How to Share Google Drive Files & Folders with a Link

Summary

In this video, Scott Freisen from Simpletivity demonstrates how to efficiently share files and folders with various clients using Google Drive. He explains the process of creating a shareable link for a 'Folder for Client Resources', which contains documents like bios and images that are frequently updated. Scott emphasizes the convenience of this method, as it ensures clients always have access to the most current files without the need for constant emailing. Additionally, he recommends using a clean, custom link for sharing to improve user experience.

Takeaways

• 🔗 Scott Freisen demonstrates how to share files and folders with various clients using Google Drive.
• 📂 He creates a 'Folder for Client Resources' in Google Drive containing documents like his headshot, bio, and workshop materials.
• 🔗 Scott shares this folder by generating a shareable link, which allows anyone with the link to view the contents.
• 📬 He avoids managing an extra webpage on his site and the hassle of emailing files individually.
• 🔄 The shared folder ensures that clients always have access to the most recent files without needing to be updated manually.
• 🗑️ Scott shows how to delete files from the shared folder and how it automatically reflects for those with access.
• 🖼️ He mentions updating files like his headshot without needing to inform clients individually.
• 🔗 Scott recommends shortening and customizing the Google Drive link for a cleaner, more professional appearance when sharing.
• 💡 He suggests using this method for files that are not highly sensitive and are meant to be accessible to a broader audience.
• 📢 Scott invites viewers to share their own productivity tips and questions in the comments section.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Scott Freisen's video?

The main topic of Scott Freisen's video is how to share files or folders with different clients using Google Drive.

Who is the speaker in the video?

The speaker in the video is Scott Freisen from Simpletivity.

What is the purpose of sharing files or folders with clients as described in the video?

The purpose is to ensure that clients always have access to the most recent or up-to-date files without having to manage multiple individual shares.

What is the sponsor of the video mentioned by Scott Freisen?

The sponsor of the video is Icecream PDF Editor, a free tool for editing PDF documents.

How does Scott Freisen use Google Drive for his business?

Scott uses Google Drive to share a single link with various clients, providing them access to the most current files and resources for his speaking engagements.

What is the name of the folder Scott uses to store client resources in Google Drive?

The name of the folder is 'Folder for Client Resources'.

What types of files does Scott typically include in his 'Folder for Client Resources'?

Scott includes his headshot, bio, and workshop exercises that clients may need to access and print in advance.

How does Scott share the folder with clients without sharing individual email addresses?

Scott generates a shareable link that anyone with the link can view, and he shares this link with clients instead of individual email addresses.

What is the default permission setting when creating a shareable link in Google Drive as per the video?

The default permission setting when creating a shareable link in Google Drive is 'view only'.

How does Scott ensure that clients receive the latest files without sending them updates?

Since the files are stored in Google Drive and the shareable link provides access to the folder, any updates Scott makes are automatically reflected to anyone with the link.

What is Scott's recommendation for the type of content to be shared using this method?

Scott recommends this method for documents or files that are not private or secure, and where it's acceptable for the rest of the world to gain access.

How does Scott make the shareable link more presentable when sending it to clients?

Scott makes the link more presentable by copying the Google Drive link and pasting it into an email, where he can label it with a clear and concise name, such as 'Scott Freisen Folder'.

Outlines

00:00

📂 Sharing Files with Clients Using Google Drive

In this video, Scott Freisen from Simpletivity demonstrates how to share files and folders with various clients using Google Drive. Scott explains his personal use case as a speaker who needs to share documents like headshots, bios, and workshop materials with event planners and clients. He shows how to create a 'Folder for Client Resources' in Google Drive and share it by generating a shareable link that allows anyone with the link to view the contents. Scott emphasizes the convenience of this method, as it automatically updates clients with the latest files without the need for manual distribution of updates. He also mentions the sponsorship of Icecream PDF Editor, a free tool for editing PDFs, and invites viewers to try it out.

05:01

🔗 Customizing Shareable Links for Client Access

Scott continues by addressing concerns about the appearance of long and complex shareable links from Google Drive. He suggests copying the link and customizing it in an email to clients, making it more presentable and easier to understand. Scott shows how to use email clients like Gmail to insert a clean, labeled link that directs clients to the speaker resources folder. He advises using this method only for documents that are not sensitive and can be openly accessed. Scott invites viewers to share their own productivity tips and to engage with the Simpletivity Channel, encouraging them to subscribe, like, and comment on the video for more content on using Google Drive effectively.

Keywords

💡Google Drive

Google Drive is a file storage and synchronization service developed by Google. In the context of the video, it serves as the primary platform for sharing files and folders with clients. The video demonstrates how to utilize Google Drive to manage and share resources efficiently, emphasizing its role in simplifying the process of providing access to necessary documents.

