In this day and age, nearly all of our daily activities involve technology and the internet. We use it for recreation, entertainment, academic purposes, business, and many more. Seeing as the internet is so involved in our lives, many people use it to share or host their digital assets. This helps them gain access to a wider audience and expand the reach of these assets.
Sadly, putting your assets on the internet means that it is prone to several issues such as plagiarism, unfair use, and content theft among several other things. To prevent this from happening, many choose to invest in precautionary measures ahead of time. This includes something called DRM.
What is DRM?
DRM is a method used to regulate and control the way copyrighted material is shared or used on digital platforms. You may be wondering at this point, what does DRM mean? It stands for Digital Rights Management.
DRM exists to protect your digital assets from being illegally distributed or copied. If you are unsure of what this means, Digital assets are any type of material stored digitally or virtually. This includes things such as e-books, games, audio, videos, along with many other types of content that we utilize every day. They are most commonly protected by Copyright. However, in some cases, this isn’t enough.
These days, many content creators such as musicians, filmmakers, and authors fall victim to the unfair use of their material. Due to the significant advancements in technology throughout the years, the process of interacting with each other on digital platforms is easier than ever. People have access to certain resources and methods that allow them to replicate, distribute, or modify copyrighted content within a few simple clicks. DRM provides a solid wall of protection to prevent this from happening.
How Does DRM Work?
Those who pay for these assets are naturally the ones who get to maximize their features. However, users have come up with several ways to obtain the assets for free. Thus, Piracy remains one of the biggest issues that content creators find difficult to eliminate. This is why creators turn to DRM protection. In order to combat the increasing rates of theft and illegal distribution, innovative methods must be imposed to ensure that creators will always be one step ahead.
How Does DRM Work?
With how DRM is described, it comes off as a solution to issues that have already happened. In reality, it works to block illegal advances before they can become a threat. This is what makes DRM a reliable resource for protection. It enforces state-of-the-art codes and technology to regulate how the content can be used and who can access it.
Copyrighted material equipped with DRM is protected from:
Illegal documentation and distribution such as users sharing them via torrent websites, screenshots, screen recordings, and many more.
Use outside the designated area, meaning that the content will only be valid on certain regions, IP addresses, and devices.
Plagiarism, by including watermarks or other marks of ownership on the material to prevent users from printing or replicating them in other ways.
Use beyond the allotted time limit, only allowing users to take advantage of the material a certain number of times or during the period of its validity.
DRM Use Cases
Although you may not realize it, many of the features that you encounter while using your favourite applications are a form of Digital Asset Management. Mainstream media such as TV series, movies, books, and music are all copyrighted material that users can enjoy for a certain price. To shield this content from being used for unjust purposes, companies and creators use various forms of Digital Asset Management.
Below are some of the most common ways in which DRM is used:
– Blocking Documentation Methods or Software – Video streaming services such as Netflix are only accessible through a paid subscription. Users can take screenshots or screengrabs while enjoying the content. However, the results will only show a black screen once they have been saved to the device.
– Setting Limitations – Certain audio streaming platforms such as Spotify or The Apple iTunes Music Store set a limit on how many devices can utilize their services at the same time. For iTunes users, downloaded songs come with a history of their purchase and usage to ensure that only the valid devices can benefit from them.
– Eliminating Plagiarized Works or Copies – Digital Assets are prone to be replicated into counterfeit copies, often sold at a cheaper price. This prompt several forms of loss on the owner’s end, which is why they invest in DRM protection to trace these products and eliminate them swiftly.
– Maintaining User Privacy – DRM is a useful tool when it comes to upholding confidentiality. It can track which users have viewed the material and when it was last opened. It can also restrict its access so that it will only be available to users that have gained access directly from the owner.
– Security Services – DRM eliminates the possibility of users tampering with the asset’s software. One example is Microsoft, wherein they regulate access by imposing a special key that users must input before accessing their services. Microsoft specifically uses a feature called PlayReady, which blocks any unauthorized use of their products and software.
Pros of DRM
There are many reasons why companies and copyright holders choose to invest in DRM protection. Aside from protection, it also offers some benefits that owners would not be able to achieve on their own. Some of these advantages include:
Emphasizes Ownership
Many users grab copyrighted work and claim it as their own, taking the credit, praise, and even profits away from the original owner. This can be seen in content such as digital artwork, songs, e-books, and more. This is unfair towards the copyright holder, as many of them spend countless hours developing and improving these assets before they are even launched.
DRM protection is often equipped with advanced software that is able to scan through the internet and identify any form of work that bears resemblance to the original material. It resolves this issue and prevents it from happening by scanning virtual platforms for copies and taking them down.
Educates Users to Consume Content Wisely
Many of us are guilty of skipping the terms and conditions when we are making our accounts or purchasing something. The same goes for copyright policies. With DRM, copyright holders and consumers are provided with a direct mode of communication to each other. This way, consumers will know what they must do and what they need to avoid when using copyrighted material. Since DRM enables owners to track the consumers’ activity, they can also send out warnings or reminders whenever they detect suspicious activity taking place.
