Are you a digital artist looking to monetize your passion and start selling your creations online? With the rise of digital art and the creator economy, there‘s never been a better time to turn your artistic talents into a thriving online business.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to start selling digital art, graphics, templates, and more online in 2023. Whether you‘re a seasoned pro or just starting out, you‘ll learn the best tools and strategies to set up shop, showcase your work, and generate sales.
The Benefits of Selling Digital Art & Graphics Online
So why sell digital products like art and graphics? There are some major advantages compared to selling physical goods:
- No inventory or shipping hassles – With digital products, there‘s nothing to manufacture, store, or ship. You can sell the same file over and over again.
- Higher profit margins – Without inventory and shipping costs eating into your profits, you keep more of each sale.
- Automation & passive income potential – You can put your store on autopilot and make money while you sleep as customers purchase and instantly download your products.
- Fast & easy to get started – You can launch a digital download store in a matter of hours with the right tools and a few finished products ready to sell.
"The future belongs to creators. Whether you‘re an artist, musician, writer, or any other kind of creator, there‘s an audience out there that‘s ready and willing to pay for the value you provide."
– Nathan Barry, Founder ConvertKit
While you can sell digital products on marketplace sites like Etsy or Creative Market, to really maximize your income potential, branding, and ownership, I recommend selling through your own website.
And thankfully, with the power of WordPress and some key plugins, setting up a professional store is easier and more affordable than ever before. Let‘s dive in!
How to Set Up Your Own Digital Downloads Store on WordPress
Here are the basic steps we‘ll cover to get you up and selling:
- Choose a domain name and hosting provider
- Install WordPress and configure your store
- Add your digital products
- Set up payment processing
- Customize your email receipts and download delivery
- Design your storefront and product pages
- Promote your products and drive traffic
Step 1: Choose a Domain Name & Hosting
To set up a WordPress site, you‘ll first need a domain name (yoursitename.com) and a hosting account. Your hosting is where your website files live on the internet.
I recommend choosing a ".com" domain if available, and a name that aligns with your art business or personal brand as a creator. You can search for and register available domain names at registrars like Namecheap or Google Domains for around $10-15/year.
For hosting, you want a provider that‘s optimized for WordPress and offers good performance, security, and support at an affordable price. Some of the top options for digital stores include:
- Siteground
- Bluehost
- Flywheel
- WP Engine
Most of these offer easy 1-click WordPress installs, SSL certificates (important for secure transactions), and sometimes even come with the digital downloads plugin we‘ll be using preinstalled.
Expect to pay around $5-30/month depending on the plan and provider you choose. For a new store just starting out, an entry level plan should work just fine.
Step 2: Install WordPress and Configure Your Store
Once you‘ve signed up for hosting, most providers have simple wizards to help you get WordPress installed with just a few clicks. If not, you can always download WordPress for free from WordPress.org and install it yourself (here‘s a handy guide from WordPress).
The beauty of WordPress is the ability to use plugins, which are like apps for your website, to add all sorts of functionality. And when it comes to selling digital products, one plugin reigns supreme:
Easy Digital Downloads
Easy Digital Downloads (EDD for short) is a free, purpose-built plugin for selling any kind of digital products on WordPress. It makes it a snap to upload files, create product pages, and start selling.
You can download and install EDD from the WordPress plugin repository, or if your hosting came with it preinstalled, simply activate it on your Plugins page.
Once activated, EDD will add a new "Downloads" menu to your WordPress dashboard. This is where you‘ll configure settings, add products, and manage orders and customers.
I recommend going through the settings to customize things like your store currency, default tax rates, and accepted payment methods.
For payments, EDD supports popular processors like PayPal and Stripe out of the box, with other options available as add-ons. These processors will handle the actual credit card transactions for you securely.
Step 3: Add Your Digital Products
Now for the fun part – adding your first product! To do so:
- From your WordPress dashboard, go to Downloads > Add New
- Enter a title and description for your product
- Scroll to the Download Files section and upload the actual files customers will receive when purchasing
- Set your price
- Upload a product image or graphic
- Configure any other settings and click Publish
Some best practices and considerations when creating your products:
- Clearly describe what the customer is getting and how they can use the files
- Include product preview images that show your art or graphics in action
- If you offer different file types or versions, consider creating a variable product so customers can choose their preferred option
- For large files, consider hosting them on a service like Amazon S3 to reduce load on your store
- Offer clear terms/licenses so customers know if they can use items for commercial work, redistribution, etc.
You can create a main Shop page from Downloads > Settings to display all your products, or feature individual products throughout your site using EDD‘s blocks or shortcodes.
