Are you a content creator, designer, or online business owner? I bet you have heard of Canva!
The online platform enables users to create professional-looking designs with ease and also makes it easy to create templates and designs that you can share with and sell to others.
My Canva Template Journey
Back in 2019 I decided to use my background in marketing to design Canva templates to help my struggling clients easily create their own graphics and marketing materials.
It quickly turned into something much bigger when I started offering those templates for sale on my website and Marketplaces. I learned how to optimize and streamline my shop, products and marketing efforts resulting in thousands of sales.
If you’re looking to make some extra money, you may be interested in selling Canva templates. Here’s a guide to get you started.
Find and validate your Product Ideas
Before you get started creating, consider what type of template you want to create. What do you want to be known for? Who do you want to appeal to? What type of templates are trending right now? You can create templates for a variety of purposes, such as logos, business cards, and social media posts.
Creating Your Canva Templates
Once you’ve considered the above, it’s time to create your templates. You can use Canva’s drag and drop editor to craft beautiful designs quickly and easily. Make sure to stick to design and usability guidelines to create an amazing product for your customers.
Pro Tip – Include helpful tips, instructions and bonus resources to improve your customer experience and prevent help requests and questions.
Set up your shop
Decide where you will sell your templates. Will you post your products on your own website? Or share them on Marketplaces such as Etsy? Maybe both? If you’re using your own website, you’ll need to build a store and integrate it with a payment processor. You also have the option to use a third party payment platform such as SendOwl or GumRoad.
Uploading and Selling Your Canva Templates
Once you’ve created a template, you’ll need to upload it to your chosen platform. You’ll need to provide a product description, images, and a file for download so your customers can access the Canva template. You can increase your visibility and market your shop through various channels – promote them on Social Media, Pinterest or with Email Marketing.
Your ultimate goal is to turn buyers into loyal and engaged repeat customers ready to buy from you again and again.
Learn how to sell Canva Templates
If you want to launch your very own profitable Canva Template Business or add an additional income stream to your business, check out the Canva Template Shop Success Kit! 5 Modules to walk you through everything you need step-by-step:
Find and validate your product ideas +where to sell
Design Tips and Guidelines for profitable + user-friendly Templates
Set up your Shop (Etsy, WooCommerce, SendOwl)
Optimize payment, delivery, listing images, description, etc.
Proven Strategies to Market, Launch and Scale your Shop
Turn Buyers into loyal and engaged Repeat Customers
Canva Templates you can resell to kickstart your new Shop
Want to dip your toes into the world of KDP and print-on-demand? I made a plain lined KDP notebook template (the simplest book you can publish on Amazon) for you.
If you want to launch your very own profitable Canva Template Business or add an additional income stream to your business, check out the Canva Template Shop Success Kit! 5 Modules to walk you through everything you need step-by-step:
Find and validate your product ideas +where to sell
Design Tips and Guidelines for profitable + user-friendly Templates
Set up your Shop (Etsy, WooCommerce, SendOwl)
Optimize payment, delivery, listing images, description, etc.
Proven Strategies to Market, Launch and Scale your Shop
Turn Buyers into loyal and engaged Repeat Customers
Canva Templates you can resell to kickstart your new Shop
On my quest to find new potential passive income streams I came across KDP a while ago but wasn’t really feeling it at the time. I finally revisited it and dove deep into the world of KDP.
Keep on reading to learn more about the KDP Workflow, details, my experience with publishing my book on Amazon, and more!
How does it work?
If you’re not familiar, KDP stands for Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon). It allows you to self-publish books for free using print-on-demand.
You can easily create low content books meaning the interior pages are repetitive and designed to be filled in by the user (think notebooks, planners, journals, workbooks, etc.).
Here is a simplified summary:
1. Design and format your book interior and cover
Design your own book interior and cover with free programs such as Canva. The most common trim size for books in the U.S. is 6″ x 9″. If you’re unsure about sizing and formatting, you can also purchase done-for-you interiors like this Dream Journal Template.
2. Create a new Book Listing on Amazon KDP
Set up an account on Amazon KDP if you haven’t already. Create a new book listing by clicking the “+ Create” button and choose which type of book you want to create.
Enter your book details (Language, Book, Title, Author, Description, Keywords, Categories). Some of these fields can’t be modified once your book is published so fill them out carefully and with your keywords and niche in mind.
3. Upload the Book Content
Select the “Publish without an ISBN” option if you have a low-content book. Choose your print options:
– Ink and Paper Type (depending on if your interior design is black and white or color) – Trim Size (most common trim size for books in the U.S. is 6″ x 9″) – Bleed Settings (Most books use “no bleed.” Setting your interior to “bleed” allows printing at or off the edge of a page.) – Paperback Cover Finish (depends on your preference – KDP supports glossy and matte covers).
Finally, upload your pre-formatted book manuscript (interior) and book cover. Take advantage of the book previewer tool it to see exactly what your book will look like.