💡Sharing

Sharing, in the video, refers to the act of granting access to files or folders with others. It is a key feature of Google Drive that allows users to collaborate or provide access to their documents. The video explains how to share a folder with various clients by generating a shareable link, which is a common practice for distributing resources without the need for individual permissions.

💡Client Resources

Client Resources are the documents and files that a service provider, like a speaker or consultant, needs to share with their clients. In the video, the speaker has a specific folder named 'Folder for Client Resources' containing materials such as headshots, bios, and workshop exercises. These resources are meant to be accessible to clients to facilitate their event planning and execution.

💡Icecream PDF Editor

Icecream PDF Editor is mentioned as the sponsor of the video. It is a software tool that allows users to edit PDF documents, including text and objects, and manage PDF pages. The video's presenter highlights this tool as a recommendation for viewers who might need to edit PDFs, showcasing its utility in a professional context.

💡Speaker

A speaker, in the video, refers to the presenter himself, who is involved in delivering keynotes and workshops at conferences. The term is used to describe his professional role and the context in which he shares resources with event planners and other clients, emphasizing the practical use of Google Drive for speakers and similar professionals.

💡Bio

A bio, short for biography, is a summary of a person's professional background. In the video, the speaker mentions including his bio as part of the client resources to be shared. It is typically used by event organizers for promotional materials or websites, and the video illustrates how to make it accessible via Google Drive.

💡Headshot

A headshot is a professional photograph used for promotional purposes, often in the context of business or entertainment. The video describes including a headshot in the shared folder as part of the client resources, which event planners might use in marketing materials or on event websites.

💡Workshops

Workshops, as mentioned in the video, are interactive sessions that the speaker conducts as part of his engagements. The video discusses including workshop materials, such as exercises, in the shared folder on Google Drive to ensure that clients have the necessary resources to prepare for these sessions.

💡Link

In the context of the video, a link refers to the shareable URL generated by Google Drive for accessing the shared folder. The speaker explains the process of creating and copying this link to share with clients, which allows them to view and access the latest version of the resources without needing individual access permissions.

💡Incognito Window

An incognito window is a private browsing mode in web browsers that does not save browsing history or cookies. The video uses an incognito window to demonstrate what clients will see when they access the shared link, ensuring that the presentation of the shared resources is accurate and free from any personalized browser data.

💡Productivity

Productivity in the video is discussed in the context of simplifying the process of sharing files and resources with clients. The video aims to enhance productivity by showing how Google Drive can be used to streamline the sharing of documents, thus reducing the time and effort required to manage access to client resources.

Highlights

Scott Freisen demonstrates how to share files or folders with various clients using Google Drive.

Introduction of Icecream PDF Editor as a sponsor, a free tool for editing PDF documents.

Explanation of how to share a single link with multiple clients ensuring they receive the most recent files.

Use case scenario where Scott shares documents with event planners and conference organizers.

Description of the 'Folder for Client Resources' containing materials for clients.

Details of the types of documents shared, such as headshots, bios, and workshop materials.

Advantages of not including client resources on a personal website to avoid unwanted access.

Process of creating a shareable link within Google Drive for client resources.

Instructions on how to generate a unique link that allows anyone with the link to view the shared folder.

Ensuring the shared link only grants viewing permissions and not editing rights.

Demonstration of how clients will see and access the shared resources through the link.

Benefit of automatic updates within the shared folder, ensuring clients always have the latest information.

Example of how to remove outdated files and update resources without notifying clients individually.

Suggestion to use a clean, branded link for sharing rather than the default long Google Drive link.

Instructions on creating a branded link within Gmail or other online editors for a professional appearance.

Recommendation on when to use an open shared folder and the type of documents suitable for such sharing.

Invitation for viewers to share their Google Drive tips and engage with the Simpletivity Channel.

Transcripts

- [Scott] Do you need to share the same files or folder

with a variety of different clients?

Well, in today's video, I'm gonna show you how to do

exactly that right here in Google Drive.

Hello everyone, Scott Freisen here

at Simpletivity helping you to get more done

and enjoy less stress.

And I'm gonna show you exactly how I use Google Drive

for my own business, how I can just share one single link

with a variety of clients and make sure that they're always

getting the most recent or most up-to-date files.

But first, I'd like to thank today's sponsor,

Icecream PDF Editor.

If you're looking for an easy way to edit

your PDF documents, you should try Icecream PDF Editor.

It's 100% free and it will allow you to edit your text,

edit your objects and perhaps one of my favorite features

is rearranging and managing multiple PDF pages.

So, if you'd like to try Icecream PDF Editor for yourself,

be sure to click the link in the description below.

So, let me show you exactly how I use Google Drive

to share certain files and folders with my clients.

