Top 25 Best-Selling Digital Download Products You Can Make!

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, so many people, from all around the world, were having to find new ways to collect an income. Working from home, whether full-time, part-time, or in remote positions, along with freelancing, and side hustles, became essential to replace the traditional, in-office income of the past. However, with the sudden closure of many restaurants, retail stores, and other businesses that typically hired individuals without formal education (such as degrees or certifications), people without these qualifications found themselves LOST.

Macy’s Story

“What can I do from home for work?” The young waitress, Macy, who served inpatient, hungry customers for the last 4 years was STUCK. She barely had gotten her G.E.D. after dropping out of high school and becoming a young, single mom. Don’t pity her though. She has her own apartment, a nice used car, and pays her child’s tuition at the local Montessori School. By Herself. Her boss, Stanley, truly valued her as an employee these last 4 years, but unfortunately, he had to let her, and the rest of his valued employees go.

Searching through job boards on Indeed.com and ZipRecruiter was starting to feel hopeless. Weeks went by, rent was due, school fees are coming up, and she was beginning to feel desperate. So, what did she do? Well, DUH, she went on BrainMavens.com to see what kind of resources they had for single moms in financial binds! She discovered programs like LIHEAP, which assist people in need by covering overdue electricity bills that are at risk of being cut off soon. [LIHEAP is a federal program that helps low-income households with their heating, cooling, and energy costs including bill payment assistance and energy crisis assistance]. She read on and came across another resource that could help- The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has branches in almost every large, metropolitan area in the United States. [Check out our Resources Page for the location search tool to find your local Salvation Army.] She read that the Salvation Army offers various forms of assistance, including help with rent, mortgage, and utility bills [as well as help for people who are already displaced, or homeless].

Macy continued reading and found a link to an article on the BrainMavens Blog. The blog article was titled “Top 25 Best-Selling Digital Download Products You Can Make!” Now, this sounded like something she could easily make money doing from home! She was right! After reading the article, she was immediately inspired to start creating digital downloads to sell on platforms like Etsy. She quickly set up an account on Canva.com, an online graphic design platform that simplifies the process of creating professional-quality designs, even for those without extensive graphic design skills. BrainMavens assured her that Canva was super easy to use and promised that she could obtain a 30-day free trial as soon as she signed up for her account. It only took Macy a few hours to start those accounts, make her first few digital products, and place them “for sale” on her Etsy store page. She knew she wouldn’t make sales immediately, that was improbable, so she logged out, shut off her laptop, and went to bed. Nevertheless, Macy slept easy that night, for she was hopeful, for the first time since being let go at Stanley’s Restaurant.

The next morning, Macy woke up to 12 notifications on her phone and laptop from Etsy. Her digital products were already selling! She couldn’t believe her eyes! 6 months later, she was making a full-time income, and all of her bills were caught up. Macy was now a pro on Canva.com and had a store FULL of downloadable products on her Etsy store with thousands of purchases! A year later, Stanley re-opened his restaurant and wanted Macy to come back and wait tables again. Unfortunately for Stanley, Macy had to decline his offer, as her store had made $43,000 that year and was continuously growing. Thanks to BrainMavens resources and informational blog articles, such as The Top 25 Best-Selling Digital Download Products You Can Make, Macy recovered from a desperate financial situation and now she is no longer scared for her future.

The End.

Believe it Or Not

Macy’s story is actually based on a true story. And believe it or not, YOUR story could be so similar to hers. Whatever struggle you may be going through, we have resources for you – all you have to do is check out the BrainMaven’s Resources Page. But, this article is about The Top 25 Best-Selling Digital Download Products You Can Make. So, let’s get to it!

Your Story

From printable planners and art prints to digital templates and educational resources, the possibilities are endless. Platforms like Etsy provide a user-friendly marketplace where you can reach a global audience eager to purchase unique and high-quality digital products. To embark on this journey, you’ll need to follow a few key steps: identifying your niche, creating your digital products, setting up your Etsy shop, and effectively marketing your offerings. This guide will walk you through each of these steps, providing tips and insights to help you succeed in the world of digital downloads. Whether you’re looking to start a side hustle or build a full-time business, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to thrive. After the step-by-step guide, you’ll see the Top 25 Best-Selling Digital Downloads You Can Make and Sell on Etsy (or other platforms).