Minimizes Loss and Secures Profit
Counterfeit products are incredibly common in the online market. They profit off the works of other people, usually replicating their content with lower quality resources and selling them for a cheaper price. Unfortunately, many people choose to entertain copies instead of the original since they think it is a “good deal.” DRM quickly tracks these products and has them removed to ensure that copyright holders receive the credit and profit they are due.
DRM also works with large companies to prevent Piracy. Video and audio streaming platforms are one of the main targets of piracy since users can document the contents and share it with an unauthorized platform. This also happens with paid games and subscription-based applications, wherein they are cracked and shared for free on certain websites. With DRM, screen recordings and screenshots are often prohibited. The full services of an asset can also be limited only to those who are paying for it.
Maintains Confidentiality Between Owners and Consumers
DRM enforces strict methods to protect the privacy of users and owners alike. When it comes to providing and handling sensitive information on the internet, you must be sure that the platform you are transacting on is secure and free from threats. DRM makes sure that your information is completely safe, as it allows you to manipulate when the information can be accessed, where it will be used, and who can view it.
Cons of DRM
Although Digital Rights Management is a great resource to have on your side when it comes to guarding your property, it also comes with its disadvantages.
Limits Enjoyment and Causes Inconvenience
Seeing as DRM strictly monitors and controls how users can use the assets, consumers do not get to use the content in the way they want. There are times wherein users encounter certain inconveniences, such as not being able to make copies of documents for backup and personal use. Handicapped consumers also face the challenge of not being able to use a screen reader, since DRM often blocks the usage of third-party features of applications.
It is Not Piracy Proof
No matter how secure your DRM protection is, there will always be a way to crack it. This is why piracy is still a large problem among content creators and companies, even though many of them have already entrusted their digital assets to DRM. It is definitely invincible or impossible to overcome, as many unauthorized users are becoming well versed with the way DRM protection is programmed. This only means that DRM software must continue to improve moving forward to remain at an advantage.
For various forms of content, companies often strive to achieve maximum views and impressions, particularly when it comes to marketing materials, advertisements, social media posts, and press releases. However, there exist specific types of content for which companies seek to restrict access to only ‘authorized’ individuals or organizations. This category includes educational content, training manuals, design specifications, research reports, price sheets, financial documents, board materials, and more. Such content demands a degree of protection and control to safeguard its integrity and confidentiality.
In this article, we will elucidate eight distinct reasons why you should contemplate the adoption of a content protection and digital rights management (DRM) solution. These solutions play a pivotal role in ensuring the security and controlled access of diverse types of content.
1. To Protect Revenue Streams
Content can make money for many companies, like associations, schools, research firms, and others who publish stuff. Whether you make money by selling eBooks, research reports, training videos, or through memberships, you must keep your digital stuff safe from people who aren’t supposed to see it.
If you don’t protect your stuff, it could be easily shared, printed, copied, or given away for free, and you’ll lose money. Even if you put your stuff on a secure website or system, you’re only securing the place where the stuff is, not the stuff itself.
Good content protection and DRM software help you control who can see, share, download, or print your stuff. This means only people who pay for it can access it, so you can keep your money safe and even make more!
2. To Increase ROI and Profit
Making content that people like and that makes money from sales, subscriptions, or memberships can cost a lot. It takes a bunch of time, money, and other stuff to create. But don’t waste it! Make sure you keep your investment safe and your profits up by protecting this kind of content.
If you’re not making as much money as you think you should be or not getting the money you wanted in return, don’t blame the folks who made the content. It’s not the writers, designers, or the marketing team’s fault. It might just be that people are getting your content without paying for it. Maybe a really important research report, a regular document, or a training video accidentally ended up on a social media site. Or perhaps those licenses you sold for one person are actually being used by whole companies, which means you’re missing out on money from selling bigger licenses.
The thing is, unless you keep your content safe and in control, your customers or members might share it with others for free, and that cuts into your profits. Content protection and digital rights management software can help stop this from happening. It makes sure that only the folks who paid for your content get to see it, and it sticks to the rules you’ve set.
3. To Protect Intellectual Property (IP)
Intellectual property (IP) is a term that covers a lot of different things. It could be a patent, something with copyright, training materials, educational stuff, market reports, data you use to make decisions, price reports, and content in text, video, or audio. All of this is intellectual property, and it needs to be kept safe, controlled, and tracked.
Some people think that just registering their IP with things like patents, trademarks, or copyrights is enough to keep it safe. But that’s just the start. Registering your IP doesn’t stop hackers, pirates, competitors, or others from using your stuff without permission and sharing it.
To really protect your digital content, you need something called file-level content protection and digital rights management (DRM). This stops all sorts of people from getting into your content and leaking it.
The good news is that modern DRM solutions don’t have to be hard for the people who want to use your content. You can choose a solution that doesn’t make them download extra stuff like plugins or apps. They can access your protected content through a secure custom-made portal, a learning system, an online store, an association management system, a content management system, or any other system you like. It’s all about keeping your intellectual property safe and making it easy for the people who should see it.
4. To Earn More Revenue Through Multi-Tiered Subscriptions
The subscription business model is becoming more popular, and many businesses that used to sell products for a one-time “forever” purchase are switching to selling subscriptions. These subscriptions can be monthly, yearly, or for a specific period. While the subscription model has its advantages over one-time sales, there are some important steps to take if you want to make more money. One of these steps is offering different subscription levels and prices.
