Earning income through bibliophilic pursuits: A guide
Speak easy, mate. Want some extra dollars in your pocket without having to work a soul-crushing job? This guide will show you how you can use your love of books to bring in a little extra cash online. Fear not, this ain't no pyramid scheme or get-rich-quick scheme, just a fellow bookworm sharing their journey selling digital products.
So, what the heck are digital products, you ask?
Digital products are invisible goods that can be sold as downloads or accessed online after purchase. They can be ebooks, Google Docs templates, video workshops, printable worksheets, planners – you name it. The sky's the limit!
I mainly sell my digital wares on Etsy, but I've also got a PayHip store and use ThriveCart. If you want to sell online, you can use SendOwl, Shopify, or even build your own website.
Now Etsy brings about half my traffic, but I also bring the other half. I natter about my products a lot in my blog 'cause they're relevant to my content, and I create Pinterest pins about my blog posts to attract readers.
How do I make money with digital products?
I've got a delicious Etsy shop called Writer Lifestyle, but most of my income comes from there. People trust Etsy more than some random website, but if you've got a substantial social media following, you can take users to your own website without losing business to other Etsy shops.
Let's get into the good stuff – creating digital products
If you're good at somethin', don't you think it's only fair to make a few bucks by teachin' others? After all, who doesn't want a piece of the pie, yeah?
So, you can create digital products to help people learn, improve, remember, or organize. Your customers could be beginners who are eager to learn, or folks with existing knowledge who want to hone their skills. Remember: you gotta know your audience and what they need.
Here are some examples of digital products you can create for lovers of the written word:
Ideas for Educational Digital Products
- reflection sheets on classic novels
- poetic metre reference sheets
- book review template with writing prompts
- social media post ideas for Bookstagram and Booktok accounts
- reading challenge checklist for trackin' progress
Ideas for Entertainment Digital Products
- reading bingo sheets
- Murakami word search pages
- local library treasure hunt sheets
- diploma certificates for finishing an epic series
- board games for bookish family game nights
Got more ideas for digital products? Pop on over to this post in my Educational Etsy Products blog for more inspiration.
Wait, can't I make anything besides "educational" products?
Absolutely, mate! I've got a few entertainment-type products in my shop, like printable games. If you've got artistic skills, you can create lovely, unique products that'll leave the rest of us plebs in the dust.
Good luck on your digital product journey, mate! If you want to start sellin' already and not after wastein' months of googlin' for answers, you might just want to join Earning with Educational Etsy Products, or EEEP.
- You can create digital products such as writing tips worksheets, creative writing ebooks, or printable planners related to your lifestyle, food-and-drink, entertainment, or even books, and sell them on platforms like Etsy, PayHip, or Shopify to earn extra income online.
- If you're skilled in creative writing, consider creating educational digital products like reflection sheets on classic novels, poetic metre reference sheets, or book review templates with writing prompts, which can help people improve their writing skills.
- Besides educational digital products, you can also create entertainment-focused content like reading bingo sheets, Murakami word search pages, or local library treasure hunt sheets, offering unique and engaging experiences for book lovers.
