The Beginners Guide – How to Create Digital Downloads to Sell?

What if I tell you that you can monetize your expertise, talent, or passion?

Yeah, that’s possible. All you need to do is to your it into digital downloads and sell them online. Wondering how to create digital downloads to sell?

This quick guide provides a clear roadmap for beginners. In this quick guide, we’ll talk about different types of digital downloads, the process to create a digital download, and where to sell. Plus, you will find effective marketing tips for your digital download.

What are Digital Downloads?

Digital downloads are downloadable digital products sold online. One can easily create and sell digital downloads online repeatedly. They are easy to make, update, replicate, and distribute online.

You can offer a digital download for free, at a specific price, and even as an exchange  for information. The price of a digital download depends on the time, effort, and expertise required to create it.

You can sell your digital downloads on your own website, online marketplaces, or

Further, let’s round off the types of digital downloads.

Types of Digital Downloads

There’s a broad range of options when it comes to selling digital downloads online. Here are a few examples:

• Online courses
• E-books
• Workbooks
• Videos
• Mockups
• Digital art
• Illustrations
• Checklists
• Graphic design elements
• Plugins
• Templates
• Presets
• Digital planners
• Images
• Apps

That’s not it. You can create and sell several other types of digital downloads. They are flexible and cater to a wide range of audiences. That’s a perk of selling digital products.

Why selling Digital Downloads is a Great Idea?

Selling digital downloads ultimately keeps you at an advantage‌ in many aspects.

First, digital files are flexible. You can easily create and sell them online. Plus, you can create different types of digital products at one time. You can easily update digital downloads too.

Secondly, selling digital downloads is quite effortless as compared to physical products. You do not have to manage or restore any inventory. In fact, you can automate the process of receiving leads and fulfillment.

The best part: no shipping charges and security costs. Your product will be instantly delivered to the buyer. That will ultimately lead to higher customer satisfaction.

Next, you get to keep a good chunk of your profits. The cost of creating a digital download and managing an online store is minimal. Plus, there are no recurring costs of goods.

How to Create Digital Downloads?

Creating digital downloads can be overwhelming for beginners. But, no need to worry. If you have a clear direction and get the basics right, you are good to go.

To make that sure, I have jotted down all the important steps involved in the process of creating digital downloads.

Let’s start by brainstorming digital product ideas.

1. Brainstorming

Everything starts with an idea! Now there are several types of digital downloads. That’s why you need to brainstorm ideas for your digital product.

What’s the best way to do that? Let me tell you.

Consider your Niche

Your digital product has to align with your niche and area of expertise.

Keep your Target Audience in Mind

Study your target audience to come up with a digital product that sells well. Think about the problems your target audience faces and what kind of digital downloads can solve those problems.

Be Creative

There’s no limit when it comes to brainstorming. Think outside of the box and let your creative instincts come into play.

There’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to brainstorming. However, you need to be specific. Narrow down your ideas to 2-3 to move forward. Otherwise, you will end up in confusion. Avoid overthinking.

2. Validate your Ideas

At this stage, you have 2-3 ideas for your digital download. Now, it’s time to validate your ideas. This will help you find out whether the ideas are worth investing your time and effort. Plus, it will further help you to narrow down to one solid idea.

Now, here’s how you can validate your ideas.

Do your Research

Your digital downloads will only sell well if they correspond to the pain points of your target audience in a specific industry. For research, you can join online communities and forums related to your niche. You will learn a lot about the concerns of your potential customers.

You can also read product reviews of similar digital products. Finally, do not forget the emails from your past or present customers. Such customers are valuable as they took the time to email you with concerns and thoughts.

Check the Demand

You need to create a digital download that your potential customers or target audience is asking for. For that, it’s important to check the demand for a digital product before creating it.

Start with keyword research. Use a keyword tool like Ubersuggest to learn about the search volume.

Next, you can use Google Trends to discover how in-demand certain topics are. You can focus your search on a certain region within a specific time frame.

Check your Competitors

You need to research what’s already out there and what your competitors are offering. This will help you create a digital product that is unique and offers more value.

First, identify your competitors. Next, find out their digital downloads on online marketplaces such as Etsy or their own websites. Learn about their offerings.

Do not forget to go through the reviews and feedback left by their customers. This will give you a realistic idea of what’s great and what’s not.

Ultimately, you will be able to identify gaps in your competitors’ products. Use this information to work on your digital downloads.

What to do if the competition is high?

Be prepared as can encounter high competition for your ideas. If that happens, you have the following three options.

• Define your market by offering a more unique product. This will minimize competition. For instance, if you are planning to sell digital planners, you can offer digital planners for planning class curriculum.
• Look for a new market that is less saturated. You can switch your market and offer digital planners for yoga trainers or school teachers.
• Skip the idea if you cannot find a way out.

Ask for Feedback

Connect directly with your present customers and ask for feedback. It’s the best way to learn what they want. You can hold one-to-one calls with your customers or you can engage with them through social media or groups.

Test a Beta Version of your Digital Download

Why not start small and test your product? You can launch a smaller version for experimentation with room for growth. This will help you identify loopholes through feedback. Further, you can update your digital product accordingly.

Idea validation will help you gain clarity and will strengthen the foundations. At this stage, further, narrow down your ideas to one.

3. Create your Digital Downloads

Finally, it’s time when your chosen idea will come to fruition! You can now create your digital download. It will be fun and effortless if you got the previous steps right.

Get the Right Tools

To create your digital download, you will require specific resources, such as digital tools or software. The nature of these tools and software will depend on what type of digital product you are creating.