If you provide various subscription levels with different prices and unique services or options for each level, you can increase your revenue. If you don’t offer these pricing options, you might lose customers to competitors who already do.
When you sell content as part of a subscription, you can control access by setting time limits that match the subscription period. However, there are other ways to manage access using Digital Rights Management (DRM) controls. For a lower-priced subscription, you can limit the number of files a subscriber can access, control how many times they can open or print your content, or restrict access to just one device or IP address. For a higher-priced subscription, you can provide access to more files and allow users to view the content on multiple devices, and so on.
By using an advanced DRM solution, you can customize your subscription plans with different DRM controls for each subscription level. This flexibility helps you cater to the needs of different customers and maximize your revenue potential.
5. To Gain More Members and Membership Revenue
Many businesses, including associations and non-profit organizations, offer valuable content to attract new members and increase their membership numbers. However, once these members access and download the content they want, they may decide not to renew their membership or cancel it altogether. Alternatively, some people might sign up for a less expensive single-user membership and then share their login details with friends, colleagues, or others from their organization. This sharing means you miss out on potential revenue.
This loss of members and membership revenue can be avoided by implementing a content protection and DRM solution. Such a solution allows you to protect individual content files and apply different DRM rules for various membership types. For instance, you could enforce strict policies like limiting access to one device and no downloads for individual members who pay a smaller fee. Meanwhile, you could offer more lenient policies, such as allowing access on ten devices and unlimited downloads, for corporate-level members. You can even introduce additional subscription tiers for both individual and corporate memberships.
Remember that if you leave your content unprotected for one member, they can easily download, copy, and potentially share it with thousands of others. By safeguarding your content and applying different access controls for different types of members, you can actually increase your revenue from your valuable content.
6. To Restrict Unauthorized Access
Content such as trade secrets, design specs, board documents, price lists, internal manuals, and other confidential or sensitive types of content are designed to only be seen by a specific audience and perhaps for only a limited time. This type of content can be highly prone to unauthorized sharing, insider theft, or other type of digital leaks. A digital rights management (DRM) solution can help you protect this type of content from potential threats as you can grant access to only the specified audience with certain restrictions placed on the content (no printing, no copying, no sharing) or certain limits imposed on the user (device limits, IP address limits, open limits). You can also control the access with expiry dates or revoke access at any time if you suspect any fraud or malfeasance.
To Restrict Unauthorized Access
7. To Prevent Password Sharing
Many people believe that protecting their content with a strong password will keep it safe from unauthorized access. However, even the toughest passwords can be easily shared with others, allowing anyone with that password to gain access. According to a report by Yubico in 2019, two out of three individuals share passwords with colleagues to access accounts.
The most effective way to tackle password sharing is to implement Digital Rights Management (DRM). A comprehensive DRM solution like Vitrium goes beyond standard authentication methods and lets content owners have precise control at the file level, assigning access rights to individuals or groups. This granular control includes things like setting limits on the number of devices, IP addresses, print access, and even restricting access based on location (like country and state).
For instance, imagine you’ve given a recent subscriber access with a one-device limit to view your content. Even if that person shares their password with a friend or colleague, the second person won’t get access because of the limit you’ve set. If you choose not to have such strict limits, you can still refer to detailed user activity logs in your DRM software. These logs provide information about who’s accessing your content, from which IP address, using which device, and more.
Good DRM solutions also offer detailed analytics reports that let you dig deeper. You can see which users spend the most time with your content, what pages they’ve read, how long they’ve watched a video, and much more. This way, you have a better understanding of how your content is being used and who your most engaged users are.
8. To Prevent Content Piracy
Digital piracy continues to pose an ongoing threat to all types of content, regardless of its format. Back in the days of the second generation of cellular networks (2G), when data transmission systems couldn’t handle complex data like videos, piracy was rampant. For some, the primary motive behind piracy was to access expensive content without paying for it. Others were driven by the desire to possess and store files on their local hard drives.
With advancements in technology, such as cloud storage, improved streaming capabilities, and widespread access to broadband internet and 4G devices, many experts believed that piracy would decline. It appeared that even pirates might prefer subscribing to content services like Netflix for a reasonable monthly fee rather than dealing with the costs and hassles of storing large amounts of data locally. Consequently, numerous content providers adopted the subscription model, leading to the growth of subscription-based businesses.
However, the proliferation of content subscriptions has resulted in users having to subscribe to multiple apps to access the content they desire. In many cases, this means spending as much as they did before, if not more. This situation has rekindled the motivation for piracy. According to estimates from The Global Innovation Policy Center, global online piracy costs the U.S. economy a substantial $29.2 billion in lost revenue annually.
To safeguard your content from pirates, it’s crucial to employ robust security measures. These include military-grade encryption and various DRM controls such as device limits, IP address restrictions, location-based restrictions, print limitations, expiry dates, and more. Additionally, monitoring and analyzing how your content is being used can provide valuable insights and complement the protection and control measures you’ve implemented. Protecting your content and understanding its usage are both essential in the battle against piracy.
