks to other tools, use one of these:
- HubSpot, which receives click events for the interactions you select (Pro and higher plans).
- Interaction webhooks, which send one record for each click (Pro and higher plans).
- Zapier, which receives finished views and interactions (Core and higher plans).
All three send data after the viewing session ends, so allow a delay. The help article on what each integration sends lists the fields.
When a file is the wrong tool
Some downloads work better as another action. The old list of popular downloads included certificates and coupon codes, and both now have better options.
| The viewer needs | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A certificate with their name and score | Certificates, from a Get certificate button or the End Screen | Mindstamp checks your rules, fills in the learner's details, and adds a public verification link |
| A discount code | Copy Text click action | The code goes to the clipboard, with no file to open |
| A meeting | Open Link Modal with your booking page | The viewer books without leaving the video |
| A diagram to look at once | Show Image click action | The image opens over the video and closes back to it |
| A document that changes often | Open Link to the live page | Viewers always get the current version, while a downloaded copy goes out of date |
Accessibility also points toward web pages. Section508.gov notes that US federal policy requires agencies to prioritize HTML and use PDFs only when necessary. If your audience includes screen reader users, publish the content as a page and link to it, or check that the PDF is tagged and reads in order.
Common questions
Which Mindstamp plan includes file downloads?
Download File is on Pro and higher plans. The 14-day free trial includes it and needs no payment card, so you can build and test a download before you choose a plan. See pricing for the current plans.
What file types can viewers download?
Any file in your Assets library that you can select for Download File: documents, images, audio clips, and video clips. For documents, use PDF, which the upload screen lists by name.
Can I add a downloadable file to a YouTube video?
YouTube cards link to videos, playlists, and channels, and a card can link to an outside website only for channels in the YouTube Partner Program, according to YouTube Help (checked October 2026). Mindstamp accepts YouTube links for testing only, so for a published video, upload the original file or link it from another supported source, then add the download button.
How do I make a download button stand out?
Set its colors and size on the button's Styling tab, and add a download icon with a line of HTML before the label, such as <i class="fa-solid fa-download"></i> Download the guide. Our guide to using HTML in interactive videos lists the tags that work in button labels and text.
Pick one document your viewers already ask for, add it as a download at the moment the video mentions it, and check the Interactions report after the first week to see who took it. For more ways to turn a view into an action, see the call-to-action features.