For example, you have chosen to offer graphic templates. For that, you can opt for Canva., which is a free tool. You can use Audacity which is an online open-source audio editor and record to create downloadable audio files.

There are several other free tools available that can you can use to get started. However, some digital products might require special features. In that case, you can go for paid versions with advanced features.

The time required to create a digital download also depends on the nature of the digital download. For example, it might take a few hours to create a template but it might take weeks to create an online course.

Lastly, you might need physical products to create digital downloads. For instance, you will need a mic and lighting setup to record online course videos.

Set policies for your Digital Download.

As you create your first digital download, you also need to set policies. First, you need to define usage terms for your digital product. In most cases, a digital download is declared for personal or non-commercial usage.

Next, set up a refund policy for your digital download. Finally, you need a legal policy. That will help you govern the usage of your product and prevent it from privacy.

There you have it! Your digital download is ready to go online. Now, you need a platform to sell your digital downloads. What are your options? Let us see.

Where to Sell Your Digital Downloads?

There are so many platforms when it comes to selling digital downloads. However, they can be categorized into three types. Understanding each type will lead you to make an informed decision.

Your own Online Store/Website

You can list your digital downloads on your own online store or website. This is a go-to option. You can customize your listings according to your brand. Plus, it will give your products the center stage without any competing products.

This can also boost engagement on your website. That way, you can collect more email addresses for marketing campaigns.

Listing your digital downloads on your own online store also has its downsides. For example,  you will need to put in extra effort to drive traffic to your store. Plus, incorporating an online store into your website will require more expertise and incur extra costs.

Learning Community Platforms

The idea of using learning community platforms for digital downloads is gaining traction. If you aim to sell educational digital downloads such as workbooks, online courses, and memberships, this option is best for you.

A learning community platform enables you to create a community around your courses or the other way around.

GroupApp is a prime example of a learning community platform. In fact, it’s an all-in-one learning community platform that offers several features in one place. You can create online courses, introduce coaching programs, and offer digital downloads based on memberships.

That makes it a flexible yet specialist tool! Grab your free GroupApp account now and test it yourself.

Using a learning community platform offers several benefits such as

• Cost-effective solution.
• Fosters community building
• Suitable for most types of digital downloads
• Establishes a direct connection with customers
• Builds a recurring income based on memberships

Just like any other platform, there are a few downsides. For instance, you will have to put extra effort to attract potential customers. In addition, community moderation and management will require time and effort. However, that’s manageable.

Online Marketplaces

You can list your digital downloads at online marketplaces such as Etsy, Shopify, and Udemy. This is a relatively easy option as you just need to create an account/online store, provide key info, and list your digital product with all its specifications.

Another big relief is that you don’t have to work to attract potential customers. That is because such platforms are quite authoritative and already have a massive influx of potential customers.

That’s good, isn’t it? Although, it’s a benefit, at the same time you are faced with immense competition. Some other downsides include:

• Need to pay product listing fees and transaction fees
• There’s a lack of customization
• Hard to build your own email list
• Lack of control

6 Marketing Ideas for Digital Downloads

Your digital download is all set and open to the world. But, it will require some buzz to reach your potential customers.

To give you a head start, I have put together 6 effective marketing ideas for you. Let’s get into it.

1 – Offer a Freebie as a Lead Magnet

This is an effective way to identify your potential leads or customers. You can offer a free version of your digital product with lesser features in exchange for emails and other key info. This will help you build an email list.

Plus, it lets you upsell and re-target potential leads through email marketing and promotions. Moreover, it creates a positive brand image and establishes trust.

2 – Create an Online Community

Community-led growth is the way to go. You can create an online community to promote your digital products. Plus, you can directly engage with your customers, market upcoming products, and gather feedback.

3 – Hold Contests & Giveaways

Giveaways and contests can bring your brand up front. You can hold giveaways comprising your digital products on set conditions. This boosts reach and engagement.

4 – Collaborate with Bloggers and Influencers

Partnering with influencers and bloggers can boost your outreach. Because they have established audiences that are massive. All you need to do is to find the right bloggers and influencers that align well with your niche.

5 – Start your Affiliate Program

Affiliates can assist you with lead generation. All you need to do is to start an affiliate program. You can look for credible affiliates within your industry and offer them a set commission for each sale.

6 – Offer Early-Bird Discounts

This technique involves preorders to drive sales by offering discounts. For example, if you are releasing a new digital product, you can offer a flat 30% discount for the first 150 buyers.

You can also offer your new digital product at a discounted rate to your existing loyal customer base. It’s a great way to create a positive brand image and reward the loyalty of your customers.

Over to You!

Selling digital downloads is the best way to monetize your expertise and talent. Plus, it’s so easy to create digital downloads if you follow the steps you learned in this quick guide.

Do not rush the first two steps, i.e. brainstorming and idea validation. Make sure you give ample time to these steps as it will set a solid foundation for your digital product. Next, create your digital product using the best yet affordable tools.

Finally, get the right platform to sell your digital downloads. If you have your own website or online store, you can list your product there. If not, get it listed in the online marketplace. Be aware of the competition that might encounter and apply marketing strategies accordingly.

Lastly, if you are offering educational digital products, opting for a learning community platform like GroupApp would be a smart choice. You can harness the power of community-led growth.

That gives you an opportunity to keep your customers close and lets you directly engage with them. You can better understand their problems and gather ideas and feedback to make your digital products better!

Plus, you get all the essential features in one place. Not to forget how it cuts the hassle for you and your customers. All these perks make it worth a try.

Create your free GroupApp now!