In this tutorial, we're diving into another great way to monetize your photography—selling printables and digital downloads. If you’ve ever thought, “I have all these beautiful images, but how can I make more money from them beyond stock photography?” then printables are your answer. From turning your photos into wall art to designing Instagram templates, selling digital products opens up a whole new avenue for passive income. Let’s explore the ins and outs of this growing market and how you can start cashing in on it.

What Are Printables?

Let’s start with the basics. What exactly are “printables”? Simply put, printables are digital products that customers can download and print themselves. These products come in many forms, and they’ve become incredibly popular in recent years. Think planners, wall art, calendars, Instagram templates, business cards, or even coloring books. The beauty of printables is that they can be made once and sold over and over again, making them a fantastic source of passive income for photographers.

Introduction to Selling Downloadable Products

As a photographer, your expertise with visuals gives you a major advantage in the printable world. You already have high-quality images that could easily be turned into a variety of digital products. For example:

• Wall Art: Turn your best landscape or abstract photos into printable wall art that people can hang in their homes or offices.
• Planners and Journals: Use your design skills to create planner templates, combining your photography with functional layouts.
• Instagram Templates: Create visually appealing Instagram post or story templates, which are huge sellers for influencers and small businesses.

One of the best platforms to sell printables is Etsy, where printables have exploded in popularity. You’ll also find a healthy market for digital downloads on Creative Market, which is known for high-quality digital products. Both platforms make it easy for you to list your products and reach a large audience.

The Popularity of Etsy and Creative Market for Printables

Etsy is a household name when it comes to selling handmade, vintage, and digital goods. Over the last few years, Etsy has become one of the top destinations for buyers looking for unique, downloadable products. With millions of active buyers, the marketplace is ideal for photographers looking to sell their work as printables. The best part? Once your digital product is uploaded, buyers can download it immediately after purchasing, meaning you don’t have to deal with shipping or inventory.

Creative Market, on the other hand, is more geared toward professionals and designers. It’s perfect if you want to sell higher-end digital products like Instagram templates, mockups, or branding kits. The buyers on this platform are usually willing to pay more for premium products, which can result in higher profits for you.

Diversifying Your Photography Income

Printables are a fantastic way to diversify your photography income. Why rely on just one stream, like stock photography, when you can create multiple revenue streams by selling your photos as digital products? This not only gives you more income opportunities but also spreads out your risk. If one area of sales slows down, you’ll still have others bringing in money.

Real-Life Example: Turning Travel Photos Into a Collection of Printable Maps

Here’s a cool example: a