Timotheus Update: This post was originally published on 10 March 2020 on my previous website – Passive Online Revenue. Due to rebranding and consolidation of the two sites, the post is now on this website and published on 20 December 2022.
How to Make Money with Digital Products?
Introduction
For years, I have thought of starting an online business, selling products and make money online. Then I heard of digital products. I am sure you are here because you heard of this business opportunity, too.
One of the first digital products that I considered to sell was eBooks. Many people have asked me to write eBooks. The reason was that they followed my blogs, and they enjoyed reading about the topics I wrote.
Since then, I have found out more about digital products, and have experienced with selling them online. Today, I will share with you what are digital products, what are the types of digital products, and How to Make Money with Digital Products?
Would you like to learn how to start and grow an affiliate marketing business? Join my I Love Passive Income community for more tips and useful business information. Simply fill in the details below, and you will receive an email with instructions on how to join this invaluable community.
What is a Digital Product?
A digital product is basically any product that you sell online. It has no physical form, and is intangible. Examples of digital products are an app, eBook, website, a blog, plugins, video, checklists, downloadable workbooks, printables, etc
Most digital products serve a purpose. It can be to provide information to the user, to be more productive in their work, assist to make a task easier, or even to learn about a topic. They are offered on the Internet in a digital format such as .pdf, .pub, .jpg, .gif, .tif, etc.
Sometimes they are referred to as electronic goods or e-goods. Digital products can be streamed or downloaded into an electronic device.
What Is the Difference Between a Physical Product and a Digital Product?
A digital product is intangible.
This means that is has no physical form. You cannot hold it in your hands.
A physical product is tangible.
It has a physical form, and you can hold it in your hands. You can touch it, and hold it to look at it from different angles.
A physical product can be displayed at a physical store. Shoppers can visit the store and take a look at it. On the other hand, a digital product is listed on online stores. But we cannot see how it works until we try it or buy it. At the most, to help make informed decisions, we read the reviews about it.
A digital product can be downloaded or streamed into an electronic device such as a computer, smartphone, tablet, etc. Physical products take up physical space. We often have to find physical storage places to keep them.
One point to note is that digital products can be produced into physical products. For example, a digital book can be printed into a physical book. But because this product started as a digital product, it is still considered that.
Having said all the differences, I would like to highlight that marketing and advertising to promote a physical product is very different from a digital product. For example, a physical product can leverage on packaging to do a one last sales pitch to convince a consumer to buy the product. A digital product would have no packaging. So, it would rely on sales pitches done on landing pages, reviews, ratings, etc.
What Are the Best Digital Products to Sell Online?
There are so many types of digital products to sell online. It all depends on your niche and expertise. And even how creative you are.
eBook
If you are a good writer, and love writing, then consider creating an eBook on a topic you are an expert in or passionate about. I have written a few eBooks. Some of which I offer as free downloads at my websites.
Blog
As a writer, you can also produce blogs. Currently, this is my choice of digital product. This website is like a blog born of my passion to write about creating passive income, and making money online.
Other Digital Publications
You can also generate reports, write newsletters, create worksheets and checklists. These are just a few examples of digital products that you can create with your writing talent.
Digital Art and Printables
If you are a designer or artist, you can create digital art to sell online. Another popular digital design product are printables. These are pieces of artwork, graphic designs or drawings that people can download and print to enjoy.
Digital Photos
Along the lines of creative work, you can also sell digital copies of your photographs.
This is a great side hustle for those who love photography, and have created some really nice photos. I have some of my digital photos sold on photography sites.
And I have also uploaded photos on sites like Pexels. These sites offer copyright free images and videos. You can earn a side income from donations.
Online Courses
I have created a few online courses. And this is one of the best ways to make money with digital products. One thing to note is that it takes time and effort to create this form of digital goods.
Digital Audio Products
Audio is getting more and more popular. People like to buy audio digital products because they can listen while they do other things. For example, I see many people on the train watching a video or listening to songs.
Some could be listening to an audio book, audio course or a podcast. These are also ideal digital stuff to sell. To create a digital audio product that sounds professional, you will need to get a quality microphone.
To edit the recording, you can use the free audio software called Audacity. I use this software when I edit audio for my digital audio products, and also the audio for my digital video products.
Here’s a tip – you can record a digital audio version of the eBook you wrote. Digital audio books are gaining popularity year on year.
Digital Videos
Digital videos can be on any topic. The videos with high perceived value are mostly presentations and courses. With a computer with high processing power and a quality microphone, you can create digital videos just like me.
Presentations are the easiest to do. You can create nice Powerpoint presentations. Then create a video by using a screen recording software to talk through the points.
Another way to create interesting videos would be to invite experts to discuss a certain topic, and interview them. The experts would be literally providing the content for you.
More Digital Products
This is not the entire list of digital products you can sell online and make money. There are apps, software, and so many more digital things you can create and sell. Just think about what you would like to produce for your niche. And let the ideas turn into a digital product.
How Do You Create a Digital Product?
