When you鈥檙e selling digital products, you benefit from the听absence of听inventory and听shipping, but you get piracy as听a听constant threat instead. It听is听remarkably easy for听someone to听steal your intellectual property听鈥 music, designs, eBooks, software听鈥 and听distribute it听under their own name.
The numbers associated with piracy are staggering. Microsoft estimates that piracy costs the听software industry Another estimate pegs the听loss between within the听US听alone.
Regardless of听the听numbers, one thing is听clear: theft can be听a听serious problem when you鈥檙e selling digital products.
Fortunately, there are some ways you can make theft much, much harder. We鈥檒l show you how to听protect your digital products in听this article.
Rethink Digital Protection
Before we听dive into the听details of听digital protection, it鈥檚 important that you view it听with the听right frame of听mind.
Simply put, there is听no听such thing as听100% foolproof protection when it听comes to听digital goods. Thousands of听business around the听world have been trying to听solve this problem, including massive software companies like Microsoft, and听they haven鈥檛 fully succeeded.
The reality of听the听internet is听that if听there is听sufficient demand for听a听product, someone somewhere will figure out a听way to听access it听for听free.
This doesn鈥檛 mean that you shouldn鈥檛 invest in听piracy protection at听all. Instead, it听means that you need to听view digital products through a听different lens.
Keep two things in听mind:
- The harder a听product is听to听steal, the听less motivated people will be听to听steal it.
- If听it听is听substantially easier to听buy the听product than to听steal it, more people will be听willing to听pay.
The second point is听particularly important and听is听the听reason behind the听success of听sites like Spotify. By听making it听much easier to听stream music legally, Spotify removed the听motivation to听pirate music. Little wonder that .
So听whatever protection tactics you choose, make sure that your product is听a)听harder to听steal, and听b)听easier to听buy.
This might mean changing your distribution tactic. For instance, instead of听creating software and听selling it听via downloads, try turning it听into a听subscription model where customers pay a听fixed fee to听access the听product each month (i.e. SaaS).
By听making access easier, you will encourage more legitimate buyers and听discourage theft.
Tactics to听Protect Digital Products
Not every tactic to听protect digital products will work equally well. Below, we鈥檝e shared a听few tactics as听well as听their quality of听protection offered, and听what kind of听product they work best for.
1.听Copyright Your Product
Getting a听copyright will not prevent theft, but it听will make it听easier to听seek redressal in听case someone steals your product. This essentially notes that you are the听rightful owner of听a听specific piece of听intellectual property (IP), and听thus, can take someone to听court for听violating the听copyright.
Since copyrighting is听a听legal matter that varies from country to听country, we听recommend that you consult a听local lawyer who specializes in听copyright law. 滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e in听the听US, you can consult the听 Office as听well.
Do听keep in听mind the听following points before you think of听getting a听copyright:
- Copyrights are not universal听鈥 a听copyright in听the听US听will not protect you from theft and听distribution in听China.
- Not every product can be听copyrighted. In听the听US, for听instance, titles, names, phrases, slogans, ideas, etc. cannot be听placed under copyright. Literary works (including unique content), unique designs, software, etc. can be. Check your country鈥檚 laws before you proceed.
- Any unique you publish online is听automatically placed under copyright as听per the听DMCA, even if听it听doesn鈥檛 have the听copyright symbol (漏).
Getting a听copyright is听not always necessary. In听many cases, it听might even be听wasteful, especially if听you鈥檙e producing a听lot of听unique IP听rapidly. 滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e publishing online, you might be听already protected under .
Nevertheless, explore this as听an听option if听you鈥檙e spending a听lot of听resources to听create unique IP.
Also listen to
2.听Hide Your Product from Prying Eyes
Making the听product hard to听find for听search engines and听spies should be听the听first step in听your digital protection plan. After all, if听they can鈥檛 find it, they can鈥檛 easily steal it.
滨蹿听测辞耻 sell digital goods with 黑料门, you don鈥檛 have to听take the听three steps below. Simply upload digital products to听your store听鈥 黑料门 will generate links for听download after each purchase and听won鈥檛 pass them to听search engines.
There are a听lot of听ways you can hide your
A.听Place your product inside a听Zip file
滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e selling documents (such as听an听eBook) in听a听PDF file, search engines can easily read the听file and听make it听visible in听search results. Anyone can then use the听聯filetype聰 operator in听Google to听find these documents on听your site.
