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After Download Redirect for Downloads from Your WordPress Site

Posted: 15 May 2019 10:09 PM PDT

If you wish to offer free downloadable items on your website, TTHQ’s very own Simple Download Monitor and Manager Plugin allows you to do so with ease. If you find that you not only wish to offer downloads but also wish to redirect the visitor to another URL after they click the ‘Download Now’ button, then the Secure Downloads Addon will come in handy.

An after download redirection can be used for a number of reasons, although primarily a redirection is used to convenience the user, to up-sell a similar or premium option or to further explain the use of a product. In some circumstances, a redirection is used to ensure the user has sighted the privacy or terms and conditions page of a website.

Simple Download Monitor and Manager Explained

SDM Plugin: Allows you to create buttons that your visitors can click to receive a downloadable file. The Simple Download Monitor Plugin also allows admin to keep track of the user base downloading and how many times a single item has been downloaded.

Secure Downloads Addon: This is an extension for the SDM Plugin that allows admin to further protect the location of their downloadable item. This prevents the spreading of downloadable content. The Secure Downloads Addon also allows admin to create an auto redirection after download.

What is an After Download Redirection?

An after download redirection occurs after the user has clicked on the ‘Download Now‘ button. The redirection will send the user from the page where the download is available to a URL of admin’s choosing.

The user will land on a page where the ‘Download Now’ button is apparent.
The user clicks the ‘Download’ button and the item begins downloading.
After a couple of seconds, the user is redirected to another URL.

Why Should I Redirect my Users After Download?

If you are already using the Simple Download Monitor and Manager Plugin on your website, you may be wishing to redirect your customer base to another page after they click the download button. If you are not using the SDM plugin, you may like to make the switch so that you can implement a redirection by using the appropriate addon.

Some administrators choose to have a redirection after a downloadable item has been clicked on so that they can offer further content and downloads that they have available. For instance, your user may have just downloaded a free song although you wish to direct them to a page where the premium version can be purchased. Redirection can be a way to ‘up-sell’ to the customer. While the SDM Monitor is used primarily by those offering free content to their users, this does not mean you cannot redirect to a products page.

Other times a redirection is used to benefit the user. For example, once the customer has clicked the download button there might not be much else on that page so it makes sense to redirect the user back to the home page or main page of the website.

Below we’ve listed a few reasons why a redirection after download may be an option on your website:

Use a download redirection to up-sell further items from a product page
Redirect your users to a homepage after they download an item to convenience the user
After the user has clicked the ‘Download Now’ button, implement a redirection to a page that explains how to use the download correctly (this is appropriate if you are offering some kind of free software or game)
Use an after download redirection to expose the user to a premium addition of the download (This is an option for photographers who have a free lite photo and a premium high definition photo)

Configuring a Redirect After Download on My WordPress Website

If you wish to direct your user base after they download an item on your website, you will need to have:

A WordPress Website
The Simple Download Monitor Plugin (Free)
The Hidden/Private/Secure Downloads Addon (Premium)

Ensure you have both the SDM Plugin and the Addon mentioned above, installed and activated on your WordPress website prior to continuing. In the next section, the set up required is explained. Once you have followed the instructions, you will have:

A Downloadable Product Set Up
A Download Now Button on a WordPress Page
An After Download Redirection Configured

Video Tutorial: Creating an After Download Redirect

1) Setting Up a Download

Step 1) Ensure the Simple Download Monitor and Manager Plugin is installed and activated on your WordPress website.

Step 2) Gain basic knowledge of the plugin by reading the following documentation.

Step 3) Click on the ‘Downloads‘ menu. Click the ‘Add New‘ button to create a new download.

Step 4) Give your download a title and a description. Add the download the customers will receive by clicking the ‘Select File‘ button.

Step 5) Add a ‘File Thumbnail‘ if you wish too.

Step 6) Add your download to a category and apply tags.

Step 7) Click the ‘Publish‘ button to save your downloadable item.

Your downloadable item will now appear under the ‘Downloads‘ menu.

2) Creating a Page with a Secure Download

You have now created a download. Next you will need to ensure you have the Secure Downloads Addon installed and activated on your WordPress website.

Step 1) Create a post or a page. This is where we will put the download button.

Step 2) Give your page a title and then add a text block to explain what the download is. You may wish to also add an image.

Step 3) Copy and paste the following shortcode into a ‘Shortcode‘ block on your post/page:

[sdm_hidden_download id="4101"]

Step 4) You will need to open your ‘Downloads‘ menu in a new tab and replace the download ID in the shortcode with the correct ID of your downloadable item.

Step 5) Click the ‘Publish‘ button to publish out the post/page.

Step 6) You will now have a post/page with a download button. The download button will work although we are yet to apply a redirection. Please complete step 3 below to apply the redirection.

3) Applying a Redirect to a Downloadable Item

Step 1) Click the ‘Hidden Downloads‘ menu. This can be found under ‘Downloads‘. Ensure all settings are correct.

Step 2) Click on the ‘Downloads‘ menu. Click the ‘Edit‘ button for the download you just created.

Step 3) Scroll down until you see the ‘After Download Redirect‘ section. Copy and paste the URL of the page where you wish those who download this item to be directed to.

Step 4) Alter the number of seconds for the redirection to occur after if you need to. This should be no less than 3 seconds.

Step 5) Click the ‘Update‘ button. Return to the page where you paste the shortcode.

Step 6) View the page with the download button on the front end of your website. Ensure the redirection works after hitting the download now button.

Purchase the Secure Downloads Addon or find out more about setting it up on your WordPress website here.

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