In conclusion, implementing a Content Protection and DRM solution is not merely a prudent choice; it’s a strategic necessity for content creators and distributors in today’s digital ecosystem. With the persistent specter of unauthorized access and piracy, investing in DRM technology becomes an essential step toward ensuring long-term success and sustainability in the digital content landscape. Protecting your content and revenue streams while maximizing profitability becomes more achievable with the right DRM solution by your side.
A big part of how today’s digital content economy functions is through digital rights management, where content owners use digital asset management systems and other DRM tools to require payment for access to their material.
While DRM tools are great for locking down content, they also deliver additional benefits to organizations that use them.
This article explores the benefits of implementing digital rights management software, and how DRM tools can help organizations across a wide spectrum of industries stay compliant with licensing agreements, protect profits, and keep sensitive information out of the hands of unauthorized users.
What is digital rights management?
Digital rights management (DRM) is technology created to prevent illegal use, theft, and distribution of digital content. DRM protects digital content by employing multiple strategies to eliminate methods for creating duplicates of protected files or sending those files to others.
DRM solutions are multifaceted and IP holders can configure them to meet a variety of use cases. Limitations that organizations can implement via DRM include limits on sharing, printing, forwarding, downloading, saving copies, editing, or maintaining access to content outside a defined (subscription or rental) window.
Why is it important to protect digital content?
Because of the open architecture of the internet, most files by default can be downloaded and shared freely. But marketable digital assets — those designed to be sold or licensed to businesses and consumers — cannot remain marketable under these conditions. And businesses creating these assets can’t remain solvent without a way to limit transmission by requiring purchase or subscription for access to this content.
The benefits of digital rights management
For rights holders and others on the income-earning side of digital content, digital rights management delivers numerous benefits. In some cases, it singlehandedly enables profitability and allows for the continued viability of digital business models.
1. Protection of intellectual property
First, digital rights management protects intellectual property.In an online-first (or even online-only) world, many businesses profit solely or primarily from digital goods. The most obvious example is TV and film content.
While you can still buy movies on disc, the numbers show that most people don’t anymore. From 2011 to 2021, the total number of annual physical video transactions dropped nearly 5 billion, from 6.1 to 1.2 billion.
Consumers now pay for a digital copy of that video content, or they use streaming services they’re already paying for.
Without digital rights management, those downloaded files could be transferred, stored, given away, resold— anything you can do with pictures and video, you could do with the latest movie or Netflix series.
For businesses that rely on sales of or subscriptions to their digital content, DRM is often a necessary component of protecting that intellectual property and the profits the IP generates.
2. Prevents unauthorized use of content
Even in today’s market where businesses have access to DRM systems, an estimated 20% of potential revenue on video content is still lost to piracy.
DRM in most cases prevents users from getting their hands on a usable, transferable high-fidelity copy of whatever file or digital asset is being protected. And by preventing users from stealing this content, DRM reduces the possibility of unauthorized uses of that content.
3. Safeguards income streams
How Digital Rights Management Solution Benefits A Business
Additionally, digital rights management helps to safeguard income streams. When users cannot gain free, illegal access, they are left with a choice, to either gain legal access (which typically involves payment) or to go without.
Preventing piracy through DRM ensures more people will pay for a digital asset when they have no other easy option to access it.
4. Educates users about copyright and intellectual property
Part of the problem with online piracy is that users don’t always understand how copyright and intellectual property laws work.
Many who pirate content have a cursory understanding that what they’re doing is vaguely unethical and maybe illegal. When users run into DRM limitations, those guardrails can help to further understand what’s okay and what’s not.
5. Ensures regulatory compliance
Digital rights management is a valuable tool in ensuring regulatory compliance. This is a part of why users in the U.K. and the U.S. have different experiences of Netflix (and virtually every other streaming service with a multinational presence).
Copyright law and content licensing are not universal. Different countries and regions have different regulations and laws, which content distributors must follow if they are to operate in a given country. Additionally, a copyright holder could license content to one group in North America but another in the EU.
Let’s imagine a TV show produced in Australia. Let’s say a local distributor has rights to an Aussie-produced show, but Netflix purchases the rights to distribute in the U.S. Netflix operates in Australia — but it cannot show this TV show there. DRM (specifically, geolocation) is one tool Netflix uses to limit content and ensure compliance.
But DRM isn’t limited to entertainment.
Healthcare records are protected, surrounded by a litany of local, national, and global regulations. DRM can be used to lock down electronic health records and ensure compliance with the relevant regulations.
6. Enables content localization and enhanced analytics
The other less visible side of geolocation within DRM is how it benefits both customers and content providers. By recognizing where a user is, global distributors can localize content to that user. In some cases this looks like a different default language, but it could cover numerous other elements, like branding, required display information (such as content ratings), and default currency.
7. Improved data security
Traditional data security is entirely credentials based. If a user can establish their credentials (via one or more factors of authentication), they can access the data. If a user cannot establish credentials, they cannot gain access.
This system works better when organizations use two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA), but it focuses on only one part of the problem with data security, access.
Data security has at least two facets, though: access and control. Credentials grant access, but what if you want finer control on what users do with that access?
Digital rights management has a role to play here. Instead of leaving files wide open for anyone with credential access to use as they please, DRM protection could limit what those with access can do with the materials they can access.
