Download Monitor- Free and Easy File Management Plugin for WordPress
Posted on September 11th, 2023
Download monitor is a powerful file management plugin that provides an intuitive user interface for managing and uploading downloadable files. It allows you to track the total number of downloads with IP address and country of the users downloading the files.
Imagine you run a website and want to share files like documents or images with your visitors. To do this easily, you’d need a tool, and that’s where the Download Monitor plugin comes in.
- Easy to Use: This plugin is designed to be super simple. It works smoothly with WordPress, so you can add and organize files just like you’d upload a picture to your website.
- Know Your Audience: It’s not just about uploading files; it also keeps track of who’s downloading them. It tells you how many times a file was downloaded and even where those downloaders are from.
- Save Time: If you have lots of similar files to share, the plugin has a handy tool that lets you copy them quickly. This saves you time when managing lots of stuff.
- Extra Goodies: Download Monitor isn’t just basic; it comes with extra features. You can add special rules for downloading files, keep your content safe with Google reCAPTCHA, or show which files are the most popular. It’s like having a toolkit for your files.
- Tailored to Your Needs: If you want to do even more with it, you can add extra features using things called extensions. Think of them as add-ons that give your plugin superpowers. You can customize it to fit your website perfectly.
- For Everyone: Whether you’re selling digital stuff or just want to organize your files neatly, Download Monitor can help. It’s flexible and can suit different needs.
- No Need to Spend: And guess what? There’s a free version of this plugin, so you can get started without spending a dime.
So, if you want to make sharing files on your website a breeze, let’s dive deeper into Download Monitor. We’ll explore what it can do and how it can make managing your website’s files easy and efficient.
The plugin offers many features like terms and conditions for downloads, Google reCAPTCHA, display downloads by popularity, members-only downloads, and many more. You can also use popular extensions like Page Addons, Gravity Form Lock, CSV Importer, and more to increase plugin functionality.
It’s an ideal plugin for those who want to sell digital downloads with wordpress. If you don’t want to sell your files, just manage them, then the free download monitor plugin might be exactly what you need.
How to Use Download Monitor on your WordPress Website
For using “Download Monitor” on your wordpress website, the first step you need to do is install and activate it.
Install and Activate the Plugin
Installing a plugin is an easy process. Simply log in to your wordpress admin panel and click on the “Plugins >> Add New” button and type “Download Monitor” on the search box. Find the correct plugin, install and activate it.
Now let’s complete the configuration process.
Configuring the Plugin
After activating the plugin, click the notification link that came at the top of the Plugins page.
To function properly, the plugin needs to create a page on your wordpress website. Remember, if you don’t plan on selling downloads, then don’t have to create a “Cart” and “Checkout” page. For instance, we create the “No Access” page.
The configuration process is now completed. Let’s create a download.
Creating a Downloads
In your wordpress dashboard click on the “Downloads >> Add New “ button to create downloads. It will show you like this:
Each download will need a title, optional description, and a featured image just like a regular post. Give the appropriate title to your download and scroll down the page. You will see the “Downloadable file/Version” section just below the “description” section. Simply click on the “Add File” button.
Now the plugin will ask you to upload a file or to browse for a file.
Click on the “Upload file” button to upload a file as you wish to add to the download from your computer or wordpress media library. You can tag and categorize your download. This makes it easy for you to manage and organize all files.
Once you upload a file, click on the “Publish” button located at the top right of the page. When the download is published, simply refresh the page. You will see a shortcode on the right side of your page. Just copy it.
Show the Download in a Page or Post
Now open a new post or page, give an appropriate title that suits your download. Paste the shortcode just below the title and publish the post.
Each download has its own unique shortcode. Once you create one download, you can assign other downloads to the same page or post by just pasting its shortcode.
The download count depends on the visitor’s IP address. e.g. if you download the file multiple times from the same device, the download remains the same. The downloads will be displayed according to the template you select.
View download stats
The plugin helps you tracking downloads information such as:
- The total number of downloads: in the download list, you can see how many visitors have downloaded the file. You can see these statistics by hovering over “Download” and click on the “All Download” link.
- Download Reports: to see the download report, mouse over the “Download” and click the “Report” link.
Here you can see statistics like daily average downloads, daily downloads, monthly downloads, and most popular downloads all on a bar graph or line graph.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Download Monitor is your go-to buddy if you’re into selling digital stuff and keeping tabs on who’s grabbing your files. It’s like having a trusty sidekick that saves you loads of time and effort.
So, what have we learned today? Managing, tracking, and staying in control of your file downloads in WordPress doesn’t have to be a headache. With Download Monitor by your side, it’s a breeze.
You can effortlessly sell your digital goodies, see who’s interested in them, and make sure everything runs smoothly on your website. It’s like having a superpower for your online file-sharing needs.
