If you're looking for a way to make money online in 2024, you've probably heard of digital planners. For anyone who enjoys designing and organizing, selling digital planners can be a great way to bring in some extra income.
Digital planners have become very popular in recent years as people look for ways to stay organized in the digital world. They need something easy to use, accessible, and customized to their needs. This has led to a rise in demand for digital planners, and a rise in opportunities to make money selling them. With the right skills and marketing strategies, you can create and sell stunning digital planners that people will love and buy.
Selling digital planners on Etsy can make you money and allow you to share your creativity with the world. Whether you're a graphic designer, a stay at home mom, or a student, selling digital planners on Etsy can be a fun and rewarding experience. So, if you're interested in making digital planners your new side hustle, keep reading to learn more about how you can make money selling them on Etsy.
Understanding Digital Planners
What Are Digital Planners?
Digital planners are a type of planner that is designed to be used on electronic devices like phones, tablets, and computers. It's an electronic version of a paper planner, but with more features and flexibility.
When you hear "digital planner", your mind may instantly go to a typical style agenda - pages with monthly, weekly, or daily layouts to write your to-do lists in, but there are so many other options. You can make planners for budgets, meals, trips, lesson plans, weddings, parties, whatever you can think of! If there are details to think about, a planner can be made for it.
Aside from meeting customer's needs, there are a couple of other benefits to creating digital planners.
Benefits of Selling Digital Planners
- Low Startup Costs: Unlike physical products, digital products don't require any physical materials, storage, or shipping. You don't have to worry about inventory or making time to process and ship orders.
- Recurring Revenue: Once a digital product is created and listed, it can generate recurring income as different customers purchase the download over and over, with little additional work from you.
- Instant Accessibility: Digital planners can be downloaded immediately after purchase, which customers love. Customers want quick and easy transactions, so this is a strong selling point for digital products in general.
- Wide Customization Options for Customers: Buyers can modify layouts, add in their own personal dates, and further tailor it to meet their specific needs. This level of customization allows customers to create something unique to them.
- Scalability: Digital products are incredibly scalable. You don't need to handle physical stock, so you can sell an unlimited amount of copies of your planners and grow your business quickly.
Selling digital products has multiple benefits that can make it an ideal side hustle for anyone willing to put in the work. The start-up costs are little to none, and once it's created, it can sell on its own without you needing to process orders.
Creating Digital Planners
When you design planners for your Etsy shop, focus on aesthetics and functionality. People want to have something that works for them, and looks good doing it. Here are some other considerations to keep in mind during the process:
- Choose Your Design Software: Look for tools that offer flexibility and a range of features to design your planners. Canva is great for beginners and experienced designers, and even offers elements and fonts that can be used for commercial purposes.
- Define Your Planner’s Purpose: Determine what type of planner you want to create. Is it for daily, weekly, or monthly planning? Will it focus on specific themes like fitness, productivity, or financial tracking? Understanding the purpose will guide your design and feature choices.
- Make it Functional: Think about what elements users will appreciate the most. This might include clickable tabs, hyperlinks to different sections, and embedded calendars. Remember, the functionality should meet the needs of your target audience.
- Visual Design and Layout: Focus on creating a visually appealing layout that is both user-friendly and stylish. Pay attention to color schemes, font choices, and the overall user interface.
- Test and Modify: Before finalizing your planner, test its functionality and user experience. This can involve navigating through the planner as an end user or asking friends and colleagues for their feedback. Use this feedback to make necessary adjustments.
Now that you have a solid foundation of the basics, you might be looking for a more detailed step-by-step guide to create the planner. For an in-depth walkthrough, I highly recommend checking out this guide at Make Digital Planners.
Setting Up Your Etsy Shop
Once you've decided to sell digital planners on Etsy, the first thing to do is set up your Etsy shop. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds. Here are some tips to make the process easier:
Shop Branding and Aesthetics
Your Etsy shop is your online storefront. It's important to make it look professional and appealing to potential customers. Start by choosing a shop name that reflects your brand and is easy to remember. You can also create a logo or banner to make your shop stand out.
When it comes to aesthetics, keep it simple and consistent. Use the same color scheme and fonts throughout your shop and listings. This will create a cohesive brand image and make your shop look more professional.
Creating the Listings
Once your shop is set up, it's time to create your listings. This is where you'll showcase your digital planners and convince customers to buy them.
To optimize your listings:
- Use high-quality images that show off your digital planners. Make sure they're clear, well-lit, and show all the important details.
- Write detailed descriptions that explain what your digital planners are, what they include, and how they can benefit the customer.
- Use relevant keywords in your titles and descriptions to help customers find your listings.
Etsy charges 20 cents for each listing. If you want to start with credits for 40 free listings, use my affiliate link to register your Etsy account. It's no additional cost to you, and helps us both get 40 credits!
Marketing Your Digital Planners
One of the biggest misconceptions on digital products is that you create it, post it and BOOM! Instant sales.
That couldn't be further from the truth, and is actually one of the main reasons people are not successful with digital products. When you google something, you most likely click on one of the results on the first page, right? How often do you go to the 15th page, even though it may have the same information you need?
When you first start, your product won't be on one of those first pages, so you may not see as many results from the Etsy algorithm. Instead, you need to drive your own traffic. One of the best ways to do this is with social media.
Social Media Marketing
Social media can be a game-changer for marketing your digital planners. Your business should have dedicated social media accounts, or you can create a professional account for your services and products with your name. Either way, you need a dedicated space you can use to communicate with your audience and build a following.
Engage with your followers and show them how your digital planner can solve their organizational needs. Create pictures and videos showing how you would use the product. Share stories from customers about how the product has helped them in their lives.
Challenges and Considerations
Selling digital planners on Etsy comes with its own set of challenges that sellers need to consider to succeed in this very competitive market. I don't want to discourage anyone, but I do want to be honest. You will experience some road bumps along the way. If you're aware of these beforehand, you'll be more prepared to handle them when the issues arise.
Market Saturation
The digital planner market on Etsy is extremely competitive. A search for "digital planner" brought up over 1000 results, with different layouts, designs, and styles. It can be difficult for sellers to stand out if they do not make efforts to differentiate themselves. Consider specializing in a specific theme, design style, or functionality to attract a targeted audience looking for something distinctive.
Copyright Issues
I don't see this talked about a lot, but it's extremely important that you don't infringe on anyone's copyrights or trademarks. Your designs should be original or you should purchase commercial licenses for graphics or fonts.
As the seller, it's up to you to research copyrights and trademarks before using images or media. If you don't own the copyright, you can have your shop shut down. I've seen many Etsy sellers lose their sole source of income by having their Etsy shops closed down because of copyright. On top of losing money, you can get into legal trouble.
There are a ton of people on Etsy selling copyrighted products who haven't been penalized yet. Make it easy on yourself, don't take the risk.
So.... Can You Make Money Selling Digital Planners on Etsy?
Yes! Selling digital planners can be a very profitable side hustle, but it does require some work. By taking advantage of SEO, creating beautiful and high-quality products, and building a strong social media presence, entrepreneurs can tap into the growing market of digital planners and trackers. Don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate results. Keep experimenting, listen to customer feedback, and don't be afraid to pivot when you find what's working. With patience and persistence, you can grow a successful digital planner business and achieve your goals.