For example, imagine a sensitive company document or one with confidential information. You may need to control access, allowing various users to have differing kinds of access, with some in each of these categories:
Full access (can download the file)
Edit access (can make changes to the file but cannot download)
View access (can see and use the file but cannot download or make changes)
This is one relatively simple example, and DRM technologies can go even deeper and more granular as needed.
Who benefits from digital rights management?
Digital rights management can be used in numerous contexts and for many purposes, so the list of groups and industries that can benefit from DRM is long and diverse.
Authors, composers, content creators: Anyone creating original works of intellectual property can benefit from DRM as they seek to monetize their creative works. (Implementing DRM software on the solo or solopreneur level can be logistically burdensome, though some DRM protections may be available through popular distribution networks.)
OTT and VOD digital media providers (streaming services): Preventing downloads and ensuring the right people access the right content is core to the business model.
Video games, mobile apps, and software applications: Limiting use to paying customers is vital to commercial viability in some software and video gaming contexts.
Businesses dealing with confidential documents, trade secrets, and otherwise proprietary or sensitive data
Digital music distributors and streaming services: Artists and copyright holders require payment for sales, downloads, and streams; DRM systems help contain music so that more of these streams are counted.
Of course, this is just a sample list; the real-world use cases are more numerous and more varied than those listed here.
Best practices for effective digital rights management
Implementing DRM effectively is not always simple. You need to do it in a way that meets your company’s needs and obligations without alienating customers through poor user experience or pushing end-users to alternate (including illegal) methods.
As you build a digital rights management strategy for your business, consider these best practices:
Understand your customers, both internal and external: If DRM creates an obnoxious user experience, you’ll create an incentive to bypass it.
Take a nuanced approach: Not every piece of content needs to be protected, and some pieces (free lead generators and advertising-oriented content) should never be.
Realize the downsides: Especially on the consumer level, DRM on fully purchased content (rather than rented or subscription-based) can create a negative experience for users and could leave them without long-term access to something they believe they own.
Prioritize scalability: Put yourself in a position where your company — and its DRM solutions — can grow.
Protect your intellectual property with Digital Element
Digital rights management is a powerful way to protect assets, reclaim lost sales, demonstrate compliance, and keep sensitive documents secure. Core to many DRM applications is a clear understanding of where users reside geographically.
Sigma DRM provides superior geolocation data and global IP solutions that power digital rights management on a global scale.
Understanding when and how to effectively employ copyrighted assets, such as stock photos, logos, films, and more, can be a demanding task in itself. Inadequate use of copyrighted content can potentially lead to financial penalties or even legal consequences. Conversely, unauthorized usage of your own assets can also be problematic. Both scenarios are undesirable, and without consistent copyright management, you may remain unaware of such occurrences.
To address this challenge, you require a mechanism to promptly monitor the utilization of your content, as it is virtually impossible for a single individual to track all newly created content. Many businesses are now turning to digital rights management solutions to oversee their digital assets effectively.
In this article, we will delve into the top Digital Rights Management Tools. We will explore their key features and assess their effectiveness in providing high-quality solutions.
1. Digital Rights Management Tools Brandfolder
Top 15 Digital Rights Management Tools
Brandfolder is a cloud-based SaaS that offers digital asset and identity management (DAM) for brand-conscious organizations up to Enterprise-level. The platform, which was created with the intention of enabling businesses to enhance the organization, consistency, and efficiency over digital assets, is significant in that it enables the storage and manipulation of promotional materials inside a single cohesive environment.
Various marketing materials, including logos, pictures, typefaces, flyers, business cards, jingles, films, and even corporate color swatches, are kept side by side in layers that are simple to explore and automatically labeled for quick, intelligent searches.
Key Features:
Asset Lifecycle Management
ROI Tracking
Fulfillment Distribution
Metadata Management
Content Publishing Options
Cost:
No price info
2. Digital Rights Management Tools Sigma DRM/Multi-DRM
Sigma DRM is a solution developed by Thudo Multimedia. It aims to protect digital content during transmission on the internet and focuses on securing media content, providing a system with high availability and large load capacity.
Sigma DRM protects digital content during transmission on the internet and focuses on securing media content, providing a system with high availability and large load capacity. Sigma DRM also has received the Farncombe Security Audit® mark from Cartesian’sextensive review of our service.
Key Features:
Reporting & Statistics
API
Third Party Integrations
Customizable Branding
Customizable Templates
Content Management
Cost:
No price info
3. Filecamp
Filecamp is a digital asset management tool for marketers that is hosted in the cloud. It is made to maximize how photographs, movies, and documents are categorized, shared, and distributed. Users may organize and exchange digital assets into a searchable library with partners or other stakeholders, either internally or outside.
Unlimited users and sophisticated, flexible sharing permissions are included with Filecamp. Secure file sharing, an integrated media library, and online proofing allow businesses and clients to collaborate on creative projects.
Key Features:
Approval Process Control
Asset Categorization
Brand Guidelines
Client Management
Customizable Branding
Social Sharing
Cost:
$29 per month
4. Tizra
Tizra is one of the top digital rights management tools that aid in the planning, developing, and implementing digital resource hubs and content stores for organizations. Administrators may use the platform to arrange various materials, such as movies and documents, in a single repository.
