Now it's easy to create forms that allow access to protected, digital content

There are often circumstances where you want someone to complete a form, and then afterwards they will be allowed to download a file. For example:

• You are giving away a free publication (such as a brochure or tutorial in PDF format). But the deal is that your web user should provide some details about themselves (i.e. complete a form) before they get to download it.
• You sell eBooks, documents, music files, photography, or digital art. In this case, you need your customer to make a payment prior to gaining access to your files.

In cases like this, you need your downloadable files to have some degree of protection. If you simply upload these files to your web site, their URLs (web addresses) will be public, and you will have no control whatsoever over who downloads those files.

Of course the ultimate protection is to have some form of "digital rights management" (DRM - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management). However this is difficult and very expensive to implement. And also controversial - prior to 2009 iTunes music files were restricted by DRM, but since then have become "DRM free".

Web-form-buddy offers you an easy to use half-way house: You get a secure, private online "vault" for your downloadable products. The only access to the files in your vault is granted via a personalized link that Web-form-buddy makes available to your customer once he or she has completed your form (and made their payment in the case of payment forms).

The personalized link (URL) that Web-form-buddy generates is under your control. You can set the number of days for which the link will be valid (anything from just one day to a year). And you can set a limit to the number of times your customer is allowed to use the link to download your file.

Excellent as this system is (in our opinion!), if what you need is nothing less than full "digital rights management", then our solution is not for you. For example, suppose your customer has paid for and downloaded one of your files, there is nothing to stop them sending that file to their friends. On the other hand, it does have these advantages:

• It prevents folks from posting links to your digital content in web pages, blogs and emails. The only public-facing links to your files are date-limited and use-limited.
• It backs up and reinforces the statements you make about the fair use of your files. That's because the process your customer is walked through makes it completely and absolutely clear that your digital product is intended for their use only. This is much more effective than relying on your customers to read your "small print"!

~ Get started with Web-form-buddy today - take the free 14 day trial! ~