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

Kelsey Rodriguez
2 Dec 202215:00

TLDRThe video discusses the lucrative potential of digital products for artists, emphasizing how they can generate passive income without the need for physical packaging and shipping. The speaker shares personal success, having made over $15,000 from digital products, and explains how this model allows for more time to create art and less stress. The video is sponsored by Squarespace, which is praised for its ease of use, especially for adding and managing digital products. The speaker also brainstorms various digital product ideas, such as printables, educational guides, templates, digital art brushes, and wallpapers, encouraging artists to think creatively about offerings that align with their art style and audience's interests. The summary underscores the importance of an audience and a marketing strategy to successfully implement digital products as part of an artist's business.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 The artist has made over $15,000 from digital products, which has changed their perspective on arts and business.
  • πŸ“¦ Digital products are advantageous for artists as they eliminate the need for physical packaging and shipping, allowing for more time to create art.
  • πŸ’‘ The artist suggests that digital products can be a sustainable income stream that doesn't require constant labor.
  • 🌐 Squarespace is highlighted as an ideal platform for artists to sell digital products, with features that simplify the process.
  • πŸ“ˆ The artist emphasizes the importance of considering passive income streams like digital products for a more balanced and less stressful business model.
  • πŸ€” The artist challenges the misconception that digital products may not fit with all types of art, encouraging artists to think creatively about potential offerings.
  • πŸ’­ Brainstorming is encouraged to come up with at least five solid digital product ideas that align with the artist's work and audience's interests.
  • πŸ–¨ Printables are suggested as a digital product category, which includes art prints, stationery, and other items that can be used without physical shipping.
  • πŸ“š Educational digital products, such as ebooks, guides, video tutorials, and PSD files, are proposed as a way to share knowledge and techniques with followers.
  • πŸ“ The artist offers notion templates as an example of non-educational digital products that can be offered, emphasizing the importance of finding unique offerings that stand out.
  • 🧩 Miscellaneous digital products like digital art brushes and wallpapers are suggested to complement the artist's main offerings and provide additional value to fans.
  • πŸ”— The artist stresses the importance of having a following or audience to ensure that digital products are discovered and purchased.

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 advantage of digital products for artists?

    -The main advantage of digital products is that they can be created once and then sold an infinite number of times without the need for physical packaging and shipping, which saves time and effort.

  • Why is selling physical products considered challenging for artists?

    -Selling physical products is challenging because the effort scales linearly with sales, meaning that as success increases, so does the time spent on packaging and shipping, which can take away from the time available for creating art.

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

    -Squarespace has been instrumental 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 kind of digital products does the artist suggest for artists to consider?

    -The artist suggests considering printables, educational products like ebooks or digital guides, video tutorials, templates, digital art brushes, and digital wallpapers as potential digital products for artists to offer.

  • Why are digital products beneficial for an artist's work-life balance?

    -Digital products allow artists to create a more sustainable work model, enabling them to take time off, take sick leave, and maintain a healthier work-life balance without feeling guilty or overwhelmed.

  • How does the artist use Squarespace to manage digital products?

    -The artist uses Squarespace's features to easily upload digital products, write descriptions, add images, and categorize them. Squarespace also handles file distribution by emailing files to customers.

  • What is the potential revenue that can be generated from a digital product?

    -A digital product has the potential to generate an almost infinite amount of revenue since it can be sold multiple times without additional production costs.

  • What is the importance of having a following or audience for selling digital products?

    -Having a following or audience is crucial for selling digital products because it ensures that there are potential customers who are aware of and interested in the products being offered.

  • How can artists ensure their digital products are protected from unauthorized use?

    -Artists can include licensing agreements or terms of use with their digital products to prevent unauthorized use and redistribute, and legally pursue those who violate these terms.

  • What is the artist's recommendation for artists who are new to Squarespace?

    -The artist recommends using the code 'Kelsey Rodriguez' to get a 10% discount on their first purchase of a website or domain on Squarespace.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 The Power of Digital Products for Artists

The speaker discusses their success with digital products, earning over fifteen thousand dollars from their online store. They emphasize the transformative impact this income stream has had on their perspective towards art and business. The speaker advocates for digital products as a means to create passive income, allowing artists to focus more on their craft and less on the logistics of physical product sales. They also introduce the topic of exploring various digital product options for artists and the importance of diversifying income streams. The paragraph concludes with a thank you to Squarespace for sponsoring the video.

05:01

πŸ›οΈ The Challenges of Selling Physical Products

The speaker outlines the difficulties of selling physical products as an artist, such as the linear scaling of effort with each order that needs to be packaged and shipped. They highlight how success in physical sales can lead to less time for creating art, which can be counterproductive for an artist's career. The speaker then contrasts this with the benefits of digital products, which require a one-time creation and can be sold infinitely with minimal ongoing effort. They also touch on the guilt and stress associated with taking time off when one's business is too closely tied to their constant labor. The speaker shares their personal realization of the potential of digital products and how it has influenced their approach to releasing high-quality art products while maintaining more personal time for creativity.

