Digital products are exactly how I make 80-90% of my full time blogging income. The best part? It’s completely PASSIVE once you get your product created! Find exactly what product to make for your blog AND grab our free ebook template to make it happen!

Want to grab our FREE Ebook (includes worksheet pages) for Canva OR InDesign? It’s available in our Design Vault which you can get instant access to by clicking here! Get that product made, out there and generating income in no time at all!

My very first monetization course I took was about 5 minutes after I started a blog.

I always knew I wanted my blog to be a business. As it was, I started blogging in order to generate an income from home.

The person teaching the course was all about “products, products, products”

Of course, not knowing anything about the online world, my mind went to “physical products” not digital products.

Thus started the etsy shop.

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My Etsy shop was a success and a failure all at the same time. People liked my stuff and bought it, however each product needed to be individually sewn and put together. I sold things like military inspired blankets, dog collars, keychains, etc. They were embroidered and would take me anywhere from an hour to a day to create.

The orders piled up and soon I had a two week wait list and was spending almost ALL of my time at the sewing machine. Cursing at it and getting frustrated.

I hated it. I quickly decided this wasn’t for me and I needed a way to generate a more passive income.

And then I learned about digital products.

The thing about digital products, especially for bloggers, is that it can be a hit or miss. Luckily they cost almost nothing to make (especially when you design them yourself using canva).

The key is to build your audience first, and your product second. 

Ask them what they want, survey them, hang out in facebook groups where they are asking questions and keep a running list of reader questions/concerns. 

Once you know your readers’ problem, then it’s time to brainstorm solutions. 

If you do that, they will buy it. 

And if you design it where it’s visually appealing and easy to use.. You’ve hit the jackpot.

By the way, if you’re needing more help with this check out my Product Creators Masterclass!

12 Best digital products (that sell like hotcakes!)

1. Workbooks

Workbooks are something that works for almost every niche. There is something you can teach your audience that can be stepped out into a workbook. Take a moment to brainstorm!

I’ve seen everything from cleaning and organizing, to budgeting and finances. Seriously, I’ve even seen a workbook on parenting techniques and getting your child to listen (cool, right?)

Workbooks sell because it’s a step by step way of teaching that walks someone through the process of solving their problem. I’m a workbook junkie- show me a Pinterest-pretty workbook and I’ll buy it.

Can’t quite commit to a full workbook just yet? Don’t worry, we have you covered! Start small by creating worksheets using our worksheet templates – available in our FREE Design Vault!

Side note: the free Ebook template located in the Design library includes worksheet pages and can EASILY be used to create a workbook in no time at all! Get instant access by clicking here.

2. Workshops

Workshops are somewhere between workbook and e-course (kind of a combination of both, actually). This is an interactive e-course that includes worksheets and other learning material.

The selling point of the “workshop” is that the person is able to interact with you and other students, rather than a e-course which is self paced and usually though a program like teachable.

Workshops are not generally held all the time because of the need for the creator to be involved. But, when a course is not constantly open for enrollment, it builds suspense and urgency and people are more likely to jump on it when it opens.

Another amazing thing about workshops is that you don’t spend nearly as much time “creating” it. Full e-courses can take months to build. If you decide to sell a workshop, you can spend about an hour outlining what you’ll cover in the class and set up a sales page. That’s it!

The “product” is created when you spend the 1-2 hours teaching and then you’re done!

3. Planners

People LOVE planners and there are so many ways you can go with this. You can create a life planner, budget planner, organizational planner, chore planner, meal planner, etc etc.

Here’s a tip: create multiple themed planners and then give people the option to purchase multiple ones! That way, they can essentially “customize” their planner by having the sections they need and you can get repeat sales!

Once you have a few planner options, you can also offer bundles at a lower cost.

Planners also make fantastic tripwires. Again, show me a Pinterest-pretty planner and I’m in!

4. E-Courses

E-courses are great because it helps your reader learn something and it also creates a passive income for you. They can either be created for free through email or through a platform like Teachable. When you create a e-course through a platform, you can also set up an affiliate program and get people to promote your course for free.

The best e-courses also have worksheets, checklists, and video content as well. Take the time to make your course awesome and it will absolutely pay off.

Side note: If you’d like to grab my free Product Creators QuickStart Kit, just click here and I’ll send it right over! Inside you’ll find a checklist, cheatsheet, and Canva product template to help you plan, design, and launch your first (or next) digital product!

5. E-books

E-books are a great tripwire, opt-in, or digital product. You can sell it through your blog and you can also put it up on Amazon, or even Etsy! E-books are pretty easy to make can you can repurpose a lot of your existing content, particularly if you have a blog post series or a lot of posts on one topic.

The key to an e-book that actually sells is a killer cover though, which I go over in my course Confidently Canva. You can make an awesome cover in canva and the upload it to myecovermaker.com and create an eye catching 3d model. They say, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” but people totally do, especially online.

