Copy Protecting Your Content
775 words | Last Updated: January 29, 2008
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In an earlier post about the Membernaire's Instant Membership Site System, Tony asked how you can protect your content from simply being given away by some of your paying customers. Afterall, since the membership content is delivered via an email autoresponder, what's to prevent some people from simply forwarding the email, right?
Here's one solution you can try...
You can insert your content inside a copy-protected ebook. For example, please download this sample ebook (2.8MB EXE file, requires IE7 or higher, WinXP).
If you want to access the video inside the locked page of the ebook, please Edit-Copy your Computer ID (the ebook will display this to you when you attempt to view the video) and paste it into the message box in this site's Contact Manuel Today page.
Please also include in your message that you're sending the Computer ID for the "Ebook Test Password" ebook, so that I can give you the right password. This way, you'll have a feel of what your customers will go through when they try to access the password-protected content (text or video) of your ebook.
The password is dependent on the Computer ID of your customer. This means that even if they pass along the file (or your email) to non-paying customers, the password will no longer work because the file is now in another computer (which has a different Computer ID).
The password is required only once per ebook, especially if your customer leaves the "Remember Password" box checked. This means that after they input the password for that particular ebook, they can open the same ebook again in the following days and no password will be required anymore.
The creation of the password, however, is not automatic:
- Your customer opens the ebook and attempts to access the protected page or video.
- Your customer highlights the Computer ID, then issues the Edit-Copy command.
- Your customer sends you an email and Copy/Pastes the Computer ID into the body of their email.
- You (as membership site or ebook administrator) receive the email, verify if the person is indeed a paying customer, and Edit-Copy their Computer ID.
- You then run your Ebook Password Creation program, Edit-Paste the Computer ID you previously copied, click the Generate Password button, and then Edit-Copy that password.
- You finally reply to the email of your paid customer, and Edit-Paste in the body of the email the generated password.
- You also (... secret tip given only to my Platinum Members ...) to ensure you don't have to do the above steps when your customers receive succeeding lessons in copy-protected ebook format.
- You finally sit back, drink a cool glass of iced tea, and know that your customer will no longer need password assistance for the rest of your fixed term membership course.
In this example, this bit of administrative work only happens when your customers attempt to access the protected pages of the first ebook. For succeeding ebooks, the password will remain the same.
Is it worth it? Perhaps if your monthly membership fee is high enough, then you can give this business model a try. I understand your need to protect your intellectual property, yet you'll need to balance this with your customers' convenience.
Please remember, though, that ebook protection is not foolproof. It will help prevent some people from pirating your work, but those truly determined will still find a way. If your target market is not that tech savvy, and if you're willing to engage in a bit of email exchange, then go ahead and give your copy-protected membership site model a try. Have fun! 
(NOTE: There are systems that can handle the automatic generation of passwords, but such ebooks don't handle Flash that well, and the creation of passwords is handled by a different online payment processor. How I wish they could make it work with Paypal. Oh well.)
Manuel Viloria is your energetic multimedia internet publishing coach who helps you make $100 a day online. Whether it's through blogging, podcasting, article marketing, videoblogging, email listbuilding, or even through Web 2.0 or social network marketing, you can increase your website visitors today. For more information, please visit Affiliate Marketing Tips | ManuelViloria.com.
First Posted: January 27, 2008 | Filed in: Ebook Publishing
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