Step 4: Customize Your Purchase Confirmation Emails
By default, Easy Digital Downloads sends customers an email with their download link after purchase. You can customize this email to match your branding under Downloads > Settings > Emails.
I recommend:
- Adding your logo
- Customizing the subject line and email text
- Including a support link or contact info if customers have issues
You can also use the Customer Notification email settings to send new customers a more personal welcome or deliver bonus content.
Step 5: Make It Yours: Customizing Your Digital Store
With your products and essential store settings in place, it‘s time to make your storefront shine! Because WordPress is endlessly customizable, you can really let your brand as an artist take center stage.
Start by choosing a theme that complements your style and offers the layout options and features you need for your store. There are thousands of themes available, both free and paid, so spend some time browsing marketplaces and theme shops like:
- ThemeForest
- aThemes
- Themify
- StudioPress
Many themes these days are ecommerce-ready out of the box or offer integrations with Easy Digital Downloads.
"Your store‘s design plays a huge role in convincing potential customers to explore your products and ultimately make a purchase. Take the time to create a polished, professional storefront that reflects your unique brand as an artist."
Next, consider your homepage content. Your homepage is your store‘s front door and a prime opportunity to make a strong first impression.
Some ideas for engaging homepage content:
- A hero image or video featuring your art in action
- Sections highlighting your best selling or newest products
- Testimonials or social proof from happy customers
- An about section telling your story as an artist
- An email opt-in to build your list (more on this later)
For your individual product pages, think carefully about your descriptions and visuals. Use high quality images that zoom or show the product in use.
Offer detailed yet skimmable descriptions covering:
- What the product is
- What files are included
- How the item can be used
- What makes it unique or valuable
Finally, create pages for your key store policies, like your:
- Terms of Service
- Refund Policy
- License Agreement
- Support / Contact Info
Having these pages in place not only helps customers know what to expect, but lends your store credibility and professionalism.
Promote Your Products and Drive Traffic
You‘ve created an awesome store filled with your digital art – now it‘s time to get it in front of potential customers! Promoting a digital product store involves many of the same tactics as any other ecommerce business:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Help your products and pages rank in Google searches by optimizing your page titles, headings, and body content for relevant keywords. The Yoast SEO plugin is a great place to start.
Content Marketing – Create blog content, tutorials, and freebies that attract your ideal customers and showcase your work. Guide readers to your shop throughout your content.
Social Media Marketing – Share your work and products on the social channels where your audience hangs out. Great visuals are key here. Consider videos showing your creation process or images of your products in use.
Email Marketing – Build an email list of fans and customers you can reach out to with new product launches, sales, and exclusive content. ConvertKit and MailerLite are popular options for creators.
Paid Ads – While organic traffic is great, investing in targeted ads on search engines or social media can help you reach new audiences and drive sales.
Partnerships & Affiliates – Team up with complementary brands, bloggers, or influencers in your space to expand your reach. You can also create an affiliate program to get your fans and customers promoting for you.
The key is to start with one or two promotion channels, track your results, and double down on what works for your particular products and audience.
Grow Your Digital Art Business with these Tools & Resources
We‘ve covered a lot of ground, but there are even more ways to optimize your store and boost digital sales. Here are some of my favorite tools and resources to level up:
- Easy Digital Downloads Extensions – From recurring subscriptions to content bundles to AI-powered recommendations, EDD offers a library of extensions to enhance your store. Many are free!
- EDD Recommendations – Based on your browsing and order history, EDD can dynamically recommend products to your customers and display them across your store. Great for upsells and cross-sells.
- Free download: Top Plugins for Digital Artists – This free PDF guide covers my top plugin picks for SEO, social media, email marketing, store design, and more.
- EDD Blog – Tons of helpful content on selling digital products, increasing traffic, conversion tips, and more. The Selling Digital Art 101 email course is a must!
- Communities & Courses – Connecting with and learning from other artists can be a game changer. Some great ones: Everyday Artist Academy, Nathan Barry‘s Newsletter, Creative Market Freebies
Start Selling Your Digital Art Today!
Phew, that was a lot to cover! But I hope this guide has shown you that selling digital art online doesn‘t have to be complicated or overwhelming.
With a solid game plan, the right tools, and a commitment to creating awesome products and content, you can build a thriving business around your passion as a digital artist. The creator economy is booming, and now is the perfect time to grab your piece of the pie.
So choose that domain name, sign up for hosting, and start building your digital art empire today! You‘ve got this.
Have any questions or your own tips to share? Let me know in the comments below!
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