Which channels can I use to sell my digital assets?

Finding the right sales channels can be a frustrating experience for creators looking to sell their digital assets.

Luckily, with the rise of ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, social commerce, and emerging technologies like NFTs, there are more options than ever to effectively sell digital products.

In this post, we'll explore the top channels available in 2024 for selling digital assets, from versatile ecommerce platforms like Shopify to specialized marketplaces like Etsy and social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. You'll learn the unique benefits of each channel and how to determine the best fit for your specific digital products.

Introduction to Selling Digital Assets

Selling digital assets online has become increasingly popular in recent years. There are many different channels available to sell digital products, giving creators a lot of flexibility. Some of the most common channels used to sell digital assets include:

• Ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce
• Marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay
• Your own website using plugins like Easy Digital Downloads
• Social media platforms

When selling digital products, you have the advantage of low overhead costs since there is no physical inventory to store. This makes digital products a great low-risk business to get into. Some of the most popular types of digital assets sold online include ebooks, online courses, software, templates & themes, stock photos, music, and more.

Understanding Types of Digital Products

There is a wide variety of digital products that can be created and sold online. Some of the major categories include:

• Software & Apps: SaaS products, mobile apps, plugins, scripts
• Digital Downloads: eBooks, PDF guides, printables, graphics, templates
• Multimedia: Stock photos, video files, music tracks
• Online Services: Cloud storage, web hosting, email services
• Memberships & Communities: Premium content, forums, coaching programs

Nearly any type of digital product can be packaged and sold through online channels. The key is to create something that delivers value to customers.

Choosing the Best eCommerce Platform for Digital Products

When selling digital downloads and services online, it's important to have the right ecommerce platform. Here are some top options to consider:

• Marketsy.ai - Specialized for digital products. Quick launch. Has a variety of tools for small businesses.
• Shopify - The most popular all-in-one platform. Easy to set up with plenty of themes and apps.
• WooCommerce - A WordPress plugin. Very customizable but requires more tech skills.
• Gumroad - Specialized for selling info products with built-in payment processing.
• Sellfy - Focused on digital downloads with flexible pricing options.

Ideally you want a platform that makes it easy to upload digital products, customize checkout options, manage licensing, automate delivery, and integrate payment gateways. Shopify and WooCommerce are great for full-featured online stores while Gumroad and Sellfy cater towards quick setup and selling digital assets.

Most Profitable Digital Assets Examples

Some of the most lucrative types of digital products include:

• Online courses & eLearning programs
• Software as a Service (SaaS) tools & apps
• Stock media - photos, videos, graphics
• Digital templates & themes
• Ebooks

Information products tend to have high profit margins since they only require time and effort to create, without ongoing production costs. The key is finding an area of expertise that serves the needs of a target audience. With the right marketing, digital products can generate passive income for years to come.

What platform to use to sell digital products?

When deciding on a platform to sell digital products, there are a few key options to consider:

Marketsy.ai

Marketsy.ai is a no-brainer if you would like to launch an e-commerce business for digital products quickly. Ready-made but good-looking templates provide you with a nice UI for customers. A wide number of no-code automation integrations, such as Zapier, Albato or Pabbly give you the flexibility of fine-tuning. Main advantages of Marketsy.ai:

• Simple drag-and-drop interface to upload products
• Automatic sales tax calculation
• Built-in analytics to track sales and customer data
• Easy integration with PayPal, Stripe and other payment gateways

Marketsy.ai gives you the opportunity to sell any kind of digital products like ebooks, software, photos, online courses, music, you name it. Fo r fair price and no revenue cut you get a fully working business.

Sellfy

Sellfy is a great choice for beginners looking to launch their digital products quickly and easily. Key benefits of Sellfy include:

• Simple drag-and-drop interface to upload products
• Automatic sales tax calculation
• Built-in analytics to track sales and customer data
• Easy integration with PayPal, Stripe and other payment gateways

Sellfy is ideal for selling all types of digital products like ebooks, online courses, software, photos, music and more. It's an affordable and user-friendly way to start selling digital downloads online.

