For many creators, monetizing digital products can be a way to supplement their primary income, while for others, it can evolve into a full-scale business venture.
If you are interested in exploring this world (whether you already have a clear product idea or not), you have come to the right place. In this article, we will delve into 101 high-profit digital product ideas to kickstart your journey.
We will also guide you on how to attract sales through a platform that offers essential features such as embedding, buy now buttons, and seamless PayPal/Stripe integration to ensure a smooth and secure experience.
What are digital products?
Digital products refer to electronic goods, content, or pieces of media that can be stored in a file, or sold and shared online. Examples of digital products include eBooks, audio files, website templates, PDFs, and many others.
What are the differences between physical and digital products?
Firstly, with online delivery, digital products can be sold infinitely, unlike physical products which run the risk of running out of stock.
Secondly, digital products are budget-friendly as they do not incur shipping fees like physical products.
Lastly, since there are usually no recurring costs associated with digital products, they can offer a higher profit margin and result in more money in your pocket than physical products.
However, if you wish to create both digital and physical products, it is definitely doable with Sellfy’s print-on-demand service.
There are plenty of digital products that could complement a physical product. For example, you can create digital art files in tandem with a print-on-demand poster or a canvas featuring your art.
How to create digital products?
To create digital products, there are four essential steps: market research, validation of product ideas, launching a store, and promoting on a social media platform.
1. Research & validate your digital product idea
Choosing the right digital product can be a challenging task, but it doesn’t have to be. All you need is to do some research and validation. The simplest way to approach it is to examine your competition and identify your target audience.
By identifying your target audience, you can customize your digital products and content marketing efforts to better appeal to their interests and preferences. This will help you differentiate yourself from other sellers.
So, my suggestion would be to consider what you’re good at doing and then develop your product around that.
When we examine the success stories of Sellfy creators, one aspect stands out: fans expressed the type of digital goods they wanted to see from their favorite creators, and the creators paid attention.
So, is there something your customers are regularly inquiring about? Think about it.
For instance, Emma Chieppor is an educational influencer who has always had a passion for creating online content.
However, it wasn’t until she encountered a challenge (advanced Excel projects) at her new job that she began sharing her content on social media.
Emma’s determination to master Excel led her to become proficient in the software and, eventually, share her knowledge on TikTok. The more she posted, the larger her social media following grew until one of her TikToks received a million views.
That one viral video was a game changer for Emma—people started telling her that they would pay her for Excel shortcut guides.
So, if you have a certain workflow that your customers can benefit from, consider turning it into a digital product! That’s exactly what Emma did—she came up with the idea of creating and selling Excel guides to her target audience, and she succeeded.
Sellfy Tip Get direct feedback! You might be surprised by the amount of digital product ideas you can receive. So, go ahead and ask your followers about the kind of product they want you to sell, and then provide it.
2. Create an online store with Sellfy
Once you’ve figured out the type of digital product you wish to sell, the next step is to launch an online store equipped with essential features like embedding and buy now buttons.
Sellfy is a platform that offers these features and is specifically designed for someone who wants to sell digital products.
So, if you’re searching for the best platform to showcase your products, I’m here to guide you through the process of setting up a fully functional store in less than five minutes!
Additionally, you can create physical goods (e.g. print-on-demand merch) alongside your digital goods!
How to open an online store:
- Firstly, select a subscription plan (Starter, Business, or Premium) and create an account using a valid email address. You can also opt for a free trial. It’s important to note that you can always upgrade your subscription to gain access to more features.
- Next, you can customize the appearance of your store using the Store Customizer tool, or choose one of Sellfy’s pre-made themes to create a visually appealing design.
- As an optional bonus, you can download Sellfy’s mobile app from the App Store or Google Play to monitor your store’s performance and receive notifications of new orders. You can even add Google Analytics tracking to your store and be informed about your store metrics.
Sellfy comes with built-in marketing features: discount codes, email marketing & upselling
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3. Add your digital products
Once you have created an account with a verified email address, you can begin uploading your digital goods to the store.
Sellfy provides unlimited bandwidth and supports large files, so you need not worry about storage. With the option to upload files as large as 10 GB, you can sell almost any type of digital file you can imagine!
Here are the steps to add your digital products:
- Navigate to the Products section on your dashboard, select Digital products, and click on Add new product.
- Upload your digital products and add product images.
- Provide information in the Product description section so that potential customers can understand what they are purchasing.
- Click on Save product and your digital items will be available for purchase in your shop.
