If you want to start an online business and are considering digital products to create, you have a variety of options.
In this post, we’ll explore different digital product ideas and tools you can access to produce them.
Apart from the recommendations, we’ll briefly discuss the benefits of selling them and where you can host such.
What is a digital product
A digital product is an intangible property or piece of media that can be purchased and shared online repetitively without needing to replenish inventory. In addition, these products are readily accessible in downloadable formats.
Why sell digital products
Here are some reasons to sell digital products for your online business.
Lower capital and overhead cost
Unlike selling physical products, there is lower upfront capital to create digital goods. You don’t need a budget for manufacturing or even warehousing. Often, you can use your skills alone or hire a freelancer who can help you in developing products.
Higher profit margins
Since you don’t have costs for physical materials, your profit margins are likely higher. You also don’t need to pay a middleman.
Flexible work schedule
You can track the sales process for digital products even through your mobile device. Thus, you can create your work schedule and monitor your business whenever or wherever.
Semi-passive income
You can design your online business as semi-passive income streams through automation tools. Customers can buy your products even while you’re sleeping.
Global customers
Through the internet, you can access buyers worldwide. As a result, you skip the hassle of shipping your products.
Digital Product Ideas to Sell Online
| TL;DR: Audio Assets – Recorded sound or music that has been captured and can be played back; Audio File Recording and Editing Tool: Audacity Ebooks – An electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer or handheld device designed; Ebook Creation Tool: Designrr Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) – A unique digital identifier recorded in a blockchain and cannot be copied or substituted; NFT Creation Tool: Pixel Chain Online Courses – Web-based classes accessible on a computer, tablet, or mobile device; Online Course Creation Tool: Camtasia Printables – A graphic design or text that is in the form of a digital download; Printables Creation Tool: Canva |
#1 Audio Assets
Examples of audio files and software currently sold online include podcasts, sound effects, audiobooks, jingles, and background music or soundtracks.
Because you no longer have to produce a physical commodity, such as a CD, you could sell your music as digital files. They can then be listened to on MP3 players, computers, and other devices.
To create an audio file, you’ll need high-quality recording equipment or a studio if you’re putting together a music track. Some basics you can consider are the following:
- Condenser microphone
- Professional headphone
- Pop screen filter
- Mic stand cables and accessories
- Noise cancellation app or USB
You can sell your audio assets through your e-commerce website or marketplaces like Apple Music or Amazon. Alternatively, you can use distribution platforms like DistroKid to get into Spotify and more.
Audio File Recording and Editing Tool: Audacity
Editing also plays a vital role in creating your audio file. You can use free audio file editors such as Audacity.
Aside from recording and easy editing with unlimited sequential redos and undos, you can also plug in different effects.
#2 Ebooks
An ebook or electronic book is a digital form of a book readable on devices like computers, tablets, or smartphones. These are often saved in shareable PDF formats. EPUB (electronic publication) and MOBI (from the Mobipocket Reader Software) versions are also options depending on where you sell your product.
What’s great about creating ebooks is how you can decide on the topic, length, and content. You also have the option to create a series of books or sell them in bundles.
Ebooks are in-demand and can be a profitable digital product for your online business. According to Statista, ebook sales in the United States reached 1.1 Billion dollars.
Amazon is the largest marketplace to sell ebooks through Amazon Kindle. You can also try Gumroad, which allows your clients to subscribe to your future creations. Both Amazon and Gumroad earn a certain percentage from your product sales.
Ebook Creation Tool: Designrr
Designrr lets you create an ebook instantly by importing content from a Blog URL, Google Docs or Microsoft Word. You can choose existing templates you can customize and publish your work as an animated flip book or PDF.
Their standard plan costs $324 per year or $29 per month. They occasionally offer $27 for lifetime access, including free video training and a commercial license.