Shopify

For advanced ecommerce needs, Shopify offers maximum flexibility and customization options. With Shopify you can sell both digital and physical products seamlessly. Shopify is known for:

• Hundreds of professional themes to customize your online storefront
• Robust features like abandoned cart recovery and marketing tools
• Accept payments via Shopify Payments or integrate other gateways like PayPal
• Manage inventory, shipping and fulfillment for physical products
• 24/7 customer support

The main downside is the monthly cost for Shopify plans start higher than competitors. But for established businesses selling digital and physical goods, Shopify is a top-tier enterprise ecommerce platform.

Overall, Sellfy and Shopify both enable creators and entrepreneurs to sell digital products online easily. Sellfy excels at selling downloads specifically, while Shopify offers more advanced ecommerce features for diverse product catalogs. Assess your business' unique needs and choose the platform that aligns with your goals, technical skills and budget.

How I can sell my digital products via?

You have several options for selling your digital products online. Here are some of the most popular channels:

Marketplaces: Marketplaces like Etsy, Gumroad, and Selz allow you to easily set up a storefront to sell your digital products. These platforms handle payment processing, marketing, and more so you can focus on your products. Etsy and Gumroad are especially popular for selling digital art, templates, online courses, ebooks, music, and more.

Your own website: Building your own website gives you full control over your brand and products. You'll need to find a web host, set up an online store using platforms like Marketsy.ai or Shopify, and drive your own traffic. This takes more work but allows you to customize your site and keep more profit.

Social media: Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok enable you to market and sell products directly to your followers. You can promote your digital products through organic posts, ads, and built-in shop features. Social selling works well when you already have an engaged audience.

NFT marketplaces: If you create digital artwork, music, videos, or other collectibles, you can sell them as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) through marketplaces like OpenSea. Though complex, NFTs represent ownership of your digital creations.

Email marketing: Email is still one of the most effective marketing channels. Collect emails on your site and social channels, then send promotions for your new products. Just make sure your emails are valuable rather than spammy.

I recommend starting out on an established marketplace to minimize upfront work. As your business grows, consider expanding into your own site, social selling, NFTs, and email marketing for more control and profit. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Where can I sell digital products instead of Etsy?

Etsy is a popular marketplace for selling digital products, but it's not the only option. Here are some great alternatives to consider:

Thinkific

Thinkific allows you to create your own branded online courses and sell them directly to your audience. It's a great fit if you want to sell online courses, memberships, or coaching programs.

Gumroad

Gumroad makes it easy to sell all types of digital products including ebooks, photos, music, video, design assets, and more. It's a simple yet powerful platform.

Marketsy.ai

Niche-narrowed solution for a wide range of digital products products such as courses, ebooks, software, art, and many others, provided by Marketsy.ai simplifies starting and running online business.

Shopify

While best known for physical products, Shopify also supports selling digital downloads. It's a great option if you want an all-in-one platform to sell physical and digital products.

Podia

Podia specializes in helping creators sell online courses, memberships, and digital downloads. It offers powerful marketing, analytics, and course creation tools.

Envato Market

Envato Market connects creators with customers interested in assets like video files, graphics, templates, 3D models, and more. It's a huge marketplace for digital assets.

SendOwl

SendOwl is focused specifically on helping you securely deliver, market, and sell digital products like ebooks, courses, audio files, and memberships.

The platforms above make it easy to build your online business selling digital products without relying on Etsy. Focus on choosing the one that best aligns with your product type and business goals.

How do I sell my digital product on social media?

Social media platforms provide a great opportunity to showcase and sell your digital products. Here are some best tips to increase digital sales using social media:

• Choose the right platforms. Consider where your target audience spends their time online. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest allow you to easily link to your online store. YouTube is great for video tutorials or demos.
• Leverage user-generated content. Encourage happy customers to post reviews, testimonials, or examples of how they use your product. This builds trust and social proof.
• Share high-quality content. Post frequently with product images, descriptions, use cases, special offers, etc. Provide value beyond the sales pitch.
• Run limited-time offers. Create a sense of urgency and excitement with flash sales, contests, giveaways, or exclusive early access.
• Create a posting schedule. Plan regular content across platforms to stay top of mind. Respond to comments and questions quickly.
• Engage your audience. Have real conversations to build relationships with potential customers.
• Track and monitor results. Use analytics to see which posts drive the most website traffic and sales. Refine your strategy accordingly.

