Posting Gated Content on CAS.org

Step-by-step guide for publishing white papers, case studies, reports, and other downloadable resources behind a HubSpot form on cas.org.

Last Updated: March 30, 2026 | Audience: Everyone

What Is Gated Content?

Gated content is any downloadable resource that requires a visitor to fill out a form before accessing it. On CAS.org, these are managed through the Gated Contents CMS collection (gated-content) and display at /resources/gated-content/{slug}.

Common gated content types include white papers, case studies, technical reports, executive summaries, infographics, and industry benchmark reports. Each gated content page shows a description of the resource alongside a HubSpot form. After submission, the visitor receives the download.

Before You Start

Gather the following before opening Webflow:

• Resource title and a short summary (200–300 characters)
• Full page body copy (Rich Text) describing the resource and why it matters
• The PDF file — either uploaded to Brandfolder (preferred) or ready for direct upload
• HubSpot form embed code from your marketing ops contact
• Feature image (1200–1920px wide, AVIF format — see Image & Media Guidelines)
• Fanned image if using the fanned pages treatment (800–1200px wide)
• Alt text for both images
• Meta description (150–160 characters)
• Content type classification (White Paper, Case Study, Report, etc.)
• Associated Topic and CAS Solution references

Step 1: Create the Gated Content Item

1. Open the Webflow Editor or Designer.
2. Go to the CMS panel and find the Gated Contents collection.
3. Click New Gated Content.
4. Enter the Title (resource name). This becomes the H1 on the page.
5. Set the Slug. Keep it short: mrna-patent-landscape-2026 not comprehensive-analysis-of-mrna-patent-landscape-and-filing-trends-report-2026.

Step 2: Fill Required Fields

Meta & Summary

• Meta description (Plain Text) — SEO description for search results. 150–160 characters. Include the resource type and primary keyword.
• Post Summary (Plain Text) — Preview text shown on the gated content index page and in card layouts. Minimum 200 characters required. Items with fewer than 200 characters may display poorly on the index page.

Content Type

• Content type (Reference to Content Types) — Select the appropriate classification: White Paper, Case Study, Report, Executive Summary, Infographic, or other. This controls filtering on the index page and displays as a label on the card.

Body

• Body (Rich Text) — The main page content that appears alongside the form. This should describe the resource, explain what the reader will learn, and highlight key findings or takeaways. Use H2 and H3 headings to structure longer descriptions. Include proof points and specific data to convince visitors the download is worth their contact information.

Step 3: Images

Feature Image

• Feature Image (Image) — Primary image for the page and social sharing. 1200–1920px wide, AVIF format.
• Main Image Alt Text (Plain Text) — Descriptive alt text. Be specific about what the image shows.

Fanned Image

• Fanned Image (Image) — Used for the stylized "fanned pages" preview treatment that shows the resource as a stack of pages. 800–1200px wide. This is optional but recommended for white papers and reports as it creates a more compelling visual.
• Fanned Image Alt Text (Plain Text) — Alt text for the fanned image.

See Image & Media Guidelines for full specs and optimization workflow.

Step 4: HubSpot Form Setup

The form is what makes the content "gated." The visitor fills it out, HubSpot captures the lead, and the visitor receives the download.

1. Get the HubSpot form embed code from your marketing ops contact. It looks like a block of HTML/JavaScript.
2. Paste the entire embed code into the HubSpot form embed code field (Rich Text). This is different from events and webinars where you only paste the form ID — for gated content, paste the full embed block.

Important: The HubSpot form embed code field is a Rich Text field, but you should paste the raw code into it using the HTML embed approach. If you paste it as regular text, it will display as code on the page instead of rendering as a form.

Testing the Form

After publishing, always test the form:

1. Visit the live page in an incognito browser window.
2. Fill out the form with test data.
3. Verify you receive the confirmation (redirect to thank you page or inline confirmation message).
4. Verify you receive the download (email delivery or direct download link).
5. Check HubSpot to confirm the submission was captured.

Step 5: PDF Delivery

There are two ways to deliver the PDF. Brandfolder CDN link is preferred.

