Improve download experience
Bill Birney
Microsoft Digital Media DiVision
October 2001
Summary: This article gives some suggestions for how to make users find, purchase, and download Microsoft Windows Media content. If you operate a Web site (for example, providing music sites for digital media content download), you can use the new "Microsoft Windows Media Technology" feature and utility to modify your site design to improve the download experience.
Introduction
Microsoft® Windows MediaTM Technologies software app provides flexible and scalable platforms for content manufacturers and e-commerce. However, this flexibility user has a different download experience: some is good, some are not so good. For users, the download process should be convenient. If the download process is easy to make mistakes, the user is required to repeat it, and it takes a long time, it will disappoint the user, and ultimately lead to dissatisfaction and sales of sales.
The goal of improving the download experience is to minimize the waiting time and reduce the number of clicks from the selection content to the checkout. The download procedure described herein makes the number of clicks to minimize: From the user finally purchased the decision to display the link to complete the order, just click three times.
Windows Media Technologies include digital media software that helps users find, download, and play content quickly and easily. You can improve the process of purchasing content in conjunction with other technologies, services, and design elements.
This article describes the best download method for purchasing digital media content. Through these methods, you can design and download a quick intuitive purchase and download process for site design.
This article includes the following topics:
Help the user lookup content contains information about flow previews and direct links to the purchase. Simplify the purchase process illustrates the one-time registration and saving the purchase history. The transmission of simplified content explains the transparent transmission license, content packaging, super distribution, and concise download process. More information
Help users find content
Figure 1: User occupation is easy to find music
Develop successful sales digital media Web site has two important concepts: providing users with fast lookup content tools and information, and make users easier to make decisions. Windows Media Technologies Digital Media Software and Efficient Design help you attract users and prompted them to buy.
Flow preview
The following Web page describes the flow preview, which is a method that helps users find music. By flow preview, users can browse the music directory of the web site prior to purchase and play an example track.
Figure 2: Contoso Record Store Music Directory
This simple and effective way to stream media can improve users' experience. To create an example, you can use Windows Media Technologies Encoding Tools (English) to encode some tracks, and then stored in the Windows Media server. Providing a flow preview for your e-commerce site with absolute advantages over traditional retailers. Since the Internet provides a large number of free media, users always want to listen to it before purchasing.
Flow preview has two advantages over the download. First, the flow preview will go to the download wait time. Microsoft Windows Media Player receives a stream, and users can hear example tracks. Second, after playing an example, the file will not stay in the user computer, so it will not take up space.
Direct link to purchase
When the user decides to purchase one or more tracks, you can view the "Shopping Cart" web page. A typical shopping cart page (as shown in the following example) lists the items for users to buy. Before this, the shopping process is very interesting because users can view items to view items, view CDs and play examples. However, this time from seeing the shopping cart page to play music in a computer is not so interesting. Figure 3: Contoso Record Store Shopping Cart Details
Next, in order to obtain digital media content, users only have three clicks: execute check out, complete purchase and download content.
At the shopping cart page, you can simplify the user's operational process by reducing confusion, clarifying the user's task: check out or continue to purchase. It is not to say that the page must be very orthodox, very commercialization, but said that the path points to buy and play must be clear, fast and concise. Try to use simple and clear instructions, minimum clicks and web pages that can quickly load.
Simplify the purchase process
Figure 4: Easy to buy products
It is important to provide users with simple and intuitive web sites and purchase programs. The purpose of the site is to sell products, so it will be attractive and easy to purchase will help achieve this.
Moreover, retailers should make every click of a natural operation during the purchase process. In other words, each step should be clear and pushing the purchase process gradually forward. You should avoid displaying other unrelated pages, such as special product pages. Negative links to other content or advertisements in the site should be reduced. By reducing unnecessary steps and interference, the design of the page can make the user focus on the hand of the hand, you can ensure that the purchase is complete.
The goal of the purchase process is to make it only a click to complete the purchase. Effective Web site design should be targeted in reducing user steps.
