"Downloading From Your Site" Guide
Downloading Guide There are many things you can make available for download from a web site. It could be an online video, pdf ebook, or software application. For you, it can be as easy as simply as uploading the file to your site and then providing a link to the file on a web page. That's not where it ends however. If you haven't set things up correctly, this could be a major source of customer service issues for you. Since we obviously want to avoid that at all costs, there are some things you should know about putting downloads on your site that can make your life a little easier.
Standardization Making Things Easier Not too long ago it was a bit more difficult to set up file downloads. These days web browsers are programmed to try and help out with the download as much as possible. For example, if it is a movie to be downloaded then the browser will try to run the correct program to view it. If it is a pdf file, the browser will try to view it. The problems typically happen when the browser makes things too easy for visitors. The browser make try running file instead of saving it.
Clearly Spell It Out
Save yourself a lot of headaches. Spell out exactly how to download and save files from your site. This is especially critical on an ebook download page which a visitor may never get back to again. If you spell it out clearly, they won't be sending you emails requesting help for it.
Here is an example of step by step download directions. You can copy any part of this for your own uses if you wish:
"Ebook Download Instructions Your Ebooks are given to you in the most commonly used format on the Internet: as an Adobe PDF file. Most computers already have the adobe viewer installed standard in their system.
To Download the "XYZ Ebook" Step 1) Press the RIGHT mouse button ("right click") on this link: http://www.yoursite.com/ebook.pdf
Step 2) Choose "Save Target As..." - This will give you a window which asks you where to save the ebook to on your computer. It is recommended that you choose to save it the "Desktop" of your computer as shown below (this helps you locate it much easier):
Step 3) Simply double click on the "ebook.pdf" ebook which is now on your computer's desktop to view the ebook. In the unlikely event that the Adobe PDF viewer is not yet installed on your computer you will know because the ebook won't start right up when you try to open it. In this case you can download the Adobe PDF viewer FOR FREE at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html After installing the PDF viewer, you should then be able to view the ebook without any problems. "
---- End Instructions
Feel free to use those graphics if you want. To do so, simply right click on them, choose Save Target As...
If you notice from the above example, I don't assume anything. That includes not assuming that they have the software necessary to view the file. That is why I include the link to the free adobe viewer. You should do the same for Windows Media player, flash shockwave etc. Here is a list of common download file viewers to direct customers to:
The above viewers are all free. You shouldn't require your visitors to have to pay for a viewer unless you have a very specialized product. They should know that ahead of time. That also brings up the issue of compatibility. Many .exe files only play on Windows PC's If you can avoid having all of your content exclude MAC users, then you will have more appreciative customers. By taking a few minutes to make things easy for your customers, you will be saving yourself a lot of time in the long run.
| 
About this Site