4. Market your digital products
When promoting to your target market, one of the first things you should do is to add your shop link to your social media profiles.
This is crucial because when a new follower discovers your social media account, they are likely to go to your bio section and see your link. So, having a link in your bio at all times will encourage traffic to your online store from both new and existing followers.
Additionally, consider thinking from the perspective of a fan. According to Sellfy creator and hair advocate, EfikZara, the best type of marketing is one that is not being thrown in people’s faces.
In other words, put yourself in the shoes of your followers and consider what kind of content you would expect from a creator.
By thinking from your target audience’s perspective, you can determine how to reach your followers through a great marketing tool like Sellfy’s email marketing and more.
Demonstrating what a product can do for people is more effective than simply telling them to buy it.
For example, award-winning textile designer Linda Skuja established her entire Instagram strategy around celebrating her customers.
She would create appreciation posts, commemorate their milestones, and re-share user-generated content of her product.
She also made significant visual improvements to her feed by partnering with a photographer. And last, but not least, she made sure to post consistently.
101 digital product ideas with examples
What are examples of digital products? In this section, I’ve compiled a list of 101 digital product examples from creators similar to you. You may use it as a source of inspiration or give your own creative touch to a product.
Educational downloads
Digital downloads that impart valuable knowledge or information to the target audience are known as educational downloads. Creators and influencers who sell educational content generally focus on a specific topic that they have expertise in.
If you have a particular skill or area of expertise, why not consider creating and selling an educational eBook? In fact, according to Statista, eBooks are one of the top information products that people spend money on.
Moreover, eBooks are easily consumable and an excellent way to generate leads. For example, you can distribute the eBook for free in exchange for website visitors’ email addresses.
1. Recipes & diet cookbooks
Ashley Renee, a successful food vlogger, began writing and selling cookbooks on the keto diet after her food videos went viral on TikTok. The overwhelming demand for her recipes provided her with the motivation to self-publish. As a result, she is now able to finance her lifestyle as an entrepreneur.
2. Relocation guides
Next, we have Amel Aitouche, another creator on Sellfy who began selling relocation guides for Dubai after her YouTube channel about the city experienced exponential growth. Amel has sold and continues to sell thousands of eBook copies to her fans.
3. Travel guides
Mariana and Simao have created their own Italy travel guides after traveling through the country and visiting the Amalfi coast. These guides are now available for purchase on their Sellfy store, with the option of pay-what-you-want (PWYW) pricing.
4. Business or apprenticeship guides
Isobel Lorna, a marketing and fashion influencer, began creating how-to guides on how to secure an apprenticeship or a corporate position in one’s desired career after going viral on TikTok. Currently, she markets and sells her informative guides to her TikTok audience, which comprises 629.3K followers.
More examples of educational downloads:
5. Academic research
6. Language study materials
7. Meal prep plans
8. Nutrition plans
9. Skincare & beauty
10. Workout information
11. Repair manuals
12. Self-care guides
13. DIY instructions
14. Dictionaries & shortcuts
15. Educational videos
Digital art & music
If you’re an artist, your digital art skills will be consistently sought after, and most people will readily embrace whatever you have to offer. What’s more, the digital art industry has proven to be highly lucrative, as evident from the sheer number of digital artists on Instagram.
16. Premade emotes & bit badges
Consider the Sellfy seller SilverLyons, a digital artist based in California who offers premade emotes and bit badges for streamers on Twitch. Some of these are available for purchase while others are offered as freebies. If you have a passion for graphic design and enjoy gaming or streaming, why not try your hand at selling this type of digital art?
17. Sheet music
Are you skilled in music? If so, you could consider selling sheet music, song files, or even entire albums. A good example of this is the successful English guitarist, Thomas McRocklin, who sells his albums on Sellfy instead of streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music where the quality is often lower.
18. AI-generated art
Are you good at using prompts to create AI art? By selling AI art, you can offer your digital artwork at a lower price point than traditional art. Another benefit is that you can create AI images once and sell them multiple times. AI-generated art has become very popular in 2024, so this presents a great opportunity to earn additional income through digital art.
19. Instagram or AR filters for social media apps
If you know how to create artistic Augmented Reality (AR) filters, then it could be an enjoyable way for you to earn passive income through digital art. For example, Wonder Milk, a digital artist and Sellfy seller, generates revenue online by selling Instagram filters to her fans and other Instagram users.