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Identify Your Niche

1. Research Market Trends: Look at what types of digital products are popular on Etsy. This could include printable planners, art prints, social media templates, or educational resources.
2. Choose Your Specialty: Decide on a niche that interests you and has demand. This will help you focus your efforts and stand out in the market. Tip: Choosing a niche that interests you will make creating these printables much more enjoyable! This way, you won’t get tired of making products and you can continue to make money!

Step 2: Create an Account on Canva

1. Sign Up: Go to Canva.com and create a free account. You can upgrade to Canva Pro for additional features if needed. They offer a free 30-day trial for Canva Pro upon sign-up; however, you can make great downloadable products with a basic, free account. Personally, I use Canva for everything and absolutely LOVE the pro account.
2. Explore Templates: Familiarize yourself with Canva’s wide range of templates and design tools. Play around and get a feel for making basic planners or educational templates. I find it quite fun creating on Canva, and I think you will too.

Step 3: Design Your Digital Products

1. Select a Template: Choose a template that fits your product idea or start from scratch.
2. Customize Your Design: Use Canva’s drag-and-drop interface to add text, images, and other elements. Ensure your design is high-quality and visually appealing. Tip: On the left-side panel is where you can find your drag-and-drop elements such as text, and images. If you click “Design” on that panel, you’ll see some template examples you can use to start your project. Clicking on “elements” brings up a HUGE collection of graphics, photos, audio clips, video clips, frames, charts, and more! Then you have text, uploads, draw, brand, and apps. Using “brand” lets you save specific colors and fonts you might use most often as your brand design (ex. company colors). Clicking on “apps” allows you to search for various plug-ins such as image creators, voice-overs, and more!
3. Save and Export: Once your design is complete, save it in a suitable format (e.g., PDF, PNG, JPEG) for digital downloads. I suggest you actually save it in multiple formats. I usually save it in PDF, JPEG/JPG, and PNG so my customers can choose whichever format they want or need.

Step 4: Set Up Your Etsy Shop

1. Create an Etsy Account: Sign up for an Etsy account if you don’t already have one.
2. Open Your Shop: Follow Etsy’s prompts to open your shop. Choose a shop name that reflects your brand/niche.
3. Add Listings: Upload your digital products as listings. Include high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and relevant tags to help customers find your products. Tip: The more relevant tags you include – the easier it will be for more customers to find your products! Tip: It’s best to include multiple images of any product you list. Products with 2-4 images sell better than products with only one image. It’s good to set the featured image as an advertising image that displays your product, the price, perhaps some advertising elements, what it includes, etc. I created an example [using Canva] of an advertising image for a planner and included it here for you guys to get a better understanding.

Step 5: Price Your Products

1. Research Competitors: Look at similar products on Etsy to get an idea of pricing.
2. Set Your Price: Consider your time, effort, and any costs involved in creating your products. Make sure your prices are competitive but also reflect the value of your work.

Step 6: Promote Your Shop

1. Social Media: Use platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to showcase your products and drive traffic to your Etsy shop.
2. SEO Optimization: Use relevant keywords in your product titles and descriptions to improve your shop’s visibility in search results.
3. Engage with Customers: Respond to customer inquiries promptly and provide excellent customer service to build a positive reputation. Always remember that reviews are super important.

Step 7: Monitor and Improve

1. Track Sales and Feedback: Keep an eye on your sales and customer reviews to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
2. Update Your Listings: Regularly update your product listings based on feedback and market trends to keep your shop fresh and appealing.

Top 25 Best-Selling Digital Downloads You Can Make

Here’s the list. This list is based on analytics, trends, and sales data on Etsy and other selling platforms for 2024.

