I made $15k from digital products as an artist & you can too (seriously)

Kelsey Rodriguez
2 Dec 202215:00

TLDRThe artist behind the video shares their success in making over $15,000 from digital products in their online store, emphasizing the transformative impact this realization had on their perspective of art and business. They discuss the benefits of digital products over physical ones, highlighting the ease of creating a digital product once and having it generate revenue without the need for continuous labor. The artist also provides a range of ideas for digital products that other artists might consider, such as printables, educational materials, templates, digital art brushes, and wallpapers. They stress the importance of having an audience and a marketing strategy to ensure the success of these products. The video is sponsored by Squarespace, which the artist praises for its ease of use and features that make it ideal for artists to set up and manage their online stores.

Takeaways

  • πŸ’‘ Digital products can significantly boost an artist's income, enabling earnings like $15k in a year as experienced by the speaker.
  • πŸš€ Transitioning to digital products changes the traditional business model, reducing the linear effort required with physical products.
  • 🎨 Digital products offer sustainable income with less physical effort; once created, they can be sold infinitely without additional production costs.
  • πŸ“¦ Emphasizing the benefits of digital over physical products, the speaker notes the logistical challenges and time consumption involved with shipping physical items.
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ¨ The speaker encourages artists to explore digital options tailored to their art style and audience, insisting there are multiple suitable digital product ideas for every artist.
  • πŸ“˜ Example digital product types include printables like art prints and stationery, and educational materials like eBooks and video tutorials.
  • πŸ“š Artists can create passive income by sharing their knowledge through digital guides, tutorials, and templates related to their expertise.
  • πŸ–ŒοΈ Custom digital brushes and presets offer another lucrative product avenue, especially popular in digital art communities.
  • πŸ–ΌοΈ Digital wallpapers and device aesthetics are highlighted as simple yet appealing digital products that artists can easily sell online.
  • πŸ“ˆ Marketing digital products effectively requires building a following and integrating these products into an overall marketing strategy.

Q & A

  • How much money has the artist made from digital products this year?

    -The artist has made over fifteen thousand dollars from digital products in their online store this year.

  • What is the main challenge the artist faces with physical products?

    -The main challenge with physical products is that the effort scales linearly, meaning more orders require more time spent on packaging and shipping, which takes away time from creating art.

  • Why does the artist believe digital products are beneficial for artists?

    -Digital products are beneficial because they can be created once and sold an infinite number of times without the need for physical packaging and shipping, allowing artists more time to focus on their art.

  • How does having a business model that requires constant labor affect an artist?

    -A business model that requires constant labor can lead to feelings of guilt about taking time off and increased stress levels, ultimately reducing the time and energy available for creating art.

  • What is the significance of Squarespace in the artist's success with digital products?

    -Squarespace has been crucial in the artist's success as it provides an easy-to-use platform for setting up an online store, managing digital products, and handling file distribution for customers.

  • What is the first category of digital product ideas discussed in the script?

    -The first category of digital product ideas discussed is printables, which include art prints, stationery, recipe cards, and other items that can be provided as digital files for customers to print themselves.

  • What are some examples of educational digital products an artist might offer?

    -Examples of educational digital products include ebooks, digital guides, video tutorials, lessons, and PSD files that provide insights into the artist's techniques and processes.

  • Why is it important for artists to have a following or audience when considering digital products?

    -Having a following or audience is important because it increases the likelihood of sales, as more people are aware of the artist's products and are potentially interested in purchasing them.

  • What is the role of marketing in implementing digital product ideas for artists?

    -Marketing is crucial for informing the audience about the digital products and integrating them into the artist's overall business strategy, ensuring that potential customers are aware of the offerings.

  • How does the artist suggest artists can come up with ideas for digital products?

    -The artist suggests that artists should brainstorm and think about what unique aspects of their work or process they could turn into digital products, considering what their audience might find valuable and different from what competitors offer.

  • What are some miscellaneous digital product ideas mentioned in the script?

    -Some miscellaneous digital product ideas mentioned include digital art brushes, custom presets for various art programs, and digital wallpapers for different devices.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ˜€ The Impact of Digital Products on Artistic Business

The speaker has made significant income from digital products in their online store, which has influenced their perspective on art and business. They discuss the potential of digital products as a form of passive income for artists and the benefits over physical products, such as reduced effort and time spent on packaging and shipping. The speaker emphasizes the importance of sustainable work and the ability to take time off without guilt. They also introduce Squarespace as a platform that has facilitated their success, highlighting its ease of use and features for managing digital products.

05:01

🎨 Exploring Digital Product Ideas for Artists

The speaker shares their experience with Squarespace and how it has helped them to easily add and manage digital products. They delve into the first category of product ideas: printables, which include art prints, stationery, recipe cards, and more. Printables offer a solution to the challenges of high shipping costs and long postal times. The speaker also discusses educational digital products like ebooks, digital guides, video tutorials, and PSD files, emphasizing the importance of having terms of use to protect intellectual property. They encourage artists to think creatively about digital products that could complement their existing business.

