Selling digital products: How to do it right

Selling digital products gives you the opportunity to earn money online with intangible goods such as e-books without the hassle of shipping.

What are digital products and how can you sell them?

Digital products are intangible goods that can be sold and downloaded directly online.

Examples include e-books, online courses, software, music files, graphics or even digital designs for websites. The big advantage is that you can create these products once and then sell them multiple times without the hassle of production and storage.
E-books are particularly popular because they are easy to create and can be sold to a large audience worldwide. Online courses can be marketed particularly well via Udemy or Teachable.
You can also generate regular income with software solutions, your own apps or plug-ins, especially if you develop useful and innovative tools for a specific problem or niche. Another growing market is the sale of music and audio files that can be used for YouTube videos, podcasts or commercials.

There are a variety of platforms for selling digital products. The choice depends on the format of the product you want to sell.

For E-Books The large marketplaces such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing are suitable, where you can reach readers all over the world. Self-created designs or graphics can be easily sold on platforms such as Etsy or Creative Market.
If you Software or apps If you want to offer a course, platforms such as Gumroad, Paddle or the App Store are suitable sales outlets. The best way to sell online courses is through specialised platforms such as Udemy, Teachable or Thinkific, which not only provide you with the infrastructure but often also marketing support.
Music or audio files find their place on platforms such as AudioJungle or Pond5. Many of these platforms handle the entire sales process, from payment to making the download available.
If you use existing platforms, you can concentrate fully on creating and improving your products.

Before you sell digital products, you should develop a clear strategy.

First, think about what problem you can solve with your product or what added value you can offer. For example, if you have created an e-book or a course, you should promote it in a targeted manner, for example via your own website or social media channels.
The next step is to choose the right platform that suits your product and target audience. It may also make sense to run your own website or online store to have more control over your sales and profits.
Tools like Shopify or WooCommerce offer a practical solution for this. To boost sales, you should also think about your pricing strategy.
Competition is often high with digital products, so special offers, discounts or packages can be a good way to attract more customers. Also remember that high-quality product descriptions and attractive presentations are crucial to sales success.