More examples of art & music products:
20. iPhone screen app icons
21. Digital posters
22. Stock photos
23. Digital wallpapers
24. Business cards
25. Branding kits
26. Mockups
27. Clip art
28. Fonts
29. LUTs
30. Sound effects
31. Premade logos
32. Twitch screen overlays
33. YouTube banners
34. Illustrations
35. Procreate brushes
36. Textures
Templates & tools
Digital templates and tools make everyone’s lives easier, particularly entrepreneurs, influencers, and creators who manage businesses. This explains why templates and tools, regardless of category or niche, are always in high demand. All you need to do is select a template or tool and begin creating. And, the best part is that they are incredibly simple to create.
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37. Lightroom presets
If you know how to create Lightroom presets and have received compliments on how cinematic your photos or videos look, you could turn this skill into a profitable business. For inspiration, take a look at Christian Mate Grab, a famous photographer who sells Lightroom presets to fans who admire his photography work.
38. Beats, samples packs & drum kits
Do you have experience in music production and know how to create great beats? If so, consider selling your beats or drum kits online. The film and television industries are always seeking fresh and new tunes to incorporate into their projects. Who knows, perhaps one of your original tracks will be featured in an upcoming Netflix show?
39. Digital planners, illustrated journals & calendars
Not a musician or photographer? If not, have you considered selling digital planners instead? Digital planners come in various shapes and forms, ranging from calendars to illustrated journals and notebooks. These products have massive markets and are highly sought-after by individuals looking to earn passive income.
40. Instagram post templates
Do you know what else is easy to create and doesn’t take up much time? Instagram feed templates! There is a high demand for visually appealing Instagram feeds. Many influencers aspire to create a consistent feed, but struggle with the process. If you have the know-how to design templates on Canva, then you can easily create and market Instagram templates.
More examples of templates & tools:
41. Notion templates
42. Excel spreadsheets
43. Google spreadsheets
44. PowerPoint templates
45. Cheatsheets
46. Worksheets
47. Cover letters
48. Creative brief samples
49. Portfolio and résumé templates
50. Copywriting templates
51. WordPress themes
52. InDesign palettes
Entertainment products
Entertainment products are captivating forms of digital content that effectively grab your target audience’s attention. These products can vary in tone, from light-hearted to serious, but the essential aspect is to guarantee that your audience is thoroughly entertained and, perhaps, even inspired.
53. Short films
Nils and Kaspars, two sellers on Sellfy, managed to create a short film about inline skating in just 30 days. The film takes the viewers through a breathtaking journey of various locations in Thailand while giving an insight into their daily lives as athletes. Their skating stunts are impressive and have captured the attention of their target audience.
More examples of entertainment product:
54. Comedy and prank videos
55. Reaction videos
56. Product comparisons
57. Video games
58. Entertaining mobile apps
59. Exclusive content, e.g. vlogs
60. Behind-the-scenes footage
Online courses & tutorials
There are various methods to facilitate online knowledge transfer. One of them involves selecting an online course format such as video, audio, etc. and then producing exclusive digital content on a topic that you possess special knowledge of. This can be in the form of any online course or tutorial that offers a solution to a problem or imparts new skills to your target audience.
61. Dance classes
For instance, the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) offers ballet, modern theater, and classical Greek dance lessons in various formats such as eBooks, DVDs, and CDs on their Sellfy store.
62. Graphic design tutorials
Next, there is Sellfy seller Noah Qehzy, who sells tutorials on graphic design. If you possess exceptional skills in graphic design, you could impart your knowledge to others, positioning yourself as an authority on the subject.
63. Fitness programs & tutorials
Fitness programs can also be sold as digital downloads. For example, Ron Jones, a fitness instructor, has effectively transitioned his personal training online by selling a 5-week online course through his Sellfy shop. His program, priced at $197, offers gym and home workout routines suitable for beginners of all ages.
More examples of online courses & tutorials:
64. Setup tutorials
65. Music lessons
66. Astrology or spirituality courses
67. Cooking courses
68. Art tutorials
69. Business or entrepreneurship courses
70. DIY or handmade item tutorials
71. Language lessons
72. Video creation or filmmaking tutorials
73. Content creation tutorials
74. Sales copywriting workshops
75. Creative writing workshops
Online services
Online services can cover a wide range of areas, from technical to creative and everything in between. For example, the software industry is constantly expanding, making it a prime opportunity to explore this particular niche.
