Monday, November 28, 2005
The Golden Hour of Purchasing
Michael Halls from FileKicker http://www.filekicker.com recently conducted a fascinating statistical study. The study tracked the habits of approximately 2000 purchasers and the relationship between the time of the purchase and download. The results spoke of the "golden hour". Actually the results were so skewed, they more shouted GOLDEN HOUR, with the significant majority of purchasers occurring within the first hour of a download. Traditionally purchases occur within the first 24 hours of download as seen on the first graph Michael presents:
The Y-Axis is a percentage, the X-Axis is the number of days from download that the purchase occurred. Clearly about 65% of users order the product within 24 hours of downloading the software. Michael did not track the number of users that purchased prior to downloading, if those purchases were counted on day zero, the percentage would likely be significantly higher.
In order to further evaluate the habits of the purchaser, Michael took his study a step further evaluating the hour in which the purchaser purchased.
The second graph records how many hours after the download the purchase is made. The study reinforces the idea of a "golden" hour for shareware. If you don't close the sale in the first couple of hours, you will likely not close it at all.
The results were not surprising for consumer related applications or what would be considered "impulse" buys but the graph incorporated the results of business applications as well. While consumer purchases are somewhat predictable, the habits of business purchasers was a bit startling, as industry experts frequently claim that making a sale to a business takes more time. This may be true for some vertical or database intensive but according to the 2000 products and purchases tracked it is clear that developers need to seize the golden hour.
The Y-Axis is a percentage, the X-Axis is the number of days from download that the purchase occurred. Clearly about 65% of users order the product within 24 hours of downloading the software. Michael did not track the number of users that purchased prior to downloading, if those purchases were counted on day zero, the percentage would likely be significantly higher.
In order to further evaluate the habits of the purchaser, Michael took his study a step further evaluating the hour in which the purchaser purchased.
The second graph records how many hours after the download the purchase is made. The study reinforces the idea of a "golden" hour for shareware. If you don't close the sale in the first couple of hours, you will likely not close it at all.
The results were not surprising for consumer related applications or what would be considered "impulse" buys but the graph incorporated the results of business applications as well. While consumer purchases are somewhat predictable, the habits of business purchasers was a bit startling, as industry experts frequently claim that making a sale to a business takes more time. This may be true for some vertical or database intensive but according to the 2000 products and purchases tracked it is clear that developers need to seize the golden hour.
Software Activation
Software piracy, software licensing and license control are all important issues to software developers. Small software developers did not have access to a system available to control a number of installations of licensed software products. A company could obtain a single license and use in among the network, or there could be a breach of security allowing multiple users to use fully licensed software on many different computers.
Tying software installation to hardware is the most common way to prevent or restrict those illegal activities. Hardware tying, however, has a drawback to software publishers: a user has to pass a Hardware ID to the software manufacturer at the time of ordering, which might affect his willingness to purchase that product at all.
With the development of the Internet it became important to control software licensing and distribution online to protect revenues from losses incurred by both intended and casual software piracy. An online license management system helps reduce both forms of piracy by ensuring that each copy of the software product being installed is legal and has been installed on a PC in compliance with its license terms. Installations beyond those allowed in the license agreement will fail to activate, thus preventing both casual and intended piracy.
The main question of this research is whether or not online software license activation is a effective solution of reducing software piracy. It was interesting to figure out if its direct or indirect benefits prevail over its disadvantages.
This research presents an in-depth evaluation of ActivateSoft.NET, a software activation system. It describes software activation policies as sets of parameters that allow precise control on how software end-user license agreements are enforced.
Finally, an experiment is designed and run, and raw data is collected on the usage of real-world software. Collected data is analyzed to find out how online license management can affect software usage patterns, providing a hint to answering the key question: whether or not the use of software activation reduces software piracy.
By O. Afonin
Tying software installation to hardware is the most common way to prevent or restrict those illegal activities. Hardware tying, however, has a drawback to software publishers: a user has to pass a Hardware ID to the software manufacturer at the time of ordering, which might affect his willingness to purchase that product at all.
With the development of the Internet it became important to control software licensing and distribution online to protect revenues from losses incurred by both intended and casual software piracy. An online license management system helps reduce both forms of piracy by ensuring that each copy of the software product being installed is legal and has been installed on a PC in compliance with its license terms. Installations beyond those allowed in the license agreement will fail to activate, thus preventing both casual and intended piracy.