An听easy way to听workaround this problem is听to听place the听PDF in听an听archive (.zip or听.rar file). Search engines cannot read these files, so听your data can remain safe.
B.听Hide open directories on听your site
滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e storing your files in听a听separate directory on听your site (such as听聯yoursite.com/downloads聰), people can view its contents by听directly accessing it听in听their browsers.
An听easy way to听hide open directories is听to听create a听.htaccess file in听your site鈥檚 root folder. In听the听.htaccess file, add the听following:
Options听鈥 Indexes
Now whenever someone tries to听access open directories on听your site, they鈥檒l see a听聯403听Forbidden聰 error like this:
C.听Stop search engines from indexing your pages
Search engines send out millions of听pieces of听code called 聯search engine spiders聰 or听聯bots聰 to听index billions of听pages every day, a听process called 聯crawling聰.
These spiders will crawl every single page on听your site unless specifically told not to. 滨蹿听测辞耻 have a听page that lists all your protected files, the听spider might crawl it听as听well and听make it听visible in听search results.
You can stop spiders from crawling specific pages on听your site by听creating a听聯Robots.txt聰 file. This is听a听simple text document that regulates bot behavior. You have to听place it听in听the听root directory of听your site.
To听block access to听a听folder, add the听following code to听the听Robots.txt file:
Disallow:
Disallow:
This code basically instructs all bots (鈥渦ser agents鈥) to听not index your folder.
3.听Place Downloads Behind a听Login
One of听the听easiest ways to听deter unauthorized access to听your products is听to听place the听product behind a听login.
This simply means that instead of听a听download link, the听customer gets a听username and听password
While this won鈥檛 stop a听paying customer from copying and听distributing the听files, it听does offer a听few benefits:
- It听makes it听harder for听someone to听access the听files, which can deter pirates.
- It听makes it听easy to听track downloads via usage logs and听figure out if听someone is听stealing content.
- You can disable access to听suspicious customers remotely.
- It听prevents search engines from indexing the听content.
There are plenty of听ways to听place files behind a听login. Check out , , , , (free) and听.
4.听Limit Access to听Downloads
How do听you prevent a听paying customer from sharing his download link with others?
Simple: by听limiting access to听the听downloads.
This is听a听tried and听tested technique to听limit downloads to听legitimate customers. Basically, this involves placing a听time or听
滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e using 黑料门 to听sell your digital goods, you can easily limit access by听going to听Settings 鈫捥鼵art page 鈫捥
Here, you can limit downloads by:
- Total number of听downloads
Time-bound validity of听the听download link.
For instance, you can keep the听download limit to听聯3聰. This means that the听download link you send to听a听customer upon payment will expire after 3听downloads.
You can also set the听download link to听expire after a听fixed amount of听time (say, 72听hours). If听the听customer tries to听access the听download after this period, they鈥檒l get an听error message.
This tactic works because it听makes sharing a听download link unfeasible. Customers who can only download a听product 3听times won鈥檛 feel motivated enough to听share this link with others.
You can further increase protection by听changing the听names of听files and听folders periodically. Once you鈥檝e changed the听names, people who already have access to听the听download link won鈥檛 be听able to听find the听files (while legit customers can still access it).
滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e taking this route, choose file names that are hard to听guess, like 聯y12xq.pdf聰 instead of听聯蹿颈濒别.辫诲蹿聪.
5.听Create Product Licenses
Another tactic to听prevent theft is听to听create unique licenses for听each product copy. To听access the听product, the听customer has to听enter the听license key.
This is听how most software companies protect their products. 滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檝e ever entered a听long alphanumeric key before installing a听software, you鈥檙e already familiar with this concept.
Some of听the听benefits of听using this tactic are:
- Strong protection: License keys can be听notoriously hard to听crack. The quality of听protection offered by听this technique can be听classified as听聯strong聰.
- Remote locking: If听someone asks for听a听refund or听engages in听suspicious activity, you can disable the听license. This would not only prevent future downloads but also invalidate any听existing copy of听the听product.
- Prevents redistribution: Pirates can鈥檛 rename the听file or听copy its contents since each copy is听tied to听its own unique key.
- Prevent reprinting: In听the听case of听eBooks, you can use your licensing software to听disable print functionality or听to听make sure that the听license gets printed along with the听rest of听the听book. This can prevent people from printing copies and听redistributing them physically.
