What Digital Products Can I Sell to Make Money?

Digital products offer low-overhead business models for entrepreneurs to earn income sharing their knowledge, skills, and creativity. Without production, inventory and fulfillment costs, selling virtual goods can generate substantial profits.

But for beginners, identifying viable digital products to focus on can be challenging. This comprehensive guide explores profitable digital product business ideas perfect for selling online across niches. Follow this blueprint to determine the ideal digital goods aligned with your passions and expertise.

Benefits of Selling Digital Products

Some key advantages of digital products include:

Low Startup Costs – Minimal upfront investment since there is no physical inventory or manufacturing involved.

Easy Distribution – Products delivered instantly online, avoiding issues and costs of shipping and logistics.

Scalability – Reach a global audience. No per unit production or incremental delivery fees for each additional customer.

Passive Income – Make money continuously from work already completed upfront.

Evergreen Appeal – Useful informational products have a long shelf life, unlike fleeting trendy physical items.

Flexibility – Operate from anywhere with an internet connection.

Higher Margins – No per item production costs yield massive profit margins of 40-70%+ typically.

The combination of low overhead and built-in versatility makes selling digital products online accessible and appealing for solopreneurs.

How to Identify Profitable Digital Products to Sell

Ideating potentially successful digital products involves:

Evaluate Existing Skills and Knowledge

What specialized expertise, experiences and insights can you package to help or entertain others?

Identify Personal Passions

What topics energize and captivate you that you enjoy creating content around?

Assess Hobbies and Interests

Hobbies present monetization opportunities teaching or providing resources to fellow enthusiasts.

Review Previous Projects

Repurpose and productize content from previous professional projects, research, coursework etc. into sellable formats.

Solve Pain Points

Identify common problems and frustrations your target audience struggles with that you can help address.

Monitor Competitors

See what digital products peers and competitors offer to inspire complementary offerings.

Survey Your Audience

Talk to your existing audience and customers directly about what they need most.

Creating digital products aligned around expertise you already possess makes launching more manageable versus starting from scratch in unfamiliar areas. Evaluate your unique convergence of knowledge, skills and interests to uncover profitable potential.

10 Digital Products You Can Sell Online

Nearly any digital asset can be packaged into a marketable product. Some proven online business models include:

1. Online Courses

Teaching specialized skills, hobbies and professional expertise through a structured curriculum of video lessons, downloadable resources and assignments.

2. Ebooks

Packaging knowledge into a digital book formatted for devices and PCs covering informational topics readers value.

3. Printables

Selling digital artwork, planners, posters, invitations, templates, etc. as instant downloads buyers can print themselves.

4. Stock Media

Marketing your unique photography, video clips, animations, icons and illustrations to sites in need of media for a licensing fee.

5. Website Themes and Templates

Designing themes and site templates for platforms like WordPress and Shopify that businesses can install and customize.

6. Apps and Plugins

Developing useful mobile apps, browser extensions, or plugins for platforms like WordPress that solve user problems.

7. Graphic Assets

Digital graphics packs containing designs, templates, icons, fonts, brushes etc. for commercial use.

8. Software and SaaS

Coding software tools and web apps for specific business needs available through subscriptions and licenses.

9. Subscriptions and Memberships

Providing ongoing access to valuable resources, communities, tools, or services members pay recurring fees to participate in.

10. Virtual Services

Offering digital marketing, writing, design, and technology-centric professional services without geographic limitations.

All it takes is identifying one digital product niche well-suited to your abilities and interests to get started. Experiment to determine winning products to focus on.

Validating Digital Product Ideas

Before investing time into developing digital products, validate demand to ensure you create items people actually want. Ways to verify market fit include:

Survey Existing Contacts

Ask your current email list and social media followers directly whether they would purchase the proposed digital product.

Study Online Forums

Join relevant online communities and read through discussions to notice common questions and pain points your product could solve.

Examine Google Search Volumes

Use Google Keyword Planner to assess search volume for terms related to your digital product topic to quantify interest.

Research Competitors

Search for similar digital products already for sale to analyze pricing, feature comparisons and buyer reviews revealing where competitors fall short.

Launch Pre-Orders

Before even creating a product, setup a landing page with descriptions and see if visitors convert on pre-orders, indicating demand.

Talk to Industry Experts

Discuss your digital product concept with seasoned professionals in the niche to gain their market feedback and suggestions.

