How To Make Money Online Selling Digital Products

If you’re looking for a simple and smart way to earn money online, selling digital products is one of the best routes you can take.

I’ve been around the online business space for a while, and I can tell you—this is one of the few areas where you can make money even while you sleep.

No packaging. No shipping. No inventory. Just create once and sell over and over again.

Digital products are anything you can sell and deliver electronically. Think ebooks, templates, online courses, music, stock photos, printables, or even Notion planners.

The beauty of digital products is that once you make one, it costs almost nothing to sell it again and again. That’s why so many creators, freelancers, and small business owners are jumping into this space.

And here’s the good part—you don’t need a fancy degree or big startup capital to get going. All you need is something useful or valuable that people want, and a way to sell it.

If you’ve got skills, ideas, or experience in a particular area, you can turn that into a digital product.

Let me walk you through everything you need to know, from picking the right product to making your first sale.

What Are Digital Products?

Digital products are items you can sell online that don’t have a physical form. Once bought, they can be downloaded, streamed, or accessed digitally. Here are some popular examples:

Ebooks – Guides, self-help, recipes, how-to manuals.
Online courses – Pre-recorded video classes or live webinars.
Printables – Budget planners, fitness trackers, journals.
Designs – Canva templates, social media graphics, logos.
Software or tools – Apps, browser extensions, scripts.
Audio files – Beats, meditation music, podcasts.
Photography – Stock images, photo presets.

These are just a few. The key is to solve a problem or help people save time or learn something new.

Why Digital Products Are So Popular

Here’s why more people are turning to digital products:

Low startup costs – You can start with little to no money. Tools like Canva (for design) or Google Docs (for writing) are free.
No shipping or inventory – Everything is online. Once created, it just sits there waiting for people to buy.
Scalable – Sell to 10 people or 10,000. The cost stays the same.
High profit margins – You’re not splitting your earnings with manufacturers or delivery companies.
Works for any niche – Fitness, finance, education, parenting, tech—you name it.

It’s a way to earn passively, but you’ll still need to put in the work upfront to create something people want.

How Do I Make Money Selling Digital Products?

1. Choose Your Niche

Start with what you know or what people keep asking you about. Are you great at budgeting? Designing? Writing? Teaching? Helping people eat healthier? Your skills and experience can guide you.

Also, make sure there’s a demand. Check platforms like:

Etsy for printables and planners
Gumroad and Payhip for ebooks, courses, and design assets
Udemy or Teachable for online courses

Look at what’s selling, read reviews, and find gaps.

2. Pick a Product Type

Ask yourself:

What’s easy for me to create?
What will be most useful to my audience?
What format do I enjoy working with?

If you’re just starting out, ebooks, templates, or simple printables are a great place to begin. They’re quick to create and in high demand.

3. Create the Product

This is the fun part. You don’t need to be a pro designer or coder. Here are some free tools I use or recommend:

Canva – For templates, planners, or workbooks
Google Docs – For writing ebooks
Loom or Zoom – To record online lessons
Notion – For creating planners or systems
Audacity – For recording and editing audio

Make sure it looks good and delivers value. Your product doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be helpful.

4. Set Up a Selling Platform

You need a place to sell and deliver your product automatically. Here are a few beginner-friendly options:

Gumroad – Very easy to use, great for creators
Payhip – Good for ebooks and courses
Etsy – Popular for printables and templates
Podia – Great for online courses and bundles
Shopify or WooCommerce – If you want full control

These platforms handle the payment, file delivery, and even give you a sales page.

5. Price It Right

Pricing depends on the type of product and your audience. Ebooks usually go for $5–$30. Templates and courses can range from $15 to $300 or more.

Start small if you’re new—then increase as you build trust.

Tip: Bundle your products to increase the value. For example, sell an ebook with a workbook and a checklist.

6. Market Your Product

This is where most people get stuck. Creating is easy. Selling is the hard part—but it doesn’t have to be.

Here are some ways to get started:

Email marketing – Build a simple list using MailDrip.io or MailerLite.
Pinterest – Great for getting traffic to digital products (especially printables).
Instagram or TikTok – Share tips and sneak peeks of your product.
SEO – Write a blog post or landing page that ranks for what people are searching.
Facebook groups – Join groups in your niche and share your product (where allowed).
Influencers – Partner with small creators to promote your product.

The goal is to build trust, help people, and offer your product as a solution.