Find your niche
Now that you know more about a digital product, and you are ready to create one, the first thing to do is to find your niche. Of course, you would choose to be in a profitable niche. After all, you will spend a lot of time and hard work to create that great looking and valuable digital product.
When I started my first online business, I found that it was a lot harder to choose the right niche. It is such an important decision that would decide if you fail or succeed in your business venture.
Fortunately, I found an awesome training platform that helped me with this.
Now I share my knowledge about finding a profitable niche. Click on the image below to learn how to find your right niche.
Find a Product or Service
Next, you will need to find a product or service. This is also not so easy. You need to find one that solves a problem for people.
Just ask yourself – What problem would your potential customers in your niche face? Why would they choose you to solve it for them? How would your solution change their lives for the better?
Another way to find a product or service is to look at your competitors, and find the most successful products. Model your product or service after them. Learn from them. After all, they have succeeded.
When you are new to the business, imitation is the best form of flattery. But be careful not to copy. Take note of copyright and patent matters.
You can also use forums to find out what people need. Find the forums related to your niche. Join them. Then read and learn from the people contributing to the forum. Better still, participate and learn, too.
Create the Digital Product
You can create the digital product on your own. For example, you can write an ebook, record a podcast, or produce a video. All on your own. You will need tools and equipment to help you.
All this will require a lot of time and hard work. An alternative would be to outsource the work. Get someone who is a professional to create the digital product. This will result in less time and effort on your part. But will cost you more money.
If you have the budget, it is a good idea to outsource. You can then focus on business strategy to grow the business. You can get talents from gig platforms like Upwork, Guru, iWriter or Fiverr.
How to Make Money with a Digital Product?
When your digital product is ready, you can sell it and make money online. One of the online places you can sell it would obviously be on your website. You can use Shopify to help you create an eCommerce store. Another option is EasyDigitalDownloads that is a plugin that creates a full-fledged eCommerce store on your website.
There are digital selling platforms that help you sell your digital product to the right customers. Gumroad is one of these platforms. And like Shopify, is easy to integrate into your website.
Alternatively, you can sell your digital product on online marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy, e-junkie or eBay. A good fit would be to sell an eBook on Amazon. Also a good fit would be to sell your printables on Etsy.
ClickBank is a marketplace that is well known for selling and buying digital goods. It is perfect for reaching out to your customers. They have an affiliate marketing program to promote your digital products.
I love affiliate marketing because I find this is one of the best ways to really create passive income. Read on to find out more about how to sell digital products with affiliate marketing.
How to Sell Digital Products with Affiliate Marketing?
Selling your own digital product can be very satisfying, and rewarding, too. After all, you are the owner and you will earn 100% of the profits. But as you have read from above, it will take a lot of time and hard work.
For me, I prefer a way that is closer to passive income. And that is with affiliate marketing.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is simply promoting a digital product or service for a business. And when there is a sale, you earn a commission.
If you like to learn more about affiliate marketing, click on the image below. It will take you to my blog post where I share in detail about it.
If you like to learn how to do affiliate marketing and start an online business, here is my Number One Recommendation.
My #1 Recommendation
Get your Free Starter account Now!
Join the Wealthy Affiliate as a Starter member for Free! And get access to free training as well as many free features and tools (including powerful keyword tool). Plus, you get to create a website hosted on the Wealthy Affiliate server for free.
You Get My Bonus!
When you join the above program, I will be your mentor. I will guide you and help you do affiliate marketing successfully, and make money.
Would you like to learn how to start and grow an affiliate marketing business? Join my I Love Passive Income community for more tips and useful business information. Simply fill in the details below, and you will receive an email with instructions on how to join this invaluable community.
How to Make Money with Digital Products?
Timotheus Final Thoughts
I have encountered many who start their online ventures with eCommerce business selling physical products. Even I have tried selling private label products that are in the physical form.
It is not easy. There are so many aspects of the business to attend to – quality check on manufacturer, coordinating with shipping companies, regular inventory check, fulfillment of orders, and customer service.
Is it any wonder that 20% of small businesses fail in their first year? 30% in their second year? And by the fifth year, 50% of them fail?
Selling digital products incur less costs. This can lower the risks. As such, you can be more successful in this venture.
I still prefer affiliate marketing, and selling digital affiliate products. The costs are less. The time and effort spent is less, too. And the returns are high. Whether you are a new or experienced entrepreneur, I recommend that you consider affiliate marketing.
My #1 Recommendation
Get your Free Starter account Now!
Join the Wealthy Affiliate as a Starter member for Free! And get access to free training as well as many free features and tools (including powerful keyword tool). Plus, you get to create a website hosted on the Wealthy Affiliate server for free.
You Get My Bonus!
When you join the above program, I will be your mentor. I will guide you and help you do affiliate marketing successfully, and make money.
If you have ANY questions, or anything to clarify, please drop a comment below. I will be happy to help you.
I wish everyone great wealth and success.
Timotheus
Your Online Business Coach