Starting a digital product store on your website is easier than you might think. With a few straightforward steps, you can transform your site into a platform that offers valuable digital goods.
The first challenge many face is deciding what to sell. Everyone has knowledge or skills that others might find useful. By turning this expertise into products, you can solve problems and provide value.
Popular digital products include ebooks, templates, and online courses, each offering benefits like saving time or money for the customer.
Once you’ve identified your product idea, the next step is to set up your online store.
With Easy Digital Downloads, creating a store on WordPress is quick and uncomplicated. The plugin is user-friendly and allows you to get your product live efficiently.
I’ll walk you through each step, from plugging in the tools you need to customising your digital store for sales and effective email communication. Before you know it, you’ll have a professional setup ready to serve your audience.
Key Takeaways
- Identify potential products based on your expertise.
- Use Easy Digital Downloads for a simple online store setup.
- Customise payments and emails for a seamless experience.
Figuring Out What to Sell
Seeing the Worth in What You Know
Everyone has something they’re good at, whether it’s a hobby or their job. What you’re really trading is your knowledge, and there’s always someone out there who wants to learn what you already know.
By thinking about what you excel at, you can discover subjects that hold value.
Issues and Areas of Know-How
Digital products usually aim to solve problems. Common solutions include saving time or money, improving skills, and offering convenience.
Start by jotting down issues you or others have dealt with in areas you know well. With that list, you can brainstorm how these problems could be solved through digital products.
Transforming What You Know Into Digital Goods
Digital products can be things like e-books, templates, or online courses. The type you make will depend on what solutions your list points to.
Tools like Canva assist in creating such products. For those unsure about where to begin, using AI-driven prompts can guide you toward generating ideas. Once your products are ready, they’ll be simple to set up on your WordPress site with the help of plugins like Easy Digital Downloads.
Kinds of Digital Goods
Electronic Books and Patterns
I find that electronic books (eBooks) and patterns are essential digital goods. eBooks are great for sharing knowledge on various topics, ranging from storytelling to professional advice. They are easy to create using tools and can be distributed simply online.
Patterns can be incredibly useful for designers and crafters, offering ready-made solutions for projects.
Online Lessons and Special Material
Online lessons and special material are popular because they enable individuals to learn new skills or enhance existing ones at their own pace. These courses often come as videos, articles, or downloadable resources.
Offering special content can provide added value to subscribers, whether it’s advanced tutorials or exclusive insights that can’t be found elsewhere.
Digital Art, Tunes, Applications, and Extras
In terms of creativity, digital art, tunes, applications, and extras play a significant role. Whether it’s stunning digital paintings, catchy music tracks, practical software solutions, or helpful plugins, these digital creations meet various needs and preferences.
They are easy to distribute and update, making them a flexible choice for creators and consumers alike.
Instruments for Crafting Products
Designing with Canva
I’ve found Canva to be an incredibly useful tool for designing various digital products, such as eBooks and templates. It’s straightforward to use, making the creation process much less daunting, especially if you’re not a professional designer.
With its wide range of templates, you can create visually appealing products that look professional. Canva offers numerous customisation options, allowing you to adjust the font, colour, and layout according to your preferences. It’s perfect for bringing your product ideas to life.
Sparking Ideas with AI Chat Prompts
Coming up with product ideas can be challenging, but I’ve found a handy solution with chat prompts.
Using AI-driven tools like Chat GPT, you can generate a plethora of ideas by simply entering some basic information into the system. This approach offers a starting point, helping to clear any creative blocks you might be facing.
Through a simple copy-and-paste action, you can receive tailored suggestions that can guide your product creation process. This method is not only user-friendly but also completely free.
Setting Up Easy Digital Downloads
Adding the Plugin
Firstly, log into the WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Plugins and select Add New.
In the search bar, type “Easy Digital Downloads”. You should see the plugin with about 50,000 active installs and a 4.5-star rating. Click on Install Now.
After it’s installed, click Activate to enable it on your site.
Adjusting WordPress Settings
To ensure the plugin works smoothly, some WordPress settings need to be configured.
Go to the Downloads section in the dashboard, which appears after activating the plugin. This section includes various tools and options that help in managing your digital products efficiently.
Going Through the Setup Assistant
Once the plugin is activated, access the setup assistant by clicking Downloads and selecting Setup.
In this setup assistant, I entered information about my business, such as the name, type, and address.
It’s crucial to choose the country and region for the business, along with the desired currency for the store.
Connecting payment options is straightforward. I opted to use Stripe, which required either logging into an existing account or creating a new one.
Once Stripe was connected, I configured the email receipts by adding a logo, adjusting the sender’s name, and fine-tuning the message details for the customer.
Personalising Your Online Shop
Picking Your Business Info
To start, I navigate to my WordPress dashboard.
The first step is to give Easy Digital Downloads some information about my business. I input my business name and then pick whether it’s an individual venture or a company from a dropdown list.
I make sure my business address is correct as it might appear on invoices, which helps build trust with my customers. After entering my business location, I use the search bar to select my country and region.
Deciding on Currency and Settings
The next task is to choose the currency for my shop. I stick with the US dollar, but there’s an option to select a different one from a dropdown menu.
I can also adjust the currency symbol’s position, and change both the thousand and decimal separators, though I choose to keep the defaults. Once everything looks good, I save and move on.
Blending Payments into the Site
Linking Stripe
Stripe is a popular payment solution that’s simple to integrate with Easy Digital Downloads.
If you already have a Stripe account, you can connect it, or set up a new one during the process.
To get started, click on the “Connect with Stripe” button. This directs you to the Stripe site, where you’ll either log in with an existing account or input details to create a new account.
After completing verification steps, Stripe will link back to your WordPress site. Once connected, your payment gateway is ready.
Customising Emails for Digital Offerings
Inserting Brand Marks
Customising email receipts begins with branding.
If you have a company logo, it’s simple to add it to your email by selecting the attach file option. Upload or choose a logo from your media storage.
It’s a helpful way to reinforce your brand identity every time a customer gets a receipt. Adding a logo makes emails look more professional and helps in building trust with customers.
Altering Email Formats
Customising the structure of your emails is essential.
Start by adjusting the From name and email address to better represent your brand. These can include just a person’s name for a personal touch.
The email body itself includes tags, marked with curly brackets, that automatically fill in with customer details. This allows for personalisation, like using the customer’s name or listing their purchased items.
By ensuring these details are correct, you create a seamless experience which satisfies the customer and promotes future purchases.