Etsy is my favorite place to sell print on demand and digital products. It provides sellers with a significant SEO advantage, since consumers know they can find unique products on Etsy that they can’t find at Target or Amazon.
Over the years, I’ve learned some things about making and selling digital art on Etsy. Here are 8 tips to help you create, market, and sell digital art.
#1: Use the Right Tools
If you want to create digital art to sell, you need the right tools. The good news is that you can find everything you need for free if you want to keep your costs low. Of course, you always have the option of paying for tools, as well.
Canva has a free option as well as a paid option, and you’ll get access to tons of free templates, photos, and fonts you can use in your art. If you have a Gmail account, you can also take advantage of Google Docs and Google Slides. If you already have Office 365, you can use PowerPoint to create artwork, too.
ProCreate is a great iPad drawing app. If you’re willing to make an investment, then it may be worthwhile to buy Adobe products Photoshop and Illustrator. If you’re hand drawing your art, you should probably invest in a good tablet and stylus pen.
#2: Research the Market
What digital art items are selling? If you don’t know the answer to that question then it’s time to do some research – before you spend your valuable time creating and marketing your digital art.
You can start on Etsy. Search for digital art or narrow your search to something like fine art prints or art stickers. Find out what’s available. You can get an idea of the sales for a product by looking at how many reviews there are.
The most important thing here is to recognize that if there isn’t a market for a product, then it’s not something you should invest your time in.
#3: Outsource Where It Makes Sense
Depending on what type of digital art you want to sell, it may make sense to get some outside help. There’s no rule that says you must do everything yourself.
Perhaps you have a knack for using fonts and clipart, but you don’t have the drawing skills to create original illustrations. Maybe you just want to focus your energy on marketing and selling your products. Either way, a good place to start is Toptal, which offers a free guide for people looking to hire illustrators.
#4: Set the Right Price
Pricing digital products can be tricky because when a consumer isn’t getting a physical product – as is sometimes the case with digital art – they may undervalue it and expect a bargain. This becomes less of an issue if you’re integrated with a fulfillment company who will print (and sometimes frame) your artwork to ship to customers.
When you price your digital art products, make sure to account for the following things.
- The time you spend creating, uploading, and marketing your products
- The expense (or part of the expense) of any tools or subscriptions you use
- Any money you paid to an illustrator or designer
- Etsy’s fees, which are $.20 per product as a listing fee plus 5% of the purchase price
- Fulfillment fees, which vary depending on the provider and the product being printed
- The price of similar products on the market
You’ll need to ensure that you earn a profit even after paying your expenses. It’s important to note that your time is valuable, and you aren’t really making a profit if you don’t pay yourself.
#5: Upload Images of Your Digital Art
When you sell products on Etsy, your listings play a big role in how successful you will be. That starts with the images of your artwork.
You an add up to 10 photos of your product to each listing. In addition to your main image, which should be a clear photo of your full design, you may want to include additional images.
- For printable products, print the items in question and take clear and attractive photos of them.
- For fulfilled products, show images that will let buyers see how the prints will look on the items they have chosen, whether that’s a page of stickers, a mug, or a fine art print.
- Images of the items being used. For example, if you’re selling digital artwork that’s meant to be colored in, show what a completed page might look like.
The idea is to give buyers the best possible idea of what they’re paying for when they buy your digital art.
#6: Write Compelling Descriptions
Your product description should be clear and use language that will help people searching for digital art find your products. When you are selling a print-at-home product, you should make sure to specify that in the product description.
Arguably the most important thing to include in your description is the dimensions of what you’re selling. If you’re providing people with files in multiple sizes, include the dimensions of every file. If you’re working with a fulfillment house, make it clear what size art print they’ll be getting.
#7: Encourage Customers to Write Reviews
Reviews are a big deal for any product that’s sold online and they’re especially important on Etsy. When people write reviews of your products, they provide social proof that your designs are worth buying.
After someone buys your product, follow up with a thank you and ask them to write a review on your Etsy page. Written reviews are great and it’s even better if people upload photos of your products. Prospective buyers will be able to see how the product looks in people’s homes.
#8: Market Your Digital Art
While Etsy gets a lot of traffic, you shouldn’t assume that people will be able to find your artwork without help. If you have a website or blog, link out to your product listings on Etsy. Create a social media account (or two) for your Etsy shop and market it there. Set up an email list to let people know about new products as they’re released.
Selling digital art on Etsy is easy and can be profitable if you do it right. The 8 tips here will help you create and sell your digital art.
Do you need help making your Etsy shop profitable? Click here to work with me!
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