Crowdfund

Run a small crowdfunding campaign requiring a minimum number of backers to hit funding goals to verify broader appeal.

Validating interest upfront ensures you craft digital products buyers genuinely want. Never assume an idea is a guaranteed winner before testing assumptions.

How to Come Up With Digital Product Ideas

Stuck trying to identify appealing digital products aligned with your abilities? Some ideation frameworks include:

Interests + Problem Solving: What issues do other enthusiasts face within hobbies and topics you’re passionate about that you can help address?

Existing Knowledge + New Format: What proven insights can be repackaged from different angles like condensed tip sheets or video tutorials?

Skills + Audience: What services leveraging your expertise would your target customers find valuable like social media management or graphic design?

Previous Jobs + Repurposing: How could you adapt and reuse successful projects and content from past professional roles into simplified educational products?

Identify Gaps + Create Solutions: Notice digital products and resources lacking in the market that you’re capable of producing to fill voids competitors miss.

Passions + How-To: What complex hands-on skills related to your creative interests could you break down into online lessons for beginners?

Problems + Alternatives: Come up with better solutions to overcome common pain points audiences vocalize across social media and discussion forums.

Frameworks help break idea generation down into systematic steps prioritizing existing assets and audience needs for accessible inspiration.

Validating Your Digital Product Pricing

Carefully pricing digital products using market research and data ensures you maximize profits while aligning with buyer willing-to-pay expectations. Ways to set optimal pricing include:

Calculate Production Costs

Tally up any expenses associated with creation – software, talent, production etc. This provides a minimum floor.

Assess Similar Products

Search online marketplaces for competing digital products to compare pricing tiers and structures.

Survey Potential Customers

Ask members of your audience what price points seem fair to them for specific products.

Factor in Audience Type

Business products warrant far higher pricing than consumer hobbyist items. Know your customers.

Consider Production Time

Account for your hourly rates and don’t undervalue time invested even if digital distribution is free.

Weigh Value Over Costs

Price based on the tangible value delivered vs. production costs. Some highly useful products justify premium pricing even at low material cost.

Test Strategically

Start high to assess maximums the market will bear, then decrease if needed to find the ideal converting rate.

Continuous testing and tracking purchasing behaviors at various price points dials in optimal pricing over time.

How to Sell Digital Products Online

Once you’ve created profitable digital products, multiple sales platforms make selling them simple including:

Your Own Website

An owned site provides greater branding control but requires driving your own traffic through marketing.

Etsy

Proven handmade marketplace with built-in audience interested in creative digital goods like printables.

Gumroad

Launched expressly for selling all types of digital products directly to customers. Low fees.

Amazon

Can sell digital goods through Kindle Direct Publishing and Amazon Handmade. Access to huge customer base.

eBay

Longstanding auction marketplace expanding into fixed-price digital goods. Provides buyer trust.

Creative Market

Specializes in digital tools and assets for designers. Well suited for graphics, templates etc.

Udemy

Leading marketplace for online video courses makes launching and marketing classes easy.

Choosing user-friendly platforms suited to your product type simplifies the sales process while instantly connecting you with target buyers actively searching those marketplaces.

How to Market Digital Products

Effective marketing is crucial for establishing authority and attracting an audience to purchase and engage with your digital goods. Some key promotion strategies include:

SEO Content

Create blog posts and long-form articles optimized with keywords related to your digital products to improve discovery.

Social Media

Share teasers, previews and announcements across all social channels. Tag relevant influencers. Use compelling graphics.

Email Promotions

Send email blasts about new products and sales to your subscriber list segmented by past purchases and interests.

Affiliate Marketing

Recruit influencers and enthusiasts to share your products through their networks in exchange for commissions on resulting sales.

Paid Advertising

Run paid ads on Google, Facebook, Instagram etc. focused on product-related keywords and target buyer demographics.

**Podcast Guesting **

Appear as an expert guest on popular podcasts in your niche to discuss products and establish authority.

Webinars/Events

Host live or virtual gatherings like classes and workshops centered around your digital goods.

A blended promotional strategy combining digital reach and offline connections ensures products get discovered by ideal buyer audiences.

Making Digital Products Feel More Tangible

Since digital goods lack a physical presence, take steps to increase perceived value through tangibility cues:

Impressive Product Pages

Detailed descriptions, sample previews, buyer testimonials etc. convey what customers receive through savvy copywriting and design.