Website navigation may be personalized by managers by adding unique logos and welcome messages. Tizra provides faceted search capabilities that enable users to filter and sort material to see results that are specific to them. To secure digital assets, operators can create session restrictions and add custom watermarks.
Key Features:
Digital Asset Management
Cataloging/Categorization
License Management
Indexing
PDF Protection
SEO Management
Cost:
$499 per month
5. Digify
Digify offers secure virtualized data spaces that are quick and simple to set up. When distributing and tracking important business papers to partners, clients, and investors, thousands of businesses use Digify to save time.
This system combines automatic watermarking, document security, and file tracking features for a set low cost. Digify has been highlighted in more than 60 international news media and is the recipient of several international prizes, including the top security competition RSA Innovation Sandbox.
Additionally, Digify has built-in file tracking and analytics that let users read an overview of file or document activity.
Key Features:
Approval Process Control
Audit Trail
Digital Watermarking
SSL Security
Secure File Viewer
Licence Management
Cost:
$165 per month
6. Red Points
Red Points is a brand intelligence platform that helps companies remove counterfeit goods, stop online piracy, claim and monetize content rights, and automatically monitor merchants to protect the future of any brand.
Red Points provides you with complete insight into a company’s online existence by integrating features for copyright enforcement, online brand protection, and distributor monitoring. Users may track and delete pirated content from any source using Red Point’s controlled source identification, automatic removal and deindex requests, and violation follow-ups with the help of anti-piracy professionals.
Red Points helps over 900 businesses battle counterfeiting, online piracy, and distribution abuse to keep control, boost their brand’s value, and boost sales.
Key Features:
Video Management
Trademark Tracking
Monitoring
Image Protection
Content Management
Cost:
No price info
7. Cortex
Cortex gives administrators the ability to create role-based restrictions for users and disable access when an LDAP account is disabled.
Due to Orange Logic’s commitment to flexibility and usability, a highly intuitive experience that meets and exceeds every departmental need has been developed. This has increased user adoption across the entire organisation and unlocked document management improved efficiency at scale.
Users of the platform can ingest, embed, extract, and display technical details, such as bitrate, colour space, and encoding types. Managers have the ability to set up numerous ingest procedures, batch ingest metadata from outside sources, monitor their status, and email updates on their progress.
Key Features:
Archiving & Retention
Asset Library
Automatic Backup
Catalog Creation
Content Publishing Options
Fulfillment Distribution
Cost:
$5000 per month
8. Imatag
Imatag is a platform for digital rights management (DRM) and data leak protection (DLP) for companies, media outlets, brands, and other organizations that use visual material. It provides solutions to track trademark leaks and copyright violations, and protect and monitor NDAs and secret data.
The digital watermark from Imatag Leaks tucks identifiers into an image’s pixels at random intervals. This enables precise identification and visual ownership recognition of digital assets.
Key Features:
Intellectual Property Protection
Monitoring
PDF Protection
Product Search
Reverse Image Search
Secure Data Storage
Social Media Monitoring
Usage Tracking/Analytics
Watermarking
Cost:
$250 per month
9. DRMtoday
DRMtoday is a cloud-based digital rights management and system for access control created to make it easier to distribute secured premium content across various platforms and devices. Users may restrict stream behavior, safeguard live and recorded content, and monitor licensing activities.
Users may manage and keep track of all licensing activities and customize distribution and authentication behavior with the help of DRMtoday’s web dashboard. According on the security levels of playback devices, stream behavior may be selectively enforced. Content can be made available through live playback, on-demand, offline, continuous sessions, and purchase, renting, or subscription.
Key Features:
Access Controls/Permissions
Access Revocation
Audio/Video Protection
Authentication
Digital Distribution Management
License Management
Monitoring
Cost:
No price info
10. MagicBox
MagicBox is a content creation and learning management system (LMS) that enables K–12 and higher education institutions to use the built–in themes, interactions, and templates to build and administer online courses.
By controlling digital rights and establishing role-based permissions, the digital content publication module enables staff members to guarantee the security of their work. It is intended for publishing services in higher education, scientific research, and CTE. A custom-branded eCommerce shop is also available to enhance content monetization.
Key Features:
Blended Learning
Course Management
Storyboarding
Student Information/Records
Student Portal
Synchronous Learning
Tests/Assessments
Third-Party Integrations
Training Companies
Video Conferencing
Virtual Classroom
eCommerce Management
Cost:
5000$ per month
11. Smart Protection
Smart Protection is a multinational brand, product, and content protection firm with a strong global presence. With the aid of its automated SaaS security platform, companies of all sizes may reduce the risks related to the online appropriation and exploitation of their trademarks, goods, and material.
The goal of Smart Protection is to educate people about the threats that are present and developing across digital platforms.
With the help of Smart Protection, brand owners, distributors, and content providers can see the whole digital ecosystem while also receiving insightful data that enables them to make more informed business choices.
Key Features:
Application Control
Data Loss Prevention
Advanced Threat Protection
HTTP Inspection
Traffic Monitoring
Cost:
No price info
12. Terentia
Terentia equips organizations working in the field of cultural heritage with the tools they need to manage data, generate insights, and create engaging digital narratives.