Grab the free ebook template (for Canva OR InDesign) now!

6. Membership Sites

Membership sites are fantastic for recurring income. The possibilities for membership sites are pretty endless.

Maybe you’re a fitness blogger– create a membership site that provides different workout routines, meal plans, and accountability meetings each month.

Maybe you sell sewing patterns– each month you can release a new set of patterns for your members.

The list can go on and on.

Some memberships are less about “new product” delivery and more about community and interaction. Many include weekly or monthly meetings, some have support groups, and others have challenges. You can really get creative with it!

7. Coaching Sessions

Coaching is less “passive” than most other digital products. It does involve time with your client but it allows for individualization and a personalized approach for your customer, which is a major selling point.

Plus, much like selling digital workshops- coaching doesn’t require actually creating anything ahead of time! The “product” is the time you spend with your client so there’s really not much to do prior except setting up a sales page and possibly an onboarding system (to allow your client to sign contracts, book appointments, and pay. I used and loved Dubsado when I did coaching)

Each person learns different, and each person is at a different point in their journey. Allowing a set amount of time to talk about where your client is, where they want to be, and how to get there is priceless. Not to mention, a lot of people are willing to pay higher price points for this.

8. Apps

You do not need to be an app developer to create an app. All you need is a killer idea. You can hire an app developer to create it for you and then you can sell it (find a developer on Upwork.com).

Another way to make money with apps is to treat it as it’s own sales funnel by offering the app for free and having an upgraded paid version or in-app purchases.

9. Templates

“Done for you” solutions are always a bit hit! Especially anything that has to do with copy, spreadsheets (with formulas), etc.

Templates are essentially fill-in-the-blank mini-products that someone can customize to make their own. It gives them a jumping off point and saves them a ton of time (like my templates!!)

Copy templates, speadsheet templates, and many other versions of templates can easily be shared via google docs. Make sure the doc or spreadsheet is in view only mode and instruct people to make a copy before editing!

10. Patterns

Typically, this is more for the craft niche. Sewing, knitting, crochet, etc. These patterns are awesome digital products and they totally sell like hotcakes- people love them!!

Not to mention, things like these make great tripwires, bundles, and opportunities for a membership site.

In my opinion though, patterns fall under an “instructional format” digital product. This can include things like recipes, DIY, etc. Anything that requires a list of needed items and then step by step instructions.

You’re essentially teaching someone how to create something and it’s amazing!

11. Downloadable Files

If you know how to create files like fonts, embroidery art, clip art, stock photography, etc then you have it made. 

People, especially bloggers or any content creators, pay good money for things like this!

Plus you can sell it on your own site along with sites like creative market or Etsy. If you do stock photography, sell it to the major stock photo sites and boost your income even more.

Of course, these things are also great to sell to clients as well. Selling to clients requires a little more “time-for-money” than other digital products. However, you can sell it at a much higher price point.

12. Swipe files

People love to know how you did it! Swipe files are a file (you can create one in google drive) that includes your exact copy for things like sales pages, launches, emails, etc.

The idea is that they will personalize it to their own style of writing that fits their product (similar to a template), but you are giving them direction. It’s a huge bonus if you have had success. If you can say something like  “the sales copy that made me $10,000 in 3 days” you are pretty much guaranteed to make sales.

The benefit of this is that you’ve already created it, you’re just packaging it up and selling it. The downside is that you may be exposing yourself to copycats. Be sure to make your terms of service very clear!

Of course, having the idea for the product is one thing.

But knowing how to make it is another.

The majority of these things can be made or designed in something like Canva (you can also grab my free Product Design Planner to help you get started!).

It doesn’t take a fancy, expensive product to make your product sell. It just takes a eye catching design that stands out among all the other things fighting for your clients attention.

Once they buy it, your amazing content will keep them coming back for more. 

Don’t forget your free Ebook Template!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE Ebook Template (that includes worksheet pages). This is the PERFECT jumping off point to any paid product (or even lead magnets!) that you can customize to fit your brand and use to start making that passive income. The BEST part about digital products is that you can serve your audience and make an income at the same time! Get started by grabbing our free ebook template now!

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Want to listen to this post? Check out the audio version right here ⬇️

Blogging is the best job I’ve ever had.

It’s also the most frustrating one.

And this comes from someone that spent 5 years being a correctional nurse.

Seriously, doesn’t it seem like everyone else has it figured out? Everywhere you turn is someone who seems to be making a gillion dollars after 3 months of blogging.

And here you sit. Struggling with engagement, pumping out content, writing to your email list, doing ALL the things. You invest, you learn, and you haven’t seen that return yet.

That little time before you actually start making money is one of the hardest times in blogging.

It’s also the time that people generally give up.

Of course, there will always be ups and downs. Like when you finally figure out a social media network and then an algorithm change tanks your traffic. Or when you set up an opt-in that took you awhile to put together and no one subscribes. It’s frustrating, right?!