#3 NFTs
NFTs refer to non-fungible tokens. New in the cryptocurrency world, NFTs are part of the Ethereum cryptocurrency blockchain. To get started in this, it helps to familiarize yourself with concepts like minting, blockchain, gas fees, and crypto-wallets.
Since NFT takes more time to learn, it can be a good option if you’re already creating digital art and start with a custom painting or picture. Other creative products such as avatars, weapons from video games, and virtual land can also be created as NFTs.
You can sell your NFTs either at a fixed price or at an auction. In exchange, NFT buyers get the rights to use your digital artwork and be able to use them online. You also need to set up a Wallet or an application to store cryptocurrencies to accept the purchase of your NFTs.
You can check out several marketplaces, including Grimes’ Choice, Nifty Gateway, OpenSea, and Rarible, to get some inspiration on the type of pieces you can produce.
NFT Creation Tool: Pixel Chain
What’s excellent about PixelChain is how your work can encode your data and send it to the block change for storing your information. It’s both a creation and selling platform, so you don’t need to consider moving your art to a different marketplace.
The platform also utilizes AI to scan for plagiarism issues before publishing content and ensures no one copies or steals your work.
#4 Online Courses
According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, the e-Learning market is expected to reach a $325 billion revenue mark by 2025. One way to take advantage of this vast profit share is by creating online courses.
An online course delivers a series of lessons in the forms of video or text accessible through an internet browser or digital device. Students can interact through online platforms such as e-mail, Messaging apps or chat rooms, and threaded discussions
The topics you’ll create for an online course can be based on a hobby, profession, or academic subject.
You can explore hosting your online courses in marketplaces like Amazon, Udemy, or Digital Class. What’s great about marketplaces is that they already have a list of subscribers who may be interested in your course.
However, you always have the option to set up your course in cloud-based learning management systems (LMS) like Teachable, Kajabi, or Thinkific and drive traffic to your site.
Online Course Creation Tool: Camtasia
Camtasia allows you to record, edit, and publish video lessons for your online course compatible with Windows or Mac. A one-year license costs $499.98, including templates, themes, presents, PowerPoint integration, etc.
#5 Printables
Printables are graphic artworks or text such as worksheets, planners, calendars, stickers, or quotes that may be downloaded in digital form. People often buy them to be printed in their homes for their personal use.
Even without design skills, you can hire freelancers who can work on your concept. Aside from designing your printable, it’s important to test and print your digital product.
Facebook Marketplace and Etsy are the easiest platforms for selling your printables. You can also explore hosting your products on ECWID, Podia, or your website using the Woocommerce plugin.
Printables Creation Tool: Canva
Canva has templates for almost any design needs, like worksheets, stickers, planners, and calendars. All you need to do is to customize them to add value to your digital product.
You want your design to be unique. Though Canva can provide design inspiration, make something your buyers won’t easily create using the app.
Final Thoughts
Audio assets, ebooks, NFTs, online courses, and printables are only a few of the various digital products you can explore creating. Learning about their potential to earn profits could be exciting. However, remember the importance of research. Test your market and look for categories or niches in demand.
Also, prioritize quality in creating your digital products. When starting, you can produce simple files and then tweak them based on your customer’s feedback.
For example, instead of working on a 12-module course, launch a one-hour lecture with three to five modules.
Instead of a 25,000-word ebook, see how marketing a 10,000-word ebook goes for you.
Maximize what skills or knowledge you have right now. If you choose to hire a freelancer, make sure to set expectations and provide clear instructions. It’s important to be able to tell and assess if they also submitted a digital product of excellent quality.
Various digital products are sold at different price points and produced in different timeframes, too. So choose ones aligned with your goals—how much time or monetary capital you’re willing to invest as an online entrepreneur.
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Jonah helps freelancers and entrepreneurs promote their personal brand or business by teaching writing and content marketing principles. During a casual day off, she enjoys painting, shopping for home decors, watching Netflix, or hosting meetups with friends.