First, let me give you my use case.

I'm a speaker, at least a big portion of my business

is speaking at conferences, giving keynotes, delivering

workshops and so after I engage with an event planner

or someone who's hired me,

I wanna share particular documents with them.

If we go back to Google Drive, I've got this folder called

Folder for Client Resources and when I click on that,

I've got a few things that I share

with everyone who hires me.

I've got things like my headshot, a few pictures here

that they might want to include in their marketing.

I've got my bio, which will usually be included

in a printout or a handout or also on their website.

And maybe a few different things that I include

in the workshops themselves,

some exercises that they may need to have access to,

so that they can print them off in advance.

Now, this collection of information, I need to share

with a wide variety of people, but it's not exactly private.

I really don't care if you have access to this

or if someone else stumbles upon it.

There's nothing secure here, there's nothing private here,

but I don't like including this information on my website

because I'd rather not have someone just stumble

upon that site and say, what is this

and what is this purpose?

I also don't wanna manage just an extra webpage

on my website.

So, instead, I've created this folder here

within Google Drive.

Now, if we go up here to the folder name,

we can right click and select share.

Now, you might be familiar with this pop-up that comes here

and probably you're used to entering in a name

or an email address of the people

that you want to share with.

And of course, I could do this as well.

I could just keep a long list, just keep adding people

who need access to these files,

but that's gonna be very tedious.

I'm gonna have to come in here each and every time,

find the email address and in many cases, I'm dealing

with just one individual and they want to be able

to share this with other members of their team,

so then they need to ask for additional access

and that type of thing.

So, in this case, instead of entering any email addresses,

what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna click up here

and say get the shareable link.

And what that's gonna do is that anyone with the link,

this is the default option that comes up,

anyone with the link can view.

So, it's generated a unique link here.

All I have to do is copy that link.

I can copy that link, I can hit done down below.

Now, again, you wanna make sure that it says only can view.

We're not giving people access to edit.

The default choice is view, so let's make sure

that we continue with that option there.

But I've got my link now.

I've copied it already, I'm gonna say done and then just

to show you what the guest or what my client will receive,

let me open up a new incognito window here

and I'm gonna paste that link in the window, in the URL.

This is exactly what they will see on their end

when they click on the link, they're gonna have access

to these files and they can open them up, they can click

on my bio, they can download it, they can print it out

if they want, of course, they can't edit it,

they can download my pictures.

Here are all the resources that I need.

And remember, I've just got the one link.

This is just the one link available here.

I just need to remember or copy this link

and use it multiple times pretty much as how long

I would like to, for the next coming years, if I want to.

Now, the great thing is that whatever I do

within this folder, it's going to automatically update

and anyone who has access to this

is gonna have the latest information.

For example, maybe I no longer want this file,

for example, available.

I'm just gonna hit delete on that.

I'm gonna put that in the trash can

and maybe in the future, I'm gonna update my headshot.

So, I don't have to go out and email a variety of people

and say, by the way, could you please now use

my updated headshot or can you put this in the program.

If they have this link that I've given to them in advance,

they're always gonna have that updated information available

to them.

Now, you might be saying to yourself,

Scott, I don't wanna share that big long nasty link.

That looks intimidating, it looks very ugly

and yes, it is very, very long.

Well, no, I don't recommend that you share the link

in its natural state either.

I'm gonna copy that link one more time, so when I'm dealing

with a client, I might share it in the following way.

Here I am, I'm sending an email.

Please use the link below to access my speaker resources

and I'm just gonna call this Scott Freisen Folder,

something like that.

All you need to do within Gmail or almost any other

online editor is just highlight the text.

I'm gonna come down here to the bottom

and select insert link and it's here

that I'm gonna paste in that Google Drive link.

This is the folder that I'm gonna send them to.

I'm gonna hit okay

and now I've got a nice clean looking link.

It looks straightforward, it tells them exactly what it is

and when they click on this link,

they can get all of my resources.

So, do you have a need for such an open shared folder?

Remember, I only recommend this for documents or for files

that you really don't mind

the rest of the world gaining access to.

Maybe there's a particular questionnaire

that you send out to clients.

Maybe there's some other documents or data that you like

to share and it's alright if other people have access to it,

but they don't really need access to it, until they become

a client or at some step in the relationship.

This is a great use for this type of shared folder

within Google Drive.

Well, I'd love to hear from you next.

What other tips would you like to learn how to do right here

within Google Drive.

Be sure to tell me down below in the comments.

Thank you so much for watching today's video.

I hope you subscribe right here to the Simpletivity Channel.

Give this video a thumbs up

and don't forget to leave me a comment down below.

Remember, being productive does not need to be difficult.

In fact, it's very simple.