Disposable registration
When the user checks out, you can simplify the process by providing disposable registration information. In a disposable registration, the complete information entered by the user is saved in the security system you provide. This information is retrieved from the system when the user enters the purchase program, and displays it to the user on the page confirmed by the payment, as shown in the following example:
Figure 5: Contoso Record Store Payment Confirmation Information
Users can update storage information or complete purchase. Various surveys show that one of the main reasons for users who do not want to use e-commerce sites are to repeated input data. Remember: Usually users will be reluctant to enter a lot of personal information, although this information is beneficial to e-commerce.
User data can be stored in a retail site or a proxy service provider. For example, Microsoft Passport (English) is such a service, which allows users to be available at all participated Web sites at all. By calling stored information, users can quickly select and download the goods. For example, the following user information can be saved:
Name Address Credit Card Number / Validity Email Address Purchase Appreciation Understand the preferences of users, you can simplify search procedures, narrow the search range to specific categories, such as rock music, classical music or rural music. You can also provide advertisements to it according to user preferences.
Storage purchase history
In order to enhance the user's trust in the site and the comfort of shopping, a complete set of order status and purchase history information should be established. Users should be able to view and track this information and be confident that personal information is securely stored. This information should contain all the content purchased from the retail site. Purchase history should at least include the following information:
Order Date Order Identification (Unique ID of Order) Product Description Transaction Price Payment Method Order Status
Simplified content
Figure 6: Make content
Your site design should make users easily get content. After the user purchases the item, you should provide a web page that is only required to confirm the purchase and start downloading, as shown in the following example.
Figure 7: Contoso Record Store Purchase confirmation
This section describes four Windows Media technology that can simplify the download process. By implementing these technologies, the transparent transmission license can be implemented, and the content package is encapsulated in a package, and the user can share the digital media without having to worry about copyright disputes, and make the entire download process efficiently and easy to understand. The goal of downloading the process is to download music once click.
Transparent transfer license
You can use Digital Right Management (DRM) to prevent important digital media content from being illegally used. Microsoft Windows Media Rights Manager 7 SDK (English) is Microsoft DRM products. It requires users to purchase or obtain digital media content prior to playing. When the user is successfully purchased, you can download the content and get a license.
Most users are not easy to understand the acquisition and management of the license, they don't have to understand. Windows Media Rights Manager 7 provides three new features that make the download process to be transparent to the user.
Multiple files use a license This feature allows you to issue a license for multiple complex licenses. When the digital media (such as a CD) encrypted after Windows Media Rights Manager 7, the owner of its content added a set of content rights. These rights include some limits, such as playing two times on the PC, can be transferred to the portable device, can be recorded twice on the CD. These rights require six licenses in the previous DRM system. With Windows Media Rights Manager 7 (English), you can use a license to authorize multiple content rights. This feature reduces the transfer time of the license, making the license management easier and enhances the success rate of the transfer license. The advance delivery license can transmit the license before or after downloading. If you use an advance delivery license, you can play after the user is downloaded, without performing other steps before playing. No prompt get license download content and get licenses are no longer two separate and easy confusion. The user only downloads the content, and the license is automatic and transparent. For example, you can immediately take a prompt to send a license in advance after purchase, allowing the user to play again after downloading digital media. There is no prompt delivery license to make the user feel that the content and receive licenses are stepped in place.
Content packaging
Managing Downloads for multiple files makes the site's design is more difficult, and it is easy to make users confused. For example, if the link provided for the user points to a plurality of Windows Media audio files (these files are multiple tracks in a recordset), they may need to download each file separately. Moreover, users need to determine the location of the file, and then find out these files later. This is equivalent to testing the patient's patience and also adding the risk of an error.
A new feature of Windows Media Player can solve the above problems, which allows you to package multiple Windows Media files and enhanced metadata into a single download file. Single download file called Microsoft Windows Media Download (WMD) package. After downloading the WMD file, Windows Media Player automatically opens the file in the "Playing" window, as shown below.
