How to Create Digital Products: Top Tips

Last Updated on November 18, 2024 by Jan Barley

How to Create Digital Products. It’s Worthwhile But Can Be A Learning Curve

For many years, I put off creating digital products. I thought I’d have to create an ebook or course from scratch, and I couldn’t face it. I knew it would be time-consuming, and I was busy with client work.

I bought my first digital product with master resell rights at the end of November 2023. It cost $600! However, I quickly realised there were too many customer friction points for me to feel happy about selling it. For instance, it isn’t fully automated, there were problems with the payment processor and it was just a biy icky.

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The Disadvantages of Most Master Resell Rights (MRR) Products

I wasn’t comfortable with people paying me directly and I decided I didn’t like the master resell rights business model. Buying a product to sell a product shouldn’t be the goal. For me, it’s about learning high-income skills and I’ve learned more from YouTube tutorials than with that course.

I wish I had started with a reputable MRR such as Lepo Max, The Roadmap or Inner Bloom.

I see many people struggling with the tech setup and they aren’t allowed to be vulnerable if they aren’t getting sales. The entire business seems to be about broadcasting how much money some people are making.

Alternatives to MRR Products

I decided to let that business go. Thankfully, I found a done-for-you business that (imo) is more sustainable, ethical and less focused on the rah rah rah of making a lot of money. It has 750+ products that I can promote and make affiliate commissions, saving me weeksof trying to create digital products of my own.

I also joined Catalyst Collective. Is Catalyst Collective good? Yes, it has helped me get clearer about the direction of my business and given me actionable steps.

The Process I Followed to Make Digital Products

I will bullet point my process because I’m sure you don’t want to read reams of pages.

I bought low-cost PLR (private label rights) products with resell rights
I bought from people I knew in digital marketing groups, Facebook ads and platforms that sell PLR, such as Etsy
These products were Canva templates so that I can edit and personalise/improve
I reorganised the content, adding elements, changing fonts, images, and colours and creating new covers
I opened a free account with Gumroad
I created mock-ups on Canva for images for my shop listings
I began promoting on Pinterest

Gumroad was my first shop, but I didn’t realise they don’t allow PLR or MRR products. It took them five months to actually tell me, after I had published fourteen products! So, don’t publish on Gumroad!

I also plan to put more digital products on Systeme. I may use a few as lead magnets and sell the rest cheaply so others can make money by reselling them. For now, I’m busy with my DFY store becuase that’s done all the work for me.

Was it Easy?

Yes and no. I have undiagnosed ADHD with some elements of ASD, so my natural inclination is to simplify, problem-solve and improve. That meant it took me a long time to edit the courses. It didn’t help that I manually changed fonts and colours on every page for three courses before realising that Canva has a “change all” option.

<<<Slaps forehead>>>

What I Would Do Differently if I Created Digital Products

I wouldn’t buy other people’s low-ticket PLRs. Instead, I would create my own from scratch. Though that is the longer route, there’s no guessing about the quality and you can create something unique and personalised. I would start a YouTube channel and commit to marketing rather than relying on a marketplace like Etsy. They are notorious for randomly closing people’s accounts and it’s happening more lately.

I would consider creating a video course and becoming a specialist in one subject. I’m leaning towards Pinterest because that platform generates results. Instagram is dead in the water for many and TikTok is just plain weird.

So, I’m studying pin design and may later focus on helping businesses get traction on Pinterest. I may create pins to sell on Creative Fabrica, which imo is better than Etsy.

Claude AI As Your Digital Product Creator

I’ve rececently started using Claude AI. It is much better for creating content than ChatGPT.

There are limitations on the free plan but it’s quite generous. I use it every day now for content outlines keyword semantics, content ideas and more.

I plan to use it for copywriting sales pages, email campaigns and ebooks.

What’s Next?

I am focused on getting to know the DFY business. I’m leaning into affiliate marketing because MRR is NOT passive. It’s a lot of grunt work that never ends. Affiliate marketing is a better option if you want passive income. For esample, the DFY business has three tiers of commissions:-

A year down the line, you’ll be receiving regular passive income from the second and third tier, and that can add up. My focus in on Pinterest marketing. I promote articles on this website, affiliate products I use and, each week, share some of the products from the DFU store. Pinterest is one of the best platforms for marketing your business. I’ll be sharing more content here and on YouTube when I have time, so I can show others what I am learning.

If you’re thinking about starting a digital products business, I recommend building one product. Decide which social media channels to use for marketing and practice until you have mastered the process.

Having trouble selling your digital product? If that’s the case read Digital product not selling: 10 reasons why & how to fix it.

Conclusion

I’m not saying don’t create digital products. Still, it’s essential to establish what you want from a product. If you just want to make money, you’d be better off buying a product you can market. Learn as much as you can about digital marketing, and focus on building high-income skills.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links on this page. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.