Create Custom Download URLs w/AudioAcrobat

Have you ever clicked on an extremely long URL only to discover that the link takes you to an ‘error’ page?  Did you then copy/paste the entire URL into your web browser’s address bar … and it worked?

If our readers have answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, they might just have been victims of digital truncation.  That’s right folks, truncation of the URL.

In today’s posting, we will take our readers through the process of creating custom download links within their AudioAcrobat account, making sure that their recipients do not fall victim to digital truncation.

What is a Download URL?  It’s a link, right?

When an AudioAcrobat member wishes to share an MP3 file with one or more persons, they would generate what we call the ‘MP3 Download Link‘, otherwise known as a ‘Download URL‘ or ‘Download Link‘.  This link will end in ‘.mp3’ and gives users the ability to save the MP3 directly to their computer’s hard drive.  Another handy use for MP3 Download Links include feeding web-based players the file URL for instant streaming (like the fabulous WPAudio WordPress plugin).

OK, I have the audio in my account.  How do I customize it?

If our readers haven’t already created an audio, we recommend looking HERE, HERE or HERE first.  Once the audio has been created, the customization can be applied using the following procedure:

Quick Steps:

1. Login to your AudioAcrobat account
2. Click the blue “Audio” tab
3. Click the title of the Audio you wish to customize
4. Click “Edit Description”

Expanded Steps:

Login to your AudioAcrobat account

Click the blue “Audio” tab

Click the title of the Audio you wish to customize

Click “Edit Description”

Here, our readers will find themselves on a page labeled, ‘Edit Audio Description‘.  At the bottom of this page, there is a section labeled, ‘Audio Filename’.  This section contains a field which will display the current filename for the individual selected recording; which, by default, is a string of random letters and numbers.

This long string of letters and numbers can be easily customized to add relevance to your audio’s download URL and will also give your recipient a much more specific view of the file they’re about to download to their computer’s hard drive.

Note: Punctuation is limited to underscores and hyphens only.  Do not add a file extension to the end of the name.

Once our readers have updated their filename to their liking, all changes can be saved by clicking ‘Save Changes Now‘.  From this point forward, the filename will be updated when Publishing a Download Link.

Note: If our readers have published a download link prior to updating the filename, they’ll need to re-publish the link, as older versions will go inactive.

Want to learn more about AudioAcrobat?  Go ahead, give it a try yourself by signing up for a 30 day Free Trial or join one of our FREE Training Classes without signing up for squat.  Already have an account?  Login HERE.

Coming up next … customizing video download links!