The key is providing value on social platforms through helpful content, special offers, and genuine engagement. This establishes trust and credibility so when you do promote products, followers are more likely to purchase.

eCommerce Platforms for Selling Digital Assets

Selling digital assets like ebooks, online courses, software, photos, music, and more requires an eCommerce platform optimized for digital goods. When evaluating options, key factors include:

Shopify: A Versatile Platform for Digital Sales

Shopify offers many benefits for creators selling digital products:

• Built-in functionality for digital downloads, including file hosting and delivery
• Numerous payment gateway integrations, including PayPal and Stripe
• Customizable storefronts using themes and sections
• Tools for marketing, SEO, analytics, and more

The main downsides are the transaction fees and monthly subscription costs. But overall Shopify is a great choice for beginners and established merchants alike looking to sell digital goods.

WooCommerce: Integrating with WordPress

WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin that extends WordPress sites with eCommerce features. For digital products, it enables:

• Product setup for virtual goods
• Integration with payment gateways
• Extendable functionality via plugins

As a WordPress-based solution, WooCommerce provides content management features in addition to selling capabilities. This makes it a flexible option, albeit requiring more technical skill to customize.

BigCommerce: Embracing Headless Commerce

BigCommerce offers built-in support for digital products through its headless commerce capabilities. It allows merchants to:

• Manage products and inventory through an API
• Integrate custom storefronts and apps
• Support omni-channel sales

With an enterprise-level feature set and flexible APIs, BigCommerce caters well to established digital merchants looking for advanced functionality.

Commerce-as-a-Service for Digital Asset Sales

Emerging commerce-as-a-service (CaaS) platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce provide managed cloud infrastructure to build customized digital storefronts. Benefits over traditional self-hosted eCommerce include:

• Quick launch without hosting/server management
• Scalable infrastructure
• Integrated services like payments and shipping

For digital products not requiring physical fulfillment, CaaS streamlines launching online stores. The extensive APIs also enable connecting custom apps and services for diverse business needs.

When selling digital assets online, assessing factors like costs, functionality, and ease of use across major eCommerce platforms is key to choosing the right solution. Elements like payment integration, customizability, and extensibility should be evaluated based on business goals and technical capabilities.

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Marketplaces for Digital Creators

Ecommerce platforms provide a great opportunity for creators to sell their digital assets like artwork, photography, videos, ebooks, courses, templates, and more. Here are some top marketplaces catering to digital creators:

Etsy: A Hub for Digital Tools and Templates

Etsy has a thriving marketplace for digital products. As an Etsy seller, you can upload digital files like:

• Printables (planners, wall art, stationery)
• Knitting patterns, sewing patterns
• Website themes, templates
• Brush sets, actions for graphic design apps
• Fonts

Etsy takes just a 5% transaction fee on digital items. It also provides features like digital watermarking to protect artwork.

To maximize sales:

• Offer instant downloads and cloud storage
• Show examples of printed products
• Optimize titles and tags for search
• Promote your shop on social media

Creative Market: Catering to Designers and Artists

Creative Market is a popular global marketplace with over 5 million users. It welcomes all types of digital creative assets including:

• Graphics, templates, themes
• 3D models, scenes
• Photography, fonts
• Add-ons for creative apps

It provides a 70% commission rate for creators. Useful seller features include cross-selling tools, affiliate programs, and integration with design apps.

Amazon: Best Selling Digital Products on the Platform

While Amazon is best known for physical products, you can also sell certain digital assets on the platform like:

• eBooks
• Audiobooks
• Music, movie downloads
• Software, mobile apps
• Gift cards (Amazon pays upfront)

Amazon has an enormous customer base and handles storage, delivery and returns. But it takes a fairly high commission rate.

