SnoCap Announces Linx Direct-to-Consumer Download Service
With almost no promotion, SnoCap has debuted a new technology dubbed Linx, that allows bands to sell dowloads directly from their sites. Snocap, started by da O.N. (Original Napster) Shawn Fanning, offers a backend digital music platform for paid P2P platforms who want to sell tracks from the big 4 major labels, as well as some independents.
At the core of the new service is an easy-to-use interface that allows artists and third parties to sell music directly from their websites. The company has essentially opened up its digital catalog to independent labels and unsigned artists, allowing them to upload music to the Snocap digital registry and get access to the company’s retail distribution list. Snocap is charging uploaders between $30 and $100 per year to use the system, depending on the number of tracks uploaded, and will take a cut of each transaction.
As long as visitors to a band’s site have a PayPal account, they can buy music directly from their site. The technology can also be implemented on My Space. Without ever leaving the band’s profile page, tracks can be downloaded as MP3s, complete with metadata including album artwork.
Linx is designed to be flexible with viral attributes built in. Artists can specify the format, price level and DRM settings for their content. Visitors to the band’s MySpace page can also copy the Linx application onto their own personal sites, providing a viral outlet for indie artists looking to promote their work through recommendations and word-of-mouth.
The Future: A recommendations engine is on the horizon based on wording in Snocap’s Privacy Statment which includes provisions that allow the company to aggregate “clickstream data” in an effort to customize content “to deliver a better experience for visitors.” Or make a boatload more money on keyword advertising.
