So, you’re thinking about creating printables to sell on Etsy—great idea! Printables are one of the best ways to earn passive income because you can create them once and sell them over and over again without having to worry about inventory or shipping. But let’s be real for a minute: while printables are a fantastic product to sell, not every printable will fly off the virtual shelves. If you want to stand out and make consistent sales, your printables need to be both useful and attractive to your target audience.
In this post, I’m going to walk you through how to create printable products that not only get noticed but also sell like hotcakes on Etsy. Whether you're a seasoned seller or just starting, these tips will help you create printables that your customers can’t wait to add to their cart!
1. Find a Niche That’s in Demand
Before you fire up Canva and start designing, you need to figure out what kind of printables people actually want to buy. One of the biggest mistakes new sellers make is creating products they think are cute but aren’t really in demand. To avoid this, do a little research and find a niche that’s popular on Etsy.
Hack: Head to Etsy and search for top-selling printable products. What types of printables are doing well? Are there specific categories (like planners, wall art, or checklists) that seem to be trending? Look for patterns in what’s selling and think about how you can put your own unique spin on them.
Examples of popular printable niches:
- Planners: Daily, weekly, or monthly planners are always in demand.
- Budgeting tools: Printable budget trackers, debt payoff planners, or savings goal charts.
- Wall art: Inspirational quotes, modern art, or nursery prints.
- Party printables: Invitations, banners, or favor tags for birthdays, weddings, and holidays.
Pro tip: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Find a niche you love, and then niche down further to target a specific audience. For example, instead of creating generic planners, create planners for teachers or fitness-focused planners.
2. Use Design Tools to Make Your Printables Stand Out
A printable that sells well isn’t just functional—it’s visually appealing. This means you need to create designs that are both beautiful and easy to use. You don’t have to be a professional designer to make gorgeous printables, but you do need to use the right tools.
Hack: Canva is your best friend when it comes to creating stunning printables. With its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and thousands of templates, you can create professional-looking designs without any fancy software. Start with a template, customize it with your brand colors and fonts, and voilà—you’ve got a polished printable ready for your Etsy shop.
What to include in your design:
- Readable fonts: Use clean, legible fonts for text-heavy printables like planners or checklists.
- High-quality images: For wall art or invitations, use high-resolution images and graphics to ensure your designs look professional.
- Aesthetic layout: Pay attention to spacing and alignment. Your printable should be visually balanced and easy to navigate.
Bonus tip: If you’re selling digital downloads, make sure your file formats are easy for customers to print at home. PDF is usually the best format for printables, but you can also offer PNG or JPG for image-based products like wall art.
3. Make Your Printables Customizable (If Possible)
One of the hottest trends in the printable world is customizable products. People love to feel like they’re getting something tailored specifically to them, so offering editable options is a great way to add value to your printables.
Hack: Use a platform like Corjl to create editable templates that your customers can personalize themselves. For example, if you’re selling party invitations or business card templates, customers can easily edit the text with their own details. This gives you an edge over competitors who only offer static designs.
Why customization works:
- It adds a personal touch to your product.
- It saves you time since the customer can edit the file themselves.
- It makes your product more versatile, attracting a wider range of buyers.
Pro tip: If customization isn’t possible for your product type, offer different versions or sizes of the same printable. For example, offer a planner in both letter size (8.5 x 11) and A4 to appeal to international customers.
4. Write a Killer Product Description (That Includes Keywords!)
Your product description is your chance to sell your printable—and don’t forget, it also helps you get found in Etsy search. A well-written description should clearly explain what your product is, how it will benefit the buyer, and include keywords that shoppers are searching for.
Hack: Start your description by highlighting the main benefit of your printable. For example, if you’re selling a budget planner, focus on how it will help buyers get organized and save money. Use bullet points to make your description easy to skim, and include details like the size of the printable, the file format, and any customization options.
Example of a great product description:
“Get organized and take control of your finances with this printable budget planner! Perfect for busy individuals looking to track their income, expenses, and savings. Available as an instant download PDF, this minimalist design is both functional and stylish.
Features:
- Monthly budget tracking sheets
- Debt payoff planner
- Savings goals chart
- Easy-to-print letter size PDF (8.5 x 11)”
Bonus tip: Use keywords naturally throughout your description. Tools like Marmalead or EtsyRank can help you find the best keywords to include in your titles, descriptions, and tags.
5. Price Your Printables Right
Pricing digital products can be tricky. You don’t want to price too high and scare away potential buyers, but you also don’t want to underprice and devalue your work. The key is to find a balance that reflects the quality of your product while staying competitive in the marketplace.
Hack: Research similar products on Etsy to get a sense of what other sellers are charging. Factor in the time it took to create the design, and consider bundling products together to increase the value. For example, instead of selling one planner page for $3, offer a full set of planner pages for $12.
Bonus tip: Offering discounts on bundles or seasonal products can increase your sales and average order value.
6. Promote Your Printables on Pinterest
Once your printable is live, it’s time to drive traffic to your listing. One of the best ways to do this is through Pinterest. Since Pinterest is a visual search engine, it’s a great platform to showcase your beautiful printables and attract buyers to your Etsy shop.
Hack: Create eye-catching Pinterest graphics using Canva and pin them to relevant boards. Be sure to include keywords in your pin description, like “printable planner” or “budget tracker,” to make it easy for users to find your products.
Pro tip: Use a tool like Tailwind to schedule your pins and keep your Pinterest activity consistent. The more active you are on Pinterest, the more traffic you’ll drive to your Etsy shop.
Bonus Tip: Get Extra Help with the Passive Income Society
Creating and selling printables can be a fun and profitable venture, but it can also be a little overwhelming when you’re just starting out. If you’re ready to take your printable business to the next level, consider joining the Passive Income Society. This membership provides step-by-step guidance on how to create, market, and sell digital products on Etsy, plus access to a supportive community of like-minded sellers.
Final Thoughts
Creating printables that actually sell on Etsy doesn’t have to be a mystery. By choosing a niche, designing beautiful and functional products, and promoting them effectively, you can build a successful passive income stream with printables. Whether you’re selling planners, wall art, or budget trackers, these tips will help you create products that your customers will love—and that will keep bringing in sales.
Now it’s time to put these strategies into action and start building your printable empire. Happy creating! 🌟