Bonus Materials

Include extra digital assets like cheat sheets, workbooks, or audio tracks with core purchases to enhance overall package.

Ongoing Community Access

Offer message boards, exclusive groups, or member forums buyers join upon purchase for longevity beyond an initial download.

**Live Events **

Host in-person or virtual gatherings allowing customers to engage face-to-face and interact around digital products.

Care Instructions and Guidance

Provide manuals explaining best practices for accessing, applying and retaining digital goods over time. Set expectations.

Membership Cards

Send new customers membership cards in the mail upon signup conveying exclusivity and belonging.

With creative presentation and added perks, digital products feel more concrete and valued.

Tips for Creating Different Types of Digital Products

Certain digital product formats involve special considerations.

Online Courses

• Outline detailed modules covering logical skill progressions. Leave no knowledge gaps.
• Include downloadable resources like class notes, worksheets and checklists for retention.
• Supplement lessons with assignments, quizzes and interactive elements to apply teachings.
• Hire professionals for quality video production, editing and graphics if needed.
• Film interesting B-Roll sequences demonstrating concepts visually.

Ebooks

• Stick to a specific promising niche/angle to provide high-value targeted insights. Avoid generic overviews.
• Include actionable tips structured in short scannable sections, lists and highlighted summaries.
• Work in inspiring real case studies and examples throughout to illustrate points.
• Hire experienced editors to refine writing and ensure cohesive narrative flow.
• Format ebooks professionally for all standard device screens.

Printables

• Focus on highly customizable templates giving buyers control to personalize fully themselves.
• Style mockups showing artwork printed and displayed to inspire ideas creatively integrating them.
• Bundle coordinating sets around themes like planners, wall art, invitations etc. for more perceived value.
• List detailed specifications like size dimensions, bleed areas, font downloads needed etc. for usability.
• Shoot overhead photos demonstrating templates filled in as examples. Showcase flexibility.

Considering the medium and audience expectations when structuring different digital product types leads to more attractive and usable end results.

##recurring revenue business models for digital products

Selling digital products as one-time purchases limits income potential. Some proven models for generating recurring revenue include:

Memberships

Provide access to premium content, tools, communities and services through paid monthly or annual memberships with tiered access levels.

Subscriptions

Offer renewing subscriptions for ongoing access to regularly updated libraries of resources. For example, new stock media assets each month.

SaaS

Launch software as a service (SaaS) with features valued by businesses who pay recurring fees for continual access through logins and licenses.

Retainers

Sell specialized digital marketing, web design, analytics or technology services on a fixed-fee monthly retainer basis to clients.

Productized Services

Bundle done-for-you services into set packages andTEMPLATES buyers can purchase online and redeem as needed with your team.

Hidden Content

Hide sections of online courses, communities or content sites that get unlocked through backend access control when recurring payments begin.

Usage Based

Price virtual services like storage, hosting and software based on utilization metrics like visitors, bandwidth and data storage.

Recurring revenue provides predictable cash flow while often maximizing customer lifetime value through extended engagements.

Digital Products You Can Create Quickly

Some digital products require minimal time investment to create, making them accessible entry points for first-time sellers. Options include:

Curated Graphics Packs

Compile selections of pre-designed templates, social media graphics, icons, illustrations etc. into organized sets around focused themes.

How-To Articles/Guides

Distill specialized knowledge into a set of 10-15 focused, high-value text-based tip sheets or articles.

Recipe eBooks

Aggregate your favorite 15-25 recipes crafted for your niche into beautifully formatted recipe ebooks with photos.

Email Templates

Design professionally branded email templates for outreach, newsletters, sales etc. that businesses can customize.

Fonts

Offer stylish font duos and bundles mixing complementary typefaces and variations.

Printables

Design templates, planners, art and stationery buyers customize themselves.

Stock Photos/Videos

Sell licenses to your unique quality media through stock libraries.

Focusing initial digital products around simpler information products and assets lets you start earning faster.

Conclusion

Nearly any passion or skill can be packaged into a sellable digital product matching audiences are eagerly seeking. Although identifying the ideal niche product takes research and testing, the effort pays dividends through passive income and creative fulfillment.

The versatility and low costs make digital products accessible sources of revenue for experts, creatives and entrepreneurs alike looking to monetize knowledge.

With deliberate positioning, marketing and recurring payment models, digital products provide sustainable long-term online businesses.

What has been your favorite digital product to create and sell? What made it a winning idea? Please share your experiences and advice below!