How to Create Digital Products: Top 10 Proven Steps to Get Started Today

 If you’ve ever wondered how you can create digital products and start making some real cash online, you’re in the right place. 

Whether you want to turn your knowledge into profit or explore new product ideas to sell, creating digital products is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to generate income.

 Best of all, once you create a digital product, it can be sold repeatedly without additional costs. So now, let me walk through the top 10 proven steps to help you get started today!

1. Choose Your Product Idea

The first step is deciding what you want to create and sell. Think about your skills, interests, and knowledge. Are you good at teaching? Do you have design skills? 

Maybe you’re great at organizing information or creating planners. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• E-books: Share your knowledge in a simple, downloadable format.
• Templates: Digital print ideas to sell, like resumes, planners, or invitations.
• Courses: Teach a skill people want to learn, like graphic design or coding.

  For this I highly recommend you get a copy of How to Create and Launch Your Profitable Online Course, it’s a full step-by-step guide that will walk you through how to create a successful online course from scratch, even if you don’t have any skill to teach. Get it right here.

• Printables: Things to create and sell, such as calendars, checklists, or worksheets.

Choose a product idea that matches what people need and what you’re passionate about.

2. Research Your Audience

Once you have a product idea, now figure out who will buy it. What problems are they facing? What are they searching for online? 

Understanding your audience will help you create a digital product that truly adds value. Here are a few tips for you:

• Browse forums, Facebook groups, or Reddit to see what questions people are asking.
• Look at similar products on Etsy, Amazon, or Udemy to see what’s selling.
• Test your ideas by asking friends or posting in social media groups.

Knowing your audience makes it easier to tailor your product to their needs.

3. Validate Your Product Idea

Before you spend time creating your product, make sure people will actually buy it. Here’s how to validate your idea:

• Pre-sell your product: Offer it at a discounted price before it’s ready.
• Survey your audience: Ask potential buyers if they would purchase your product.
• Check search trends: Use tools like Google Trends to see if people are searching for your product idea.

A validated idea ensures your effort pays of.

4. Plan and Outline Your Product

Now it’s time to get organized. Break your digital product into smaller, manageable steps. For example:

• E-books: Outline your chapters and key points.
• Courses: Plan your lessons, videos, and worksheets.
• Templates: Decide on the format and design style.

Having a clear plan makes the creation process smoother and less overwhelming.

5. Create Your Digital Product

This is where you bring your product to life. Depending on what you’re creating, here are some tools to help:

• E-books: Use Canva, Google Docs, or Adobe InDesign.
• Online Courses: Platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, or Udemy make it easy to host and sell.
• Templates: Canva is a simple tool for creating beautiful, customizable designs.
• Printables: Tools like Canva or Illustrator are perfect for creating digital print ideas to sell.

If you’re not confident in your design or writing skills, consider hiring a freelancer to help. The key is to focus on quality, so your product stands out.

6. Set Up Your Online Store

Once your product is ready, you need a place to sell it. Here are a few platforms you can use:

• Etsy: Great for selling templates, printables, and digital things to sell.
• Gumroad: Perfect for e-books, courses, and other digital downloads.
• Shopify: A customizable online store for all types of products.
• Teachable or Udemy: Ideal for hosting online courses.

Choose a platform that fits your needs and budget.

7. Price Your Product

Pricing can feel tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. Consider the following:

• Value: How much time, effort, or money will your product save buyers?
• Market Rates: Look at what similar products are selling for.
• Profit Goal: Set a price that allows you to hit your income goals.

For example, if you want to sell notes online, determine how much value those notes bring to the buyer and price accordingly. Start with a reasonable price, and you can adjust as needed.

8. Create a Marketing Plan

Now that your product is ready to sell, it’s time to promote it. You can’t just upload your product and hope people will find it—you need a strategy. Here are some ways to promote digital products:

• Social Media: Share your product on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.
• Email Marketing: Build a list and send updates to potential customers.
• Blogging: Write posts that include your product ideas to sell and drive traffic.
• Paid Ads: Use Facebook or Google Ads to target your audience.

The more you promote, the more sales you’ll make.

9. Gather Feedback and Improve

Once you start selling, listen to your customers. Ask for feedback to improve your product. For example:

• Did they find it helpful?
• Were they able to use it easily?
• What suggestions do they have?

Improving your product based on real feedback can lead to more sales and better reviews.

10. Rinse and Repeat

The beauty of creating digital products is that you can keep creating and selling over time. Once you’ve launched your first product, use what you’ve learned to create and sell digital products again and again. 

Expand your offerings with ideas to sell, like digital content ideas, templates, or planners.

With experience, you’ll build a list of digital products to sell and a loyal audience ready to buy your next creation.