Gumroad: Simplifying the Sale of Digital Products

Gumroad enables creators to sell all types of digital products directly to customers including:

• Online courses, tutorials, workshops
• Photos, videos
• Mobile apps, games, software
• PDFs, documents, reports
• Audio files, podcasts

It offers an easy checkout process, marketing tools, and analytics. Gumroad charges an 8.5% transaction fee including payment processing costs.

In summary, top marketplaces like Etsy, Creative Market, Amazon and Gumroad help digital creators monetize their assets by connecting them with millions of buyers globally.

Utilizing Social Media and Social Commerce

Social media platforms offer excellent opportunities to sell digital products directly to engaged audiences. Here are some best practices for leveraging social commerce:

Facebook Shops: Tapping into Social Commerce

• Create a Facebook Shop to showcase your digital products on your Business Page
• Drive traffic to your Shop with ads and organic unpaid posts
• Enable checkout on Facebook to allow customers to purchase within the app

Instagram Shopping: Engaging with a Visual Audience

• Use Instagram product tags to make your posts shoppable
• Create shoppable Instagram Stories to showcase new product arrivals
• Link to your online store in bio and posts to facilitate checkout

Pinterest Buyable Pins: A Unique Shopping Experience

• Submit your product catalogs to enable Buyable Pins
• Curate eye-catching Pin images to capture attention
• Provide a seamless checkout experience when users click to buy

Leveraging Ads on Social Media

• Create highly targeted ads leading users to your online store
• Test different audiences, creatives, and placements to optimize performance
• Analyze data to identify best-converting platforms and ad types

In summary, social platforms make it easy to sell to built-in audiences. Experiment with native commerce capabilities, visually engaging content, strategic advertising, and data-driven optimization to fully capitalize.

Selling Digital Assets Through Multi-Storefront and Omnichannel Strategies

Exploring advanced strategies for reaching customers across multiple online channels.

Multi-Storefront: Managing Multiple Online Shops

Running multiple online storefronts allows sellers to categorize their digital assets and reach different audiences. Some key benefits include:

• Showcasing different products or asset types on dedicated stores. For example, having one shop for digital art/NFTs, another for software subscriptions.
• Targeting niche communities interested in specific digital products. A store focused on selling printables on Etsy will attract a different audience than one selling mobile apps.
• Testing different ecommerce platforms. You can run stores on Marketsy.ai, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, etc. and see which performs best.
• Taking advantage of platform-specific features. For example, Gumroad offers creators tools to sell info products while App Store has an audience looking for mobile apps.

When managing multiple stores:

• Ensure brand consistency across storefronts through logos, messaging, etc.
• Set up unified backend inventory/order management. Services like Commerce Layer allow a single dashboard.
• Offer discounts/perks for customers who purchase from multiple of your stores.

Omnichannel Selling: Creating a Unified Customer Experience

An omnichannel sales strategy seamlessly integrates your digital assets across all channels including:

• Your own online stores and marketplaces
• Social channels like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
• Physical retail outlets

This provides a unified purchasing experience for customers across touchpoints.

Benefits include:

• Increased visibility and access to products. Listing across more channels improves discovery.
• Consistent branding and pricing across channels avoids customer confusion.
• 360-degree customer view from integrated data/metrics across sales channels.
• More flexibility in how customers can purchase: online, in-store, over the phone, etc.

Key elements for implementing omnichannel commerce:

• Unified product catalog, inventory, order management across channels
• Integrated POS, payment, fulfillment, and CRM systems
• Buy online, pick-up in store options
• Consistent marketing, offers, pricing across channels

B2B and Wholesale Channels for Digital Products

Many digital products can be sold directly to businesses in bulk:

SaaS Platforms

• Offer site licensing, bulk subscriptions for entire companies/teams
• Pitch productivity benefits to managers

Digital Templates & Tools

• Sell creative assets like graphic templates, 3D models, sound effects on B2B marketplaces like Envato
• Useful for marketing agencies, design studios

Mobile & Web Apps

• Sell to enterprise IT departments planning employee software rollouts
• Offer APIs, custom integrations

Virtual Goods

• Sell VR/AR assets to studios
• Offer bundles and bulk pricing

Benefits include larger order values and reduced marketing costs. Use dedicated B2B ecommerce platforms like BigCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud over consumer tools. Attend trade events to connect with industry buyers in person.