I totally get it, I’ve been there and it’s not fun.

But then I discovered worksheets. The one thing I consistently make for my blog (aside from newsletter content) is worksheets.

Here’s what I did:

I’d create the worksheet, add it to my resource library, make a post about it, do a facebook live to talk about it, then send it to my existing list as a new freebie. Not only did that help me nurture my audience but also helped me develop content and grow my email list.

Let’s talk about this a little more though.

Worksheets are great because they help people take action. If they are taking action, they are implementing your strategies. Once people have success with your methods, you have not only helped them but you have now established trust with this person. They know their life is easier when they listen to you.

And that makes “selling to them” a whole lot easier. They will trust your suggestions because you are genuinely trying to help them, and they know that you know what you’re talking about!

There are actually 5 amazing ways you can use worksheets in your business. 

And bonus! I actually have 3 FREE pre-made worksheet templates for you to use (which takes the design aspect right out of it!) available right here!

And side note: there’s also other awesome templates in the library like 10 lead magnets, a media kit, social media graphics, and so much more!

Here’s how you can use printable worksheets to grow your blog:

(We will get to “making them” in a minute!)

As a content upgrade

Worksheets make a great content upgrade, especially any kind of informational or instructional post. Anytime you are walking someone through a solution, adding a worksheet helps transform your words from theory to action.

Check out this post for some awesome examples of worksheet content upgrades.

Plus, it helps the person have your information and the work they put in for future reference. (Not to mention, this helps grow your email list!)

P.S. Check out this article for 17 Awesome Content Upgrade Ideas

Actionable task for your email list

As I mentioned earlier, I’d always send new worksheets, printable, and freebies to my email list in order to nurture them and develop trust. The strategy was simply taking a recent post and expanding on it in a more actionable way. I wanted someone to close my email after reading it and be so motivated that they actually go do the thing I’ve called them to do.

Having a worksheet makes that really easy. Being able to say, “download and fill out the worksheet attached” is easier than “Now go do all the things I just talked about”. Not to mention, it actually helps increase your click through rate which directly improves deliverability!

I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for a good worksheet.

To get people working for it

Have you ever seen people run challenges that promote giveaways to those that complete assignments?

I love it!

Here’s why. When you have a giveaway and all you want them to do is sign up for your list – it might get those people on your list – BUT, they are on your list because they want that free thing and that’s it.

I’ve almost always found that people who sign up for a giveaway, never even open an email unless the subject line is “Congrats, you’re the winner”

This makes your list cold which results in poor deliverability, poor open rates, and less over business growth.

The thing is that when you make them work for it, you are getting them involved and you are actually giving them a little sample of what you have to offer.

I’ve seen giveaways with daily “challenges” and the people are only entered to win if they complete all the challenges. I’ve also seen ones with a set of questions to answer. Putting together a quick worksheet is a good way to have all your answers organized and easy to refer to.

If someone puts in the time and effort to win your free thing, chances are they are way more interested in you and your business and is much more likely to be a good lead for future sales.

As a product

My favorite thing to do with the worksheets I send to my email list? Repurpose them. Take your worksheets, expand on it, add some in-depth content, and you’ve got a digital product ready to sell!

And product = income.

As part of your e-course

So you have your heart set on an e-course? Guess what! You still need worksheets! — same goes for webinars!

Worksheets, again, help put your module or lesson into action. If you are getting people to take action, they are going to implement your ideas and (hopefully) have success.

If they have success (or even simply finish your course) they will get so much more out of it. You will have satisfied customers, and you will be making a difference in these peoples lives.

You will probably want to also include checklists and other printable material in your course, but the same design principles apply.

Same goes for webinars! If you’re giving your attendee a worksheet and they’re much more likely to follow along and be engaged in your presentation which means they’ll make it to the end! If they make it to the end, you’re much more likely to end up with a sale.

Here’s what you need to make worksheets (the easiest way):

Open the worksheets template in Canva and click on “use as a template”. Rename the document something related to your project with good keywords.

There will be 3 pages with 3 different designs. Choose the design you like the best and delete the other two pages.

You can change out the header with other headers from the template located in the design resource library.

Simply change the colors, fonts, and add your content. Adjust boxes as needed to fit your content. Save, and you’re done!

If you choose not to use the template, you will need to start with a blank page from Canva (I use the 8inx11.5in letter-sized page). Add an eye-catching header and a border. Add content, design elements, boxes, and other items as needed (like checkboxes, charts, etc)

Side note: You can learn the easiest way to make lines and charts in our Canva 2.0 Quickstart Workshop here.

Worksheets are great to help grow your business.

I am all about actionable advice, and worksheets help people implement ideas. You want your readers to take action. I promise that it will make it a whole lot easier when you are wanting them to click that “buy” button.

GET 3 FREE WORKSHEET TEMPLATES NOW + 10 OPT IN TEMPLATES

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