Figure 8: Bestseller of Don Funk
In addition to downloading the direct benefits of downloading multiple files, packaging features provide users with other services:
Windows Media Player is downloaded in place of the browser. Therefore, the "Save As" dialog is not displayed to the user. For the user, download is more transparent. Windows Media Player automatically creates a hierarchical directory, expands the contents in the package to your respective directories. Package download allows users easier when organizing digital media. The player automatically adds everything in the package to the user's media library. All metadata will be retained, and the content is classified by the name of the recordset, musicians. Users do not need to search for the content purchased in the hard drive. If the download package contains .wvx or .wax extension contains a playlist, after the download is complete, the player will automatically play the package. Windows Media Player adds a playlist to the media library and start playing now. Users can also choose not to play immediately. When metering play time (such as downloading a movie, starting from the first playback, the rental period is 24 hours), which can be said to be the best option. The enhanced metadata is included in the package. These metadata (called borders) are displayed in Windows Media Player, including elements such as pictures, photos, lyrics, biography and web links. Creatively use metadata that provides users with an experienced experience with enhanced CD or DVD. Super distribution
The user is reasonably shared with others to help users build the confidence of purchases. Configure encrypted content correctly, enabling users to share content quickly and easily, and ensure that the purchase information contained in the license exchange can confirm the retailer and content owner.
Windows Media Rights Manager 7 supports the method of super-distribution (English) for content. If you use appropriate, super distribution allows users to easily share purchases. In the previous WMD diagram, a method of super distribution has been described. After downloading the WMD package, the user can use a link in the border, start a simple process sent to a friend, such as by email.
When the user's friend receives the packaged content, it cannot be played immediately. Windows Media Rights Manager is only authorized to obtain a license computer play track. If the user wants to play content on other computers, you must get a new license. However, if the super distribution is set, the acquisition process of the license will be very fast.
If the Windows Media file is configured to encrypt using Windows Media Rights Manager, you will insert a special URL called "inquiry URL". Windows Media Player uses the inquiry URL to request a license from the initial license issuer. When the user's friend attempts to play content without a license, a browser will open, where the web page specified by the inquiry URL is displayed. Ideally, inquiry URL should bring new users to the same retailer for the original content issued a license. At this point, friends can purchase files and receive no prompt licenses.
The design of the process should be clear about new users. Ask the URL specified Web page to provide the same purchase process. The retailer must know that the new user has downloaded the content, just purchase a license. The options provided by the URL page should boot the user to enter the registration section of the input purchase information. After registration, send a check-out page directly to the user.
Simple download process
Using Windows Media Rights Manager and Windows Media Player, you can create a download process that only a few steps, users can quickly complete the purchase content, and play it immediately after downloading. Finally, in order to more easily download files and Web site developers to implement Download Solutions, you can use Microsoft Windows Media Download Control. This control can be used as Microsoft ActiveX® controls and plugins, respectively, in conjunction with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. Simply add Windows Media Download control to a web page. This control handles many easily confused and complex tasks related to the download process. Windows Media Download controls have the following features:
Multi-file downloads can download one or more files to the default directory or user specified directory in the user's computer. "Save As" dialog This control contains the Standard Save As dialog. Using this dialog box, the user can select the location where the content is saved, and multiple files can also be selected. File Management If the default target location is selected, the file will download the subdirectories under My Documents under My Music. If you specify a musician and a column name, you will automatically create additional subdirectories. For example: C: / my documents / my music / musician name / recordset name. Support for HTTP support through Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). You can redirect the control to download files in other URLs. Support for proxy server proxy information is obtained from the user's web browser configuration. No User Interface In addition to the Save As dialog, you can create custom interfaces to meet your own special requirements. Status information periodically updates the download status. For example, you can create a progress bar or status window using this information.
You can use the control's built-in function to create an intuitive and easy-to-use download program for users. Windows Media Download controls are also easy to implement and solve most of the technical issues in the download solution.