4. Set your Price
On the next page, set your book’s price, royalty rate, and agree to KDP’s Terms and Conditions. Your price can be modified at any time after your book is published so don’t worry too much if you’re unsure about pricing.
OPTIONAL: Order proof copies to see your book in person before publishing.
5. Submit your book for publication
When you submit your book for publication your book is reviewed and approved by Amazon. Once it goes live it can be seen (and purchased) by anyone on Amazon. When someone orders a copy, Amazon prints and ships the book FOR YOU. You keep a percentage of each sale.
My Experience
I published my first Planner on Amazon a few months ago to test the waters and I really enjoyed the creation process. Here’s what I liked:
→ It’s easy and free. The KDP publishing tool is pretty intuitive and with a bit of research I was able to fill out the listing page fairly easily. You can design and format the book Canva for free. Amazon takes a percentage of each sale but there are no upfront costs.
→ Instant Approval and wide reach. Your publishing account is easy to set up and approved immediately so you can get to work right away. Amazon also has built in traffic with millions of regular visitors.
Final Thoughts
KDP is a great way for Creatives and Creators to turn their ideas into books, create additional income streams and reach a wide audience.
It is (like most passive income streams) something you have to spend some time on in order to see results and stay ahead of trends. Researching keywords to know what is selling and what is not is critical.
Ready to try KDP?
Publish your journal on Amazon KDP fast and easy with a pre-formatted and tested template. The done-for-you KDP Interior Journal Canva Template includes 17 page styles:
Cover Page • How to use • Dream Tips • Dream Theme Bingo • Evening Routine and Reflections • Daily Dream Journal • Dream Sketch and more
KDP Ready in 3 easy steps: 1. Customize the template in Canva (change text, colors, images to match your branding)
2. Download your design as PDF
3. Upload the PDF to Amazon KDP.
Create the business success you deserve! What if you had a design resource to create social media graphics, workbooks, digital products, course materials, sales pages and more?
Get unlimited Downloads and instant Access to more than 1,000 templates and resources for your business in the All Access Pass Template Hub. New content every month!
If you want to launch your very own profitable Canva Template Business or add an additional income stream to your business, check out the Canva Template Shop Success Kit! 5 Modules to walk you through everything you need step-by-step:
Find and validate your product ideas +where to sell
Design Tips and Guidelines for profitable + user-friendly Templates
Set up your Shop (Etsy, WooCommerce, SendOwl)
Optimize payment, delivery, listing images, description, etc.
Proven Strategies to Market, Launch and Scale your Shop
Turn Buyers into loyal and engaged Repeat Customers
Canva Templates you can resell to kickstart your new Shop
Knowledge is power! And these days it’s easier than ever to package up that knowledge and compile it into a digital product. All you need is a skill you want to share or teach. Create a printable, put together an eBook, make a planner, design templates – the opportunities are endless.
Passive Income isn’t just some scammy catchphrase anymore. If you want to earn extra cash in your sleep, follow the steps in this post!
My online journey started in 2018 while working in the corporate Marketing world. After launching my side hustle offering Online Marketing Services, I quickly noticed that many of my clients struggled with the same problem – finding the time and resources to create and market their products and services effectively.
That’s when I got the idea to offer Canva templates and digital product kits to help busy service providers design beautiful and strategic graphics to wow their clients and customers.
So I launched my Template Shop in May 2020 🎨 and started selling digital products. I always enjoyed designing and creating and with Canva on the rise there was finally a way to easily share those designs with others.
As mentioned, I targeted Service Providers at first but quickly expanded into other niches and products as well slowly but surely adding more and more products.
2021 was my first entirely digital product-based income year (no 1:1 services)!
The beauty of digital products is that you only have to make them once and can sell them as many times as you’d like! So let’s dive into creating your own digital product business.
Take the Shortcut! Learn how to create and sell Canva Templates:
1. Choose your Digital Product Type
It all starts with an idea. What could you sell and to whom?
Here are some ideas to get you started. Use or combine some of these products for your own unique digital product idea:
Workbook or Guidebook
Online Course
Printable Planner
Digital Planner
Masterclass
Subscription
Membership
Email Course
Checklists
30 Day Challenge
Website Templates
Content Library
Paid Online Community or Group
Swipe Files
Stock Photography
Social Media Templates
Printable Journal
Wedding Stationary
Coloring Pages
Craft Patterns
Fonts
Writing & Journal Prompts
Canva Templates
Music Files
Paid Podcast Epsiodes
Apps or Software
2. Validate your Product Idea
You can use some or all of these methods to validate your product idea and find out what content and solution your ideal customer might want.
Send a survey to your email list to find out what their problems and pain points are.
Conduct a Market Research Call (15-20 min) with your ideal client and ask them directly about their problems and pain points
Use Instagram – Research hashtags, follow competitors, use polls, or surveys
Use Pinterest Trends and Google Trends to find out what’s trending and successfully selling for others
Join Facebook groups (pick some where your ideal customers hang out) and see what kind of questions they’re asking or what problems and issues they’re sharing.
Use Quora, AskThePublic or Reddit to find topics your audience is most interested in learning about.
3. Outline your Digital Product Content
Before you can create your product you need to set up your framework. How can your digital product get your customer from A (where they are now) to B (their desired end result)? How will you structure your content to get them there?
Outline each of your key concepts and describe them in more detail.
Your Product Suite
In order to fill up your shop, you want to have multiple digital products for your customers to choose from. Create a product suite of related products that compliment each other and guide your customer to the next step.
Keep your shop up to date and add new products frequently. That way you add credibility and trust to your shop and offer your customers a chance to buy from you again and again.
4. Create your Digital Product
There is a variety of tools you can use to create your digital products – Photoshop, Google Drive, InDesign, Keynote, Canva and so many others.
Canva is an easy-to-use design tool that will make anyone look like a design pro. You can create pretty much any digital product you can think of with Canva! Graphics, templates, course presentations, brochures, eBooks, workbooks, websites, prints, etc.
While the free version of Canva has tons of features, design elements and templates you can really step up your design game with the paid Canva Pro Version.
Their paid subscription offers amazing additional features such as access to premium photos and elements, a one-click background remover, the resizing and Brand Kit features or the ability to organize your designs by creating unlimited folders.
5. Design your Product Listing Images
Create your product listing images to grab your buyer’s attention. Highlight any relevant information and product features. Your product images are super important. In fact, you should put (almost) as much effort into your listing images as in the product itself. Some things to keep in mind:
Get the image sizing right – every platform has unique requirements
Include relevant product info and text on the image (you can use the same text from your product description)
Keep your image background clutter-free
Use Mockups to showcase your products and help your customer visualize how they can be used. They will make your listing look more professional and three dimensional
6. Deliver your Digital Product
If you’re creating a non-editable end product such as a Printable, Guide or eBook, you will have to save your product as a PDF and upload this PDF to your delivery software. Once your customer purchases the product, they will receive access to this PDF and can download it.
If you’re selling a fillable digital product such as a workbook, you’ll save your product as a PDF and make it fillable with tools such as PDF Escape. After downloading the PDF your customers can fill it out right on their computer without having to print it.
Sharing Editable Template Products
If you want to share an editable template that you’ve created in Canva, you can give customers access to your design by sharing your template link.
Select Share from the menu bar above the editor.
Choose the “Template Link” optopn (with this link anyone can use your design as a template).
Select Copy to copy the link.
This is the link you’ll need to share with your customers so they can make a copy of your template design.
7. Sell your Digital Products
Once you finish creating your digital product you will need to choose a platform to host and deliver it. There are a few different options to sell your products:
Your own shop or website (e.g. WooCommerce, SendOwl, Shopify)
Marketplaces (e.g. Etsy, Creative Market)
Third Party Software (e.g. MemberVault, Thinkific)
WooCommerce
Use this free plugin to run your digital product shop if you have a WordPress website. Set up your store information and payment gateways and WooCommerce automatically creates all other pages for you (Shop, Cart, Checkout, and My Account). Just add your products and start selling!
SendOwl
Easy to set up in just a few minutes – just upload the download file of your digital product and they will generate a check-out and sales page link for you to share. They are super affordable starting at $9/month with no hidden fees. You can sign up for a free 30 trial of SendOwl here.
MemberVault
You can offer pretty much anything through MemberVault – free products, courses, paid products, coaching programs, etc. I currently use it to host my subscriber hub, my membership, my template bundles and more.
There are so many different ways to drive traffic to your shop and share your products with the world. Here are some of my favorites:
Create Pins to promote your products and content related to your products on Pinterest.
Add related products, upsells, and cross sells to your WooCommerce product pages to increase sales
Create a lead magnet or freebie to grow your email list and get potential customers into your funnel
Consider tripwire offers
Sell on well-established marketplaces such as Etsy while you’re growing your own audience. Marketplaces are trustworthy and well-established with a pre-existing audience to buy your products. They also handle all the transactions and payments for you.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s create your digital product already 🙂
If you want to launch your very own profitable Canva Template Business or add an additional income stream to your business, check out the Canva Template Shop Success Kit! 5 Modules to walk you through everything you need step-by-step:
Find and validate your product ideas +where to sell
Design Tips and Guidelines for profitable + user-friendly Templates
Set up your Shop (Etsy, WooCommerce, SendOwl)
Optimize payment, delivery, listing images, description, etc.
Proven Strategies to Market, Launch and Scale your Shop
Turn Buyers into loyal and engaged Repeat Customers
Canva Templates you can resell to kickstart your new Shop
Pop your deets in below and get access to my free Subscriber Resource Hub. It offers tons of free resources including a Digital Product Planner to help you get started!