In order to create cutting-edge, user-friendly, enterprise-level digital solutions and services, Terentia works continually with cultural organizations to rethink, construct, integrate, and host them.
Terentia’s fully integrated, scalable, best-in-class technologies and services enable flexible workflows, dynamic operations, and more effective work from organizations.
Key Features:
License Management
Software Application Protection
Video Streaming
watermarking
Cost:
No price info
13. Caplinked
CapLinked is a web-based integrated file-sharing and document management system that enables companies to work with their partners and exchange crucial corporate data. Workspace Manager, Deal Tracker, Document Manager, File Protection Manager, and Integration Manager are the five integrated applications that make up the system. The primary target market for the solution is midrange and large businesses in various industries, including, among others, the legal, finance, energy, aerospace, and real estate sectors.
A customizable platform is offered by CapLinked Workspace Manager to handle company papers and keep them in one place. By assigning several document access modes to various user sets, businesses may customize their document security. Users may set up rules to access, edit, download, and upload documents as well as build custom groups and subgroups. Direct contact import from a SalesForce account into CapLinked is an option for businesses.
Key Features:
Audit Management
Bulk Uploading
Automatic Backup
Data Security
Indexing
Mobile Acess
Offline DRM
Cost:
$299 per month
14. PallyCon
PallyCon is a top-tier content protection service offered by INKA ENTWORKS that is relied upon by more than 200 customers worldwide. It offers OTT platforms 360-degree, cloud-based end-to-end content security, including features like Multi DRM, Forensic Watermarking, Visible Watermarking, Distributor Watermarking, Anti-Piracy services, and App Security with Quick and Simple integration. For OTT owners, it offers an all-inclusive solution.
All workers at INKA Entworks are encouraged to focus on their growth as well as research and development in order to create a stronger business and workforce.
Key Features:
Analyze and follow up on content use
Watermark shared documents and provide
Cost:
No price info
15. Primetime DRM
Primetime DRM may secure content and offer various business models such as anonymous, subscription, renting, and download-to-own content for desktop, iOS, Android, Roku, Xbox, and embedded device devices. Tailored experiences for each and every consumer.
Using data insights to get to know each person in-depth. To content development created specifically for them. Delivering such experiences on any platform, and eventually.
Key Features:
HLS Streaming Support
Persistent content protection
Remote iOS key delivery
Output protection
Cost:
No price info
Things to consider
Think about sophisticated DRM functionality
You must use advanced DRM policies if you want to make sure your work is completely secured. Select options that always give you full control over your material and are compatible with your demands for distribution.
Look into dynamic watermarks
Never ignore the need for watermarking while securing digital assets. One of the most crucial DRM settings in your DRM software is this one. Users are discouraged from sharing and reproducing material, and watermarks may be vital in the fight against screenshotting.
Don’t overlook user experience
Although protecting material is important, you don’t want to sacrifice the user experience for security. Finding DRM software that enables you to apply rules to keep your material unique while still delivering a positive user experience is crucial.
Purchase high-quality DRM software
Organizations may fail to understand the necessity of digital rights management software, despite the fact that it can seem clear. You need to appreciate the worth of your work and spend money on the top DRM programs available. Many different policies and permissions will be present in a comprehensive content protection solution.
Conclusion
The term digital rights management tools refer to a program that forbids material from being shared, disseminated, or duplicated without the content provider’s express consent. The DRM software industry is expected to reach a value of $6+ billion by 2025 as a result. To make information access as simple and convenient as feasible without compromising ethics or security, the software solutions we explored cover both corporate and consumer use cases across many platforms.
Are you looking for a way to monetize your video platforms? If so, you may want to consider server-side ad insertion (SSAI). SSAI is a process of inserting ads into videos on the server-side before the content is delivered to the user. This can be done either dynamically, in real-time, or through pre-loading ads into the video content. Here’s everything you need to know about SSAI and how it can help you monetize your video platforms.
If you run a video platform or service, you know that ad revenue is essential to keeping your business afloat. Enter server-side ad insertion (SSAI). SSAI allows you to insert ads into your video streams on the server-side before they’re delivered to the viewer. This means more control over the ad experience for your viewers and more revenue for you. So how do you get started with SSAI?
What is Server-Side Ad Insertion?
Server-Side Ad Insertion is a server-side method for ad insertion that allows the publisher to dynamically insert an advertisement into the web page without requiring any action by the user.
Server-Side Ad Insertion is an advertising technique in which ads are inserted into a web page from the server before it’s sent to the client.
Server-side ad insertion (SSAI) is a method of inserting ads into online advertising that relies on the provider’s server to insert them into an existing website rather than having the code for the site do it.
Server-Side Ad Insertion, or SSI for short, is a method that allows you to deliver ads on your website without having to change the HTML code.
Server-Side Ad Insertion (or SSAI) is a method of displaying your ads on other sites so that they seem like regular content.
How do Server-Side Ad Insertion platforms work?
Server-Side Ad Insertion platforms allow users to connect multiple ad sources and insert them into the video as it’s being streamed. This is usually done through an RTMP server, which can also send content from different servers.
Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) is a new way to deliver online ads. Rather than providing ads on the client-side, SSAI delivers them by using the same network infrastructure that serves web pages and streaming media.