- Download monitoring: You can check whether someone has already downloaded and听accessed the听file using the听license key. This can prevent people from claiming that they haven鈥檛 received the听file.
Creating product licenses can make accessing the听file harder for听customers, but it听also offers significantly advanced protection. This is听a听tradeoff you鈥檒l have to听consider making if听you want better protection.
There are plenty of听ways to听create product licenses. 滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e using a听tool like InfusionSoft to听create and听deliver products in听the听sales funnel, you can .
For other solutions, consider (for code), (for most files), Book Guard Pro (for PDFs), and听 (any file).
6.听Monitor the听Web for听Stolen Products
Last, but not the听least, make sure that you keep a听close watch on听the听web for听any听stolen versions of听your product. This way, you鈥檒l at听least know if听someone is听distributing your products legally.
The easiest way to听do听this is听to听create a听Google Alert for听your product name. Just enter the听name of听your product and听change the听settings to听give you an听update anytime someone mentions your product.
Keep in听mind that your product won鈥檛 always be听redistributed under its original name. Make sure to听add possible variations such as听alternative product names, your website name, your own name, etc. while monitoring.
滨蹿听测辞耻鈥檙e publishing content online, you can also use to听detect plagiarism and听send you automatic alerts for听content theft.
What to听Do听in听Case of听Theft
Even if听you take all the听preventive measures above, you might still see your content stolen and听redistributed online.
If听this happens, there are a听few things you can do听to听protect yourself:
1.听Contact the听offending site
Before you take the听legal route, it鈥檚 always a听good idea to听contact the听site hosting your stolen contact and听ask them to听take it听down. You鈥檒l find that most sites will happily comply.
Start by听finding the听site鈥檚 contact information. Most websites will have a听contact form. 滨蹿听测辞耻 can鈥檛 find this information, get contact data from the听site鈥檚 WHOIS records. Go听to听a听WHOIS tool like Who.is or听Whois.sc, then enter the听site鈥檚 domain name.
You should see the听domain registrant鈥檚 email and听phone number, like this (provided the听registration isn鈥檛 set to听聯private聰):
Once you find the听email address, send an听email requesting removal.
In听case you can鈥檛 find the听contact information, or听if听the听site refuses to听comply, send a听removal request to听the听website鈥檚 host. Go听to听 and听enter the听site鈥檚 domain name into the听search box.
In听the听right pane, you will see the听name of听the听host.
Contact the听host and听let them know about the听stolen content as听well as听the听proof showing that you are the听owner. Most hosts will happily remove the听content if听you can offer sufficient proof.
2.听Submit a听DMCA Complaint
As听we听mentioned earlier, any听content you create and听publish online is听automatically protected under DMCA. In听the听case of听theft, you can submit a听DMCA complaint and听get a听site owner to听remove the听offending complaint.
You will, of听course, have to听first prove that you are the听actual owner/creator of听the听content. Creation logs, publishing dates, etc. come into the听picture here.
You can submit a听DMCA complaint through DMCA.com. . Keep in听mind that this is听a听paid service.
For a听free alternative, use to听create a听new 聯notice聰, then follow the听instructions
3.听Take the听Legal Route
If听the听above two tactics fail, you will have to听take the听legal route, such as听sending a听Cease &听Desist notice through your lawyer or听even filing a听case of听copyright infringement.
Since the听legal option can be听lengthy and听expensive, it听should be听your last resort.
We听highly recommend consulting a听lawyer if听you are considering using this option.
Learn more: 25听Places to听Find
Conclusion
Content theft and听piracy can not only hurt your revenues but also your reputation. Anyone selling digital products should have the听necessary measures in听place to听prevent theft.
What
In听case someone does manage to听steal your content, contact the听site鈥檚 host to听remove the听content. If听that doesn鈥檛 work, submit a听DMCA takedown request.
What digital downloads do听you sell (or plan to) in听your store? Do听you have any听other digital product ideas?
听
- How to听Sell Digital Downloads on听My听Website
- 18听Digital Product Ideas For Almost Every Small Business
- How to听Protect Your Digital Goods From Piracy
- Sell Downloadable Files Up听to听25GB with 黑料门
- 10听Amazing 黑料门 Stores that Sell Digital Products
- How You Can Create a听Digital Product with Zero Skills and听Make Money by听Selling it听Online
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