76. Web design services
If you have a passion for web design, you can easily transform it into a profitable product. This skill has the potential to earn you anywhere between $500 to $30,000 per month. Currently, there are almost 2 billion websites in existence, and this number is continuously increasing. As each website requires its own distinctive appearance, the business of web design is undoubtedly a promising venture.
77. Graphic design services
Alternatively, you can also offer graphic design services, such as custom logo design, YouTube channel banners, or digital portraits. Graphic design services are known to be in high demand, making it a profitable option.
78. Custom vocal track or ghost production
Did you know that there is a market for custom vocal track production? For example, Sellfy seller Soundlabs has made it possible for people to order ghost production from their shop.
79. Copywriting services
Suppose you have a background in copywriting and a portfolio of previous works. In that case, you could utilize them to promote yourself as an authority and provide copywriting services online. Currently, there is an increasing demand for creators who can think outside the box and come up with clever copies.
More examples of online services:
80. Religious or spiritual services
81. Financial consultations
82. Coaching & mentoring
83. Proofreading & editing
84. Career consultations
85. Tutoring & virtual assisting
86. Essay-writing services
87. Translation services
88. Website setup
89. Mobile app creation
90. Self-help or online therapy
91. Cover letter writing services
Subscriptions & membership sites
If you are a content creator with a large following, creating a membership site or selling subscription-based products is an excellent way to monetize your target audience. By offering memberships or subscriptions, you can generate recurring revenue and build customer loyalty.
92. Subscription-based podcasts
If you excel in public speaking and have the ability to captivate a target audience, you could venture into creating subscription-based podcasts. With the current surge in popularity of podcasts, it’s an excellent opportunity to tap into a whole new audience who prefer listening to audio content rather than traditional formats.
93. Digital magazines
Take a look at Sellfy seller This French Life. This content creator offers digital magazine subscriptions that provide comprehensive insights into French culture or the process of traveling and relocating to France.
94. Spirituality & astrology subscriptions
Another industry that has made a significant impact on the internet in recent years is the spiritual wellness industry. An example of this is Sellfy seller Attune to the Moon. They offer seasonal subscription packages and recordings of live astrology lectures to their members.
More examples of subscriptions and memberships:
95. Digital newsletter subscriptions
96. Monthly fitness challenges
97. Weekly meal plans
98. Weekly motivational quotes
99. Meditation subscriptions
100. Yoga subscriptions
101. Software licensing & updates
How to fight piracy of your digital products?
Combating piracy is a significant concern when it comes to selling digital files online. Theft can happen to almost anyone, so it’s crucial to take the necessary measures to protect your products.
If you are using Sellfy, there is good news for you—we make every effort to repel piracy! Although we cannot guarantee complete safety, we have anti-piracy tools in place to protect your digital download from unauthorized sharing.
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Protect your digital products with Sellfy
Sellfy not only hosts all of your products on a secure Amazon cloud server, but also generates unique download links for each purchased item. Each potential customer is allowed a maximum of five download attempts.
Additionally, you have the option to manually restrict or block product downloads. If you wish, Sellfy can also provide you with customer information such as IP addresses and download logs.
We offer several digital security measures to ensure the protection of our customers’ data, including:
- SSL encryption
- PDF file stamping
- GDPR compliance
- A highly secure payment gateway
FAQ: creating digital products
What are the most profitable digital products?
Selling educational products such as eBooks and online courses can be highly profitable. Over 60,000 Sellfy creators have made $100M in revenue by selling educational products.
Another way to identify the products that are in high demand is to use Google Trends. By using Google Trends, you can analyze the search volume of a particular digital item and determine its popularity over a specified time frame.
How do I start a profitable digital product business?
To start an online business, you must first determine if there is demand for your downloadable product. The best way to do this is to engage your audience. Once you’ve discovered what they desire, you can create a popular digital product, join Sellfy, and begin selling.
How to open an online store for digital products?
One option for selling products online is through marketplaces like Creative Market, Etsy, a Shopify store, or Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon KDP). But, having your own website offers more control over your small business.
Marketplaces can be saturated and highly competitive. Customizing your site and choosing a store design that matches your brand is easier when you have your own platform.
Sellfy is a user-friendly and affordable eCommerce platform specifically designed for creators who want results without complexity. It’s a great option for beginners.
How to price digital products?
Consider factors like value to customers, competitive pricing, cost of production, and pricing models (e.g., subscription vs. one-time fee) to determine a fair and profitable price for your digital product. Recommended digital products prices usually range from $5 to $10, but successful creators often set prices above $10. If unsure, sell at a price covering your expenses and desired profit.