1. Printable Wall Art

2. Planner Templates

3. Stickers: Stickers for planners or scrapbooks

4. Resume Templates

5. Invitations

6. Coloring Book Pages

7. Journal Page Templates

8. E-book templates

9. Social Media Templates

10. Business Card Templates

11. Budget Templates

12. Recipe Cards

13. Calendar Templates

14. Printable Scrapbooking Kit: Scrapbooking template pages, backgrounds, photo frames, stickers, tags, etc.

15. Downloadable Fonts

16. Downloadable Clip-Art

17. Printable Wedding Signs

18. Printable Games

19. Meal Planner Templates

20. Printable Labels

21. Printable Patterns: Patterns for knitting, sewing, and crocheting.

22. Printable Educational Worksheets & StudyGuides

23. Printable Flashcards

24.Certificate Templates

25. Printable Maps

Let’s Talk Money!

When I gave you that sneak peek into “Macy’s” life, I was not exaggerating whatsoever. The only difference between Macy and the true story’s main character- is her name. Truly. When I mentioned that Macy declined her old boss’s offer to come back to waitress again at his restaurant, due to the amount of money she made in a year, that number was significant. According to thriveonetsy.com, “On average, successful Etsy sellers [that sell digital downloads] can earn between $43,000 and $46,000 per year.” In addition, according to thebrandedbucks.com, “some top sellers make over $100,000 annually.” They also state, “For instance, sellers who focus on high-demand products like printable planners or digital art and invest in effective marketing strategies can see significant earnings.” Thebrandedbucks also notes that digital downloads can provide a steady source of passive income once the products are created and listed. And who doesn’t LOVE passive income? Imagine how much passive income you could make if you created all of the Top 25 Best-Selling Digital Download Products You Can Make.

When it comes to pricing your digital downloads products, it’s pretty simple. Check out your competition! Find some products in the same niche; that is about the same quality, and get competitive! Go a bit lower than your competition! If you feel that your product is better quality or you put more time and effort into your product than what they are selling theirs for- then don’t drop the price! Instead, how about you offer your customers a bonus item, for free, to download along with the original product? Or perhaps offer more variations to the products? According to growingyourcraft.com printable planners on Etsy typically sell for around $3-$8. However, if the planners are editable, allowing customers to customize them upon download, the price can range from $5-$15! Some other pricing factors include product complexity, uniqueness of the design, seller’s reputation, and marketing efforts.

Pricing Tips

1. Check out the competition
2. Consider your costs: time and resources you invested in creating the products, any design software costs, and marketing expenses.
3. Evaluate your value: If your product offers unique features such as customization options (editable), high-quality designs, or additional resources (like stickers or templates), you can justify a higher price, make sure to highlight these features/selling points in your product listings.
4. Test different price points: Experiment with different price points to see what works best. You can start with a lower price to attract initial customers and gradually increase it as you gain more reviews and credibility.
5. Offer Bundles: For example, create a planner bundle, which might include daily planner pages (daily schedules, to-do lists, and habit trackers), weekly planner pages (weekly overview, meal planners, grocery lists, etc.), monthly planner pages (monthly calendars, budget trackers, goal setting pages), specialty pages (fitness trackers, mood trackers, project planners), additional inserts (contacts pages, notes pages), decorative elements such as stickers, and some digital extras such as editable templates, printable covers, and perhaps an instruction guide.
6. Use psychological pricing: Such as listing an item as $4.99 instead of $5.00, it makes your products appear more affordable!
7. Provide Value-Added Services: Such as customized designs for customers, for an extra fee, this can attract customers willing to pay more for a tailored product. Try a feature like personalization or monogramming their products. For example, planner personalization might include adding someone’s children’s names on various items in the planner bundle, for organizing chores or games, appointments, piano practice, etc.
8. Gather feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcomed! Ask your customers for feedback on your pricing, as well as on your products, added services, etc.
9. Monitor and adjust: Regularly review your sales data and adjust your prices as needed. If a particular planner is selling well, you might be able to increase the price slightly. Conversely, if sales are slow, consider a temporary discount to boost interest.