Method 1: Brandfolder CDN Link (Preferred)

1. Upload the PDF to Brandfolder.
2. Get the Attachment CDN link from Brandfolder (not the preview link).
3. Paste the CDN link into the PDF URL field in the CMS.
4. Leave the PDF File field empty.

Benefits: The PDF is hosted on Brandfolder's CDN with fast global delivery. If the PDF needs to be updated later, you can replace the file in Brandfolder and the link stays the same.

Method 2: Direct Upload (Fallback)

1. Upload the PDF directly to the PDF File field in the CMS.
2. Leave the PDF URL field empty.

Use this method only when a form is not required (ungated content). Direct uploads are harder to update later because the Webflow asset URL changes each time you re-upload.

Button Configuration

• Button Text (Plain Text) — The download button label. Common options: "Download the Report", "Get the White Paper", "Download Now". Keep it specific to the resource type.

Step 6: Taxonomy & Cross-Links

• Topic (Reference to Topics) — Primary subject category. Controls filtering on the index page.
• CAS Solution (Reference to CAS Solutions) — The CAS product most closely related to this resource. This creates cross-links between gated content and solution pages.

Both fields are optional but strongly recommended. Content without taxonomy assignments will not appear in filtered views.

Step 7: Toggle Switches

• Remove from index page — Hides the item from the public gated content listing at /resources/gated-content. The page itself remains live and accessible via direct URL. Use this for testing or for campaign-specific content that should not appear in the general listing. Remember to turn this back off when done testing.
• Ungated content — Removes the HubSpot form entirely. The download becomes freely available without form submission. Use this for resources that were previously gated but are now being opened up, or for resources that should be freely available from the start (e.g., product datasheets).

Step 8: Publish & Verify

1. Review all fields. Check for red outlines on required fields.
2. Verify the slug is clean: lowercase, hyphens only.
3. Click Publish on the item (not "Publish Site").
4. Visit the live page at cas.org/resources/gated-content/{your-slug} and verify:

• Title, summary, and body content display correctly
• Feature image appears with correct alt text
• The HubSpot form renders and is functional (test submission in incognito)
• The download delivery works (you receive the PDF after form submission)
• The content type label displays correctly on the page
• The item appears on the gated content index page (unless "Remove from index page" is on)
• The fanned image displays correctly if used

Updating an Existing Gated Content Item

Replacing the PDF

If using Brandfolder (preferred method): Replace the file in Brandfolder. The CDN link in the CMS stays the same and visitors will automatically get the new version.

If using direct upload: Upload the new PDF to the PDF File field. This generates a new Webflow asset URL. Any hardcoded links to the old URL will break.

Updating the Form

If the HubSpot form changes (new fields, different form ID), get the new embed code from marketing ops and replace the content in the HubSpot form embed code field. Test the form after updating.

Ungating Previously Gated Content

1. Toggle on Ungated content.
2. Make sure the PDF is accessible via either the PDF URL or PDF File field.
3. Optionally update the body copy to remove references to "fill out the form" or "download after registration."
4. Publish the item.

Common Mistakes

• Post Summary under 200 characters. The index page card layout expects at least 200 characters. Shorter summaries create visual gaps in the card grid. Always hit the minimum.
• Pasting HubSpot embed code as regular text instead of HTML. The form embed code must be pasted as raw HTML code, not plain text. If you see the code displayed on the page instead of a rendered form, you pasted it wrong.
• Using both PDF URL and PDF File. Pick one delivery method. If both are populated, the page may display two download options or behave unpredictably.
• Forgetting to turn off "Remove from index page" after testing. This is the most common mistake. The content is published and the direct URL works, but it never shows up on the index page because the hide toggle was left on.
• Not testing the form. Always test in incognito. Cached sessions and auto-fill can make a broken form appear to work. Verify the full flow: form submission, HubSpot capture, and download delivery.
• Missing taxonomy. Content without a Topic or CAS Solution reference won't appear in filtered views on the index page or related content sections on solution pages.