How to Create and Sell Your First Digital Product on Your Blog (Even If You’re Just Starting Out)

So… you’ve got a blog. Maybe it’s brand new, maybe it’s been sitting there for a while. Either way, you’ve heard the buzz — bloggers making money with digital products, passive income this, scalable that. And now you’re wondering, “Okay… but how do I actually create and sell one myself?”

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Truth? You don’t need to be a tech wizard or have a huge audience. You just need one solid idea, a bit of elbow grease, and the right steps. This guide walks you through the real deal — no fluff, no overhyped nonsense. Just the stuff that works (from someone who’s been in your shoes).

Let’s build your first digital product together. 👇

🧠 Step 1: Choose the Right Type of Product for Your Audience

Before you even open Canva or Google Docs, you need to ask yourself one thing: What does my audience actually want?

Notice I didn’t say, “What do I want to make?” This isn’t about you (yet). It’s about solving a real problem your readers have.

Here are beginner-friendly digital product ideas that sell:

✅ Checklists or cheat sheets (for quick wins)
✅ Templates (Google Docs, Notion, Canva, etc.)
✅ Mini eBooks (don’t overthink this — 10–20 pages max)
✅ Printable planners or journals
✅ Email challenges
✅ Tiny courses (yes, even a 3-video series counts)

🧠 Real-life example: If your blog is about productivity, you could create a simple “Morning Routine Planner” PDF. That’s it. You don’t need a 300-page course.

🔍 Step 2: Validate Your Idea (Before You Build It)

Here’s where most bloggers go wrong — they build first, then try to sell. And then… crickets. 🦗

Let’s flip that. Before you spend a week making anything, ask your readers:

📊 Run a poll on Instagram or Twitter
📬 Email your list (even if it’s tiny)
📝 Drop a quick question at the end of your blog post: “Would a simple [topic] planner help you out? Let me know in the comments!”
💬 Or heck, ask in a Facebook group

You’re looking for any sign of interest. If people lean in, you’re golden. If they ignore it… time to tweak.

💡 Bonus tip: Google Search Console is your friend here. See what keywords bring people to your site. If 80% of them land on a post about meal prepping… well, guess what your digital product should be about?

🛠 Step 3: Create It (Without Getting Stuck in Perfection Mode)

Alright. You’ve got an idea. People are interested. Time to build.

Here’s the secret: Keep it simple.

✏️ Use Canva to design printables or templates
📝 Use Google Docs for a PDF guide (save as PDF, done!)
🗂 Use Notion to create planners or trackers
📹 Use Loom to record short tutorial videos

Don’t worry about fancy branding or perfect fonts. Just make it helpful and usable. Your first product is not your magnum opus — it’s your stepping stone.

👀 Imperfect tip: If you get stuck on design, use Canva templates. Seriously. Done is better than perfect.

💵 Step 4: Set a Price (Don’t Undervalue It)

Now comes the pricing question. And I get it — it’s scary to put a dollar sign on your stuff.

Here’s a rough rule of thumb:

💲 Super simple (checklist, single-page printable): $3 – $7
💲 Mid-value (ebook, templates, guides): $9 – $29
💲 Starter course or multi-page bundle: $30 – $99

The key? Match the value to the problem it solves. Don’t charge $49 for a one-page worksheet — but don’t sell a 40-page guide for $2 either.

💡 Pro Tip: You can always raise your price later. Start lower to get feedback, then grow.

🛒 Step 5: Pick a Selling Platform (Easy Ones Only)

You don’t need a fancy website or custom checkout to sell digital products. These tools make it simple:

🛍 Gumroad – Beginner-friendly, free to start, handles delivery
💳 Payhip – Clean UI, no monthly fees
🧰 ThriveCart – More advanced (great if you plan to scale)
🧵 Etsy – Works well for printables
☕ Buy Me a Coffee – Surprisingly effective for “tip jar” style PDFs

You upload your product, set a price, and boom — you’ve got a sales page.

🧠 Set it and semi-forget it: These tools handle payments, emails, and downloads automatically.

📝 Step 6: Add the Product to a Blog Post (Strategically)

Here’s where it all comes together.

Let’s say your blog post is “How to Start a Budget When You’re Broke.” Right in the middle (or near the end), drop this:

💡 Want a printable weekly budget planner that goes with this post? Grab it here for just $5.

See what we did? That’s a natural, helpful upsell — not pushy. Not spammy.

You can also use:

📌 A sticky bar at the top of your site
🧩 A call-to-action at the end of the post
📣 A short popup (not annoying — just helpful)

And don’t forget: Add your product link to your menu bar or sidebar. Make it easy for people to find.

📣 Step 7: Promote It (Without Feeling Like a Sleazy Salesperson)

Selling doesn’t have to be gross. Here’s how to do it naturally:

📤 Share the blog post (that mentions your product) on social media
📧 Email your list with the post + a soft mention of your product
📌 Make a Pinterest pin for the product
🎥 Share your behind-the-scenes creation process (people love that)

✨ Real talk: The more you talk about your product, the more you’ll sell. Not because you’re yelling — but because people finally notice it.

🧩 Bonus Step: Bundle It Up Later

Once you’ve got one product? Make another. Then… bundle them together.

Example:

📝 Single planner = $5
📂 Two templates = $9
🎁 Bundle = $15 (saves them money, earns you more)

You now have multiple offers — without starting from scratch.

This is how bloggers slowly turn a $5 sale into a full-time income.

🎯 Final Thoughts: It’s Not About the Product — It’s About the Transformation

Here’s what most people miss: You’re not selling a PDF. Or a video. Or a template.

You’re selling a result.

🎯 You’re saving them time.
🧩 You’re solving a tiny problem.
🛠 You’re making something easier for them.

That’s it. And that’s huge.

Don’t wait until you have 10,000 followers. Or the perfect idea. Or a fancy setup.

Your first digital product won’t be perfect. But it will teach you something. It will build your confidence. And it can make you money — even while you sleep.

So go for it. Pick the idea. Build it simple. Sell it naturally. And start turning your blog into a business — one product at a time. 💥

How to Create and Sell Your First Digital Product