10:02

πŸ“š Organizational and Miscellaneous Digital Product Ideas

The speaker continues with additional digital product ideas, focusing on organizational tools like Notion templates and email templates that can benefit those who value efficient systems. They also mention digital art brushes and customizable presets for various art programs as a way for artists to share their creative process. The speaker suggests digital wallpapers as another product that can allow artists to share their work in a functional format. They stress that digital products should complement, not replace, physical products and that they can provide additional revenue with minimal effort. The importance of having an audience and a marketing strategy is also highlighted, along with a mention of a playlist for artists interested in learning more about marketing.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Digital Products

Digital products are items that are delivered and consumed digitally, such as e-books, digital art, or software. In the context of the video, they represent a form of income for artists that requires minimal physical effort once created, allowing for more time to focus on the creative process. The artist in the video has made significant income from digital products, highlighting their potential as a revenue stream.

πŸ’‘Passive Income

Passive income refers to money earned with little to no effort by the recipient after an initial setup. In the video, the artist emphasizes the importance of creating passive income streams through digital products, which can provide financial stability without the constant need for active labor, such as packaging and shipping physical goods.

πŸ’‘Squarespace

Squarespace is a website building and hosting platform that is particularly popular among artists and small business owners for its ease of use and aesthetic appeal. The video's artist mentions using Squarespace to host their online store, which facilitated the sale of digital products and contributed to their success.

πŸ’‘Printables

Printables are digital files intended for printing, such as art prints, stationery, or coloring pages. They are a type of digital product that artists can sell, allowing customers to print the items themselves. In the video, the artist discusses printables as a way to offer physical-like products without the hassle of shipping and handling.

πŸ’‘Educational Products

Educational products are materials designed to teach or inform, such as e-books, guides, or video tutorials. The artist in the video suggests creating educational digital products as a way for artists to share their knowledge and skills, providing value to their audience and generating income.

πŸ’‘Templates

Templates are pre-designed formats or layouts that can be used for various purposes, such as organizing information or creating documents. The video mentions the artist offering Notion templates, which are used for organization and goal tracking, as a unique digital product that aligns with their personal brand and helps with audience engagement.

πŸ’‘Digital Art Brushes

Digital art brushes are tools used within digital art software to create different textures and effects. The artist in the video suggests selling custom digital brushes as a digital product, which can be a low-effort way for artists to share their preferred tools with their audience.

πŸ’‘Digital Wallpapers

Digital wallpapers are images used as the background on digital devices such as phones, tablets, or computers. The video discusses offering digital wallpapers as a product, which can be a simple way for artists to share their artwork with a wider audience and generate additional income.

πŸ’‘Marketing Strategy

A marketing strategy is a plan for reaching a specific marketing-related goal in a focused and achievable way. The artist emphasizes the importance of having a marketing strategy when selling digital products, as it helps to ensure that the target audience is aware of the products and can lead to increased sales.

πŸ’‘Audience Engagement

Audience engagement refers to the ways in which an artist or business interacts with and involves their audience or customers. In the video, the artist talks about the importance of having an audience for selling digital products, as engagement helps to build a community that is more likely to purchase and support the artist's work.

πŸ’‘Sustainable Work

Sustainable work refers to a work model that can be maintained over the long term without leading to burnout or exhaustion. The video's theme of digital products as a means to achieve sustainable work is highlighted by the artist's personal experience, showing how digital products can free up time and reduce the physical demands of running an art business.

Highlights

The artist has made over $15,000 from digital products in their online store, which significantly changed their perspective on arts and business.

Digital products offer a more sustainable income stream as they require less physical effort and time compared to selling physical products.

The artist emphasizes the importance of considering passive income streams for artists to balance their time between business and art creation.

Squarespace is credited for enabling the artist to achieve their sales figures, highlighting its ease of use and features for artists.

Physical product sales can lead to a linear increase in effort, which can be detrimental to an artist's ability to create more art.

Digital products allow artists to spend more time on their craft and less on the logistics of order fulfillment.

The artist suggests that digital products can help artists achieve a better work-life balance, including taking time off and sick leave.

The video discusses various categories of digital products that artists can consider, such as printables, educational resources, and digital art tools.

Printables are a great solution for artists as they eliminate the need for physical shipping and can be sold for personal use only.

Educational digital products like ebooks, guides, and video tutorials can share an artist's techniques and processes with their audience.

The artist offers a discount code for Squarespace, emphasizing its role in their success with digital products.

Templates, such as for Notion or email, can be a unique digital product offering that aligns with an artist's brand and organizational skills.

Digital art brushes and presets are a classic way for digital artists to share their preferred tools with their audience.

Digital wallpapers and other device-specific art can be a low-effort way for artists to offer something their audience can use daily.

The artist stresses the importance of having an audience or following for digital product sales to be successful.

Digital products should complement, not replace, an artist's existing business and marketing strategies.

The artist provides a playlist for learning more about marketing as an artist, suggesting a holistic approach to business and art.