Server-side ad insertion platforms are an excellent choice for advertisers because they integrate their client’s ads into various media.
SSAI platforms enable advertisers to insert ads into existing content. It’s an excellent solution for sites that already have an audience and want to monetize their traffic with relevant advertising.
The Advantage of Server-Side Ad Insertion and DAI
The advantages of the server-side Ad Insertion and DAI technology and the Data Acquisition Interface (DAI) are that advertisers can use it to quickly choose where their ads will appear, with a minimum of effort.
The advantage of server-side ad insertion is that it allows you to use your existing infrastructure for many things. It also enables the ability to control inventory, targeting, and third-party management in one place.
Users can use the server for ad insertion to maximize the number of spaces available. A combination of DSP and SSAI is a good option if you want multiple ads on your site.
Server-side ad insertion is better than the client-side because it ensures that the given ad will be inserted into the appropriate place in a video. Server-side insertion also helps avoid glitches and skips in videos, reducing viewers’ load time.
Ad insertion is a method of serving advertisements onto a page. It allows for the ad to be displayed in the right place at the right time, leading to an increase in revenue.
The concept of client-side ad insertion (DAI) is that advertisers can deliver ads independently from a publisher’s site.
Everything needs to know about Server-Side Ad Insertion
Server-Side Ad Insertion is a standard that allows you to put ads on any online page. It’s straightforward to implement, and it works with most ad networks in the industry.
Server-Side Ad Insertion is a ground-breaking technology that allows you to show ads on the server-side. Specially designed and used for many purposes, including traffic tracking, ad previews, and more.
Server-Side Ad insertion is a Game Changer in Streaming
Server-Side Ad Insertion is the future of live streaming. Not only does it allow for more revenue, but it also creates a much better experience for viewers by creating an ad that fits seamlessly into the broadcast.
SSAI is the future of live streaming. It’s a revolutionary technology that allows you to insert ads in your videos automatically, and this means significant revenue for streamers who use it.
Server-Side Ad insertion is a Game Changer in Streaming. You can control the ads displayed on your stream and get paid for them with it.
Server-side ad insertion is a game-changer in video advertising. It allows publishers and advertisers to create cost-effective, dynamic ads that target the served audience.
Server-Side Ad Server Insertion (SSAI) has been around for a while. However, only recently did I see the full potential of this technology in my own streaming business.
Best Practices for Server-Side Ad insertion (SSAI)
Follow the guidelines set by IAB
Identify the ad’s target audience and what they are interested in
Determine the type of ads to include- video, display, or text
Understand how ads will be served on your site- either through an SSAI platform or via a third-party service provider
Be aware of any legal obligations related to advertising
Ad insertion is a powerful way to increase revenue in your video streaming service
SSAI should be implemented at the server level, not client-side
Define the goals of your SSAI campaign
Determine the best platforms for your ad delivery
Create a plan to measure and optimize the performance of your ads
Be mindful of the technical requirements needed to execute an SSAI campaign
SSAI is a technology that inserts ads into video content on the fly
First, you need to choose an ad network and create an account with them
Next, you will need to embed their JavaScript code in your website’s HTML pages or upload it as a separate file if using PHP or ASP scripts
If using WordPress, there are plugins available for inserting advertisements and tracking impressions
Decide on the type of ad you want to insert- pre-roll, post-roll, or pop up
Determine which key points in your video are appropriate for ads
Create a script that includes these key points and add the desired ad types at each one
Run this script through an SSAI software program like AdapTV to produce the final product
SSAI is a way to insert ads into video content
The process of SSAI includes encoding the ad, adding it to the video, and then distributing it in real-time
Pre-rolls are placed before the video starts playing and can be skipped after 5 seconds or watched for 30 seconds
Post-rolls are placed at the end of videos and cannot be skipped
Determine the number of ads you want to serve per hour and how many times each ad should be shown
Create a playlist that includes your ads in sequential order
Upload the playlist to your server and set it up, so it plays on loop
Configure your player to include an SSAI plugin for whichever platform you are using (e.g., VAST, VPAID)
A key difference between SSAI and client-side ad insertion is that all ads are preloaded before the webpage loads for users, so there’s no risk of slowing down the loading time
Advertisers should have a clear and concise message
SSAI ads are best served at natural breaks in content, such as before or after a segment of video programming
Ads must complement the viewing experience rather than disrupt it.
OTT Guidance for Server-Side Ad Insertion
In OTT Guidance for Server-Side Ad Insertion, learn the importance of server-side ad insertion and make it work.
The fact that OTT content is mostly consumed on mobile devices makes it vulnerable to the challenges presented by ad-blocking.
You must have a solid OTT product strategy when using server-side ad insertion. So let me tell you about the basics of what it is and how to use it effectively.
OTT Guidance for Server-Side Ad Insertion is intended to help the OTT industry develop standards and best practices around ad delivery, reduce latency and improve overall user experience.
Conclusion:
SSAI is a great way to monetize your video platforms.
By working with an experienced provider, you can ensure that your viewers have a seamless experience and that you can make the most of your advertising opportunities.
Contact us today if you’re interested in learning more about server-side ad insertion or need help implementing it on your site.
We offer expert marketing consulting for businesses just like yours who want to make the most out of their online video presence.
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