10:02

πŸ’‘ Brainstorming Digital Product Ideas

The speaker encourages artists to consider digital products as a complement to their business, even if they don't believe they have a suitable product to offer. They suggest that with some thought, any artist could come up with several digital product ideas. The speaker then transitions into brainstorming various categories of digital products that artists might consider, such as printables, educational resources, templates, digital art brushes, and digital wallpapers. They emphasize that these products can be a low-effort way to generate additional income and that they don't necessarily have to replace physical products. The speaker also highlights the importance of having an audience or following to ensure that the digital products can be successfully marketed and sold.

Mindmap

Keywords

Digital Products

Digital products refer to goods that are produced, distributed, and consumed electronically. They are intangible and can include items such as e-books, digital art, software, and online courses. In the context of the video, the artist emphasizes the benefits of digital products for artists, such as generating passive income without the need for physical packaging and shipping, which allows for more time to create art.

Passive Income

Passive income is money earned with little to no effort by the recipient after an initial investment of time or money. In the video, the artist discusses how digital products can create a stream of passive income for artists, as they only need to be created once and can then be sold multiple times without additional labor.

Squarespace

Squarespace is a website building and hosting platform that allows users to create and manage their own websites. The artist mentions Squarespace as a sponsor and highlights its ease of use, especially for artists looking to sell digital products online. The platform's features, such as the fluid engine for drag-and-drop website design and the simplicity of adding digital products, are praised for their ability to support the artist's business model.

Printables

Printables are digital files that customers can download and print themselves, such as art prints, stationery, or coloring pages. The artist discusses printables as a type of digital product that can be sold to customers, eliminating the need for physical fulfillment and allowing artists to offer products that would typically require shipping.

Educational Products

Educational products are materials designed to teach or inform, such as e-books, digital guides, video tutorials, and lesson plans. In the video, the artist suggests that artists can create and sell educational products related to their art, sharing their knowledge and techniques with others, which can be a valuable resource for their audience.

Templates

Templates are pre-designed formats or structures that can be used as a model for creating new documents or artworks. The artist mentions offering Notion templates as a way to share their organizational strategies with others, which is a unique value proposition for their audience and a niche digital product offering.

Digital Art Brushes

Digital art brushes are customizable tools used within digital art software to create different textures and effects. The artist talks about selling their own designed brushes as a digital product, which can provide insight into their creative process and be appealing to fans who want to use the same tools as their favorite artist.

Digital Wallpapers

Digital wallpapers are high-resolution images designed to be used as the background on digital devices such as phones, tablets, or computers. The artist suggests offering digital wallpapers as a product, which can be a simple way to allow fans to personalize their devices with the artist's work.

Physical Products

Physical products are tangible goods that can be touched and are not digital in nature. The artist contrasts physical products with digital ones, discussing the challenges of selling physical products due to the need for packaging and shipping, which can be time-consuming and limit an artist's ability to focus on creating art.

Marketing Strategy

A marketing strategy is a plan that outlines how a business intends to reach and engage its target audience to achieve its marketing goals. The artist emphasizes the importance of having a following or audience and integrating digital product offerings into an overall marketing strategy to ensure visibility and sales.

Terms of Use

Terms of use are legal agreements that dictate how users can interact with a product or service. In the context of digital products, the artist mentions the importance of having terms of use to protect their intellectual property and prevent unauthorized use or distribution of their digital creations.

Highlights

The artist has made over $15k from digital products, which has changed their perspective on arts and business.

Digital products offer a more passive income stream compared to physical products.

The effort required to sell physical products scales linearly, leading to less time for creating art.

Digital products can be created once and sold infinitely without further effort from the artist.

The artist emphasizes the importance of sustainable work and taking time off without guilt.

The artist shares that they have brainstormed at least five solid ideas for digital products.

Squarespace is credited for making the artist's online store and sales possible.

The artist's website on Squarespace is easy to use and allows for simple addition and management of digital products.

Printables are suggested as a digital product that eliminates the need for physical shipping.

Educational digital products like ebooks, guides, and video tutorials are proposed as viable options.

The artist offers Notion templates as a unique digital product that aligns with their organizational focus.

Digital art brushes and presets are suggested as a way to share insights into the artist's creative process.

Digital wallpapers are recommended as a simple yet effective digital product to offer.

Digital products can complement an existing business model without replacing physical products.

The artist emphasizes the importance of having a following or audience for digital product sales.

The artist provides a discount code for Squarespace to support their audience's online presence.

The artist encourages thinking of unique digital products that stand out in the market.