Cryptocurrency and NFTs: The Frontier of Digital Asset Sales

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have opened up new possibilities for selling digital assets and content online. Here are some key ways that crypto and NFTs are shaping the digital marketplace:

Selling Digital Art Online as NFTs

NFTs (non-fungible tokens) allow artists to sell their digital creations as verifiable one-of-a-kind assets. Steps for minting and selling art NFTs:

• Upload artwork file to an NFT marketplace like OpenSea or Rarible
• Add details like title, description, number of copies
• Mint the NFT by paying a gas fee
• List the NFT for sale on the platform, setting a price
• Buyers can purchase using cryptocurrency
• You earn royalties when your NFT is resold

Key benefits include instant transfers, worldwide sales reach, and earning royalties forever.

Crypto Payments: Integrating with Payment Gateways

To sell digital goods for crypto:

• Find crypto payment processors like CoinPayments or BitPay that offer plugins for your ecommerce platform
• Install the plugin and get API keys for the processor
• Activate cryptocurrencies you want to accept like BTC, ETH
• Set crypto prices manually or sync to market rates
• Add payment widgets to your site
• Process orders via the payment gateway as usual

Benefits include tapping into the crypto economy, low fees, and faster global payouts. Consider volatility risks when pricing in crypto.

Cryptocurrency and NFTs present new opportunities for selling digital goods globally. With the right platforms and tools, you can easily integrate crypto payments and NFT sales.

Creating Your Own Sales Channel

Selling digital assets directly to customers can be highly lucrative, allowing you to keep more profit while building stronger relationships. Here are some tips for establishing your own sales channel.

Building a Membership Site to Launch Your Digital Product

A membership site offers exclusive access to your products or services through a subscription model. This can be an excellent way to sell digital assets like online courses, software, digital downloads, and more.

Consider using a specialized platform like Thinkific or Memberful that handles technical aspects like hosting, payments, and access control. You can customize the look and feel to match your brand.

Offer different tiers like:

• Basic - Access to older content
• Premium - Access to all content
• Pro - Access + 1-on-1 support

Promote your membership site through your mailing list, social media, collaborations with influencers in your niche, and SEO optimization.

The recurring revenue model creates predictable cash flow month-to-month. You can continue releasing updated assets to provide ongoing value.

Optimizing Shopping Cart and Payment Gateways

It's crucial to offer customers a smooth, frustration-free checkout experience. Integrating a payment gateway like Stripe or PayPal simplifies the process.

Consider allowing options like:

• Credit/debit card
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• PayPal / Venmo

Optimizing your shopping cart's user interface is also important. Make sure customers can:

• Easily view their cart
• Adjust quantities
• Apply discounts
• Calculate shipping
• Submit order details

Simplify checkout fields to reduce abandonment. Offer guest checkout options in addition to account creation for faster purchasing.

Sending confirmation emails and providing exceptional customer service also improves the payment experience.

An optimized funnel from product selection to completed payment leads to higher conversion rates and customer loyalty long-term.

Conclusion: Maximizing Digital Asset Sales Across Channels

There are many great platforms available for selling digital assets and products online. When choosing which channels to use, consider the following key factors:

Type of product - Certain platforms cater better to specific digital products. For example, Etsy excels for selling digital art, design templates, and crafts, while Marketsy.ai and Gumroad works well for ebooks, online courses, music, and more.

Fees and payouts - Compare the fees and payment processing costs across platforms. Some take a smaller cut of sales than others.

Built-in audience - Platforms like Etsy have huge built-in traffic and existing buyer bases. This makes it easier to get sales rather than having to drive all your own traffic.

Marketing and selling features - Consider platforms that make it easy to showcase and sell your digital goods with product listings, galleries, coupons, bundles, subscriptions, and more.

In summary, explore all the options to determine which channels are best suited for your particular digital products. Many sellers find success by listing their assets across multiple platforms to maximize visibility, expand their reach, and boost sales.