The main question of this research is whether or not online software license activation is a effective solution of reducing software piracy. It was interesting to figure out if its direct or indirect benefits prevail over its disadvantages.
This research presents an in-depth evaluation of ActivateSoft.NET, a software activation system. It describes software activation policies as sets of parameters that allow precise control on how software end-user license agreements are enforced.
Finally, an experiment is designed and run, and raw data is collected on the usage of real-world software. Collected data is analyzed to find out how online license management can affect software usage patterns, providing a hint to answering the key question: whether or not the use of software activation reduces software piracy.
By O. Afonin
Labels:
piracy
Quality Content to Rule the Web
The age old question keeps coming up, how do you retain website visitors, how do you make visitors return to your website? The answer should come as no surprise, fresh content. Content is truly king, the fresher the content the better the site. What many webmasters fail to realize is that there is an endless supply of content on the web that is freely available to webmasters.
Not only can public domain material be freely used and syndicated on websites, but a number of content publishers provide content in exchange for a link back to their websites. A variety of contents related to the website theme that is integrated into the website will attract the interest of both search engines and web surfers. The key to taking advantage of free content is integrating or including content that is directly related to the theme of the website.
1. Articles
Article repositories exist that categorizes content articles. Searching the repositories using keywords that are related to a websites theme will result in a wide variety of articles available for publication that are related to the site's existing web content. Articles in the repositories are available for syndication, which means webmasters can freely include the articles on their websites as long as they include the author resource box with valid links.
Use the following to locate topic specific articles:
Free Website Content - http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm
GoArticles - http://www.goarticles.com
2. RSS Feeds
The contents of many RSS feeds can be syndicated. The added benefit of syndicating feeds is that they are frequently updated which will result in a steady stream of fresh changing content. In order to reap the benefits of syndicating RSS feeds, webmasters should use either an ASP script or PHP script to display the feeds contents as HTML.
Webmasters can navigate categories of RSS feed directories to locate related topic feeds or search for feeds using keywords.
Search the following directories to locate related RSS feeds:
RSS Network - http://www.rss-network.com
RSS Locator - http://www.rss-locator.com
Free script for displaying RSS feeds as HTML:
rss2html.php - http://www.feedforall.com/free-php-script.htm
3. Shareware Listings
Consider populating a website or section of a website with related niche software applications. Many software companies offer applications as free downloads. The downloads allow potential customers the opportunity to try an application prior to making a purchase decision. Categorizing and displaying software that relates to a website theme can generate a lot of interest. Most developers provide product descriptions and information in a PAD file which is simply XML. Developers can locate PAD files using the ASP site and the PAD kit can be used to display the contents of the PAD file.
PAD Kit - http://www.asp-shareware.org
4. Creative Commons
A Creative Commons license allows creators to place conditions on their copyrights. Many artists allow other publishers to use their creative and artwork, occasionally there are conditions that credit must be given, while others are available freely. Web publishers can find a lot of unique content, images and creative using the new Yahoo Creative Commons Search.
The Yahoo! Creative Commons Search service finds content across the Web that has a Creative Commons license.
Yahoo Creative Commons Search - http://search.yahoo.com/cc
More on Creative Commons - http://www.creativecommons.com
5. Forums
Consider creating a community forum where like-minded individuals or at the very least individuals with a common interest can discuss problems, concerns, related products or ideas. The forum posts will generate a fresh stream of new and self perpetuating website content.
Free Forum *note be sure to stay current on updates
PHPbb - http://www.phpbb.com
6. White Papers
Provide white papers, customer profiles or endorsements that detail how applications can be used in a specific industry. Creating a white paper section that explains how a specific product or service is used in a specific industry to solve a problem or increase productivity gives potential customers insight into how a specific service, product or technology will help in the course of a day.
Sample White Papers - http://www.notepage.net/whitepapers.htm
7. Directories
Creating a directory of related sites while time consuming can result in significant traffic. Directories typically are well respected resources and rank well in search engines.
Sample Niche Directories :
Podcasting Tools - http://www.podcasting-tools.com
Finance Investing Feed Directory - http://www.finance-investing.com
8. Newsletter Archive
If done properly online marketers see an almost instantaneous sales or traffic increases when they send newsletters but many do not benefit long term from the newsletter. Consider creating a newsletter archive, the content is already built, why not benefit from the potential traffic and unique phrases used, to attract new or potential customers?
Sample Archive
Software Marketing Newsletters - http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/articledirectory.html
9. Blog.
Ride the technological wave. A daily journal with information related to product or service launches, specials, technical tips, new product announcements
Sample Blog Archive
Our Blog - http://www.icoBlog.com
As search engines combat the problems with artificially generated a non-sensical web content , webmasters must integrate quality, themed content that is going to legitimately interest prospective customers.
Not only can public domain material be freely used and syndicated on websites, but a number of content publishers provide content in exchange for a link back to their websites. A variety of contents related to the website theme that is integrated into the website will attract the interest of both search engines and web surfers. The key to taking advantage of free content is integrating or including content that is directly related to the theme of the website.
1. Articles
Article repositories exist that categorizes content articles. Searching the repositories using keywords that are related to a websites theme will result in a wide variety of articles available for publication that are related to the site's existing web content. Articles in the repositories are available for syndication, which means webmasters can freely include the articles on their websites as long as they include the author resource box with valid links.
Use the following to locate topic specific articles:
Free Website Content - http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm
GoArticles - http://www.goarticles.com
2. RSS Feeds
The contents of many RSS feeds can be syndicated. The added benefit of syndicating feeds is that they are frequently updated which will result in a steady stream of fresh changing content. In order to reap the benefits of syndicating RSS feeds, webmasters should use either an ASP script or PHP script to display the feeds contents as HTML.
Webmasters can navigate categories of RSS feed directories to locate related topic feeds or search for feeds using keywords.
Search the following directories to locate related RSS feeds:
RSS Network - http://www.rss-network.com
RSS Locator - http://www.rss-locator.com
Free script for displaying RSS feeds as HTML:
rss2html.php - http://www.feedforall.com/free-php-script.htm
3. Shareware Listings
Consider populating a website or section of a website with related niche software applications. Many software companies offer applications as free downloads. The downloads allow potential customers the opportunity to try an application prior to making a purchase decision. Categorizing and displaying software that relates to a website theme can generate a lot of interest. Most developers provide product descriptions and information in a PAD file which is simply XML. Developers can locate PAD files using the ASP site and the PAD kit can be used to display the contents of the PAD file.
PAD Kit - http://www.asp-shareware.org
4. Creative Commons
A Creative Commons license allows creators to place conditions on their copyrights. Many artists allow other publishers to use their creative and artwork, occasionally there are conditions that credit must be given, while others are available freely. Web publishers can find a lot of unique content, images and creative using the new Yahoo Creative Commons Search.
The Yahoo! Creative Commons Search service finds content across the Web that has a Creative Commons license.
Yahoo Creative Commons Search - http://search.yahoo.com/cc
More on Creative Commons - http://www.creativecommons.com
5. Forums
Consider creating a community forum where like-minded individuals or at the very least individuals with a common interest can discuss problems, concerns, related products or ideas. The forum posts will generate a fresh stream of new and self perpetuating website content.
Free Forum *note be sure to stay current on updates
PHPbb - http://www.phpbb.com
6. White Papers
Provide white papers, customer profiles or endorsements that detail how applications can be used in a specific industry. Creating a white paper section that explains how a specific product or service is used in a specific industry to solve a problem or increase productivity gives potential customers insight into how a specific service, product or technology will help in the course of a day.
Sample White Papers - http://www.notepage.net/whitepapers.htm
7. Directories
Creating a directory of related sites while time consuming can result in significant traffic. Directories typically are well respected resources and rank well in search engines.
Sample Niche Directories :
Podcasting Tools - http://www.podcasting-tools.com
Finance Investing Feed Directory - http://www.finance-investing.com
8. Newsletter Archive
If done properly online marketers see an almost instantaneous sales or traffic increases when they send newsletters but many do not benefit long term from the newsletter. Consider creating a newsletter archive, the content is already built, why not benefit from the potential traffic and unique phrases used, to attract new or potential customers?
Sample Archive
Software Marketing Newsletters - http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/articledirectory.html
9. Blog.
Ride the technological wave. A daily journal with information related to product or service launches, specials, technical tips, new product announcements
Sample Blog Archive
Our Blog - http://www.icoBlog.com
As search engines combat the problems with artificially generated a non-sensical web content , webmasters must integrate quality, themed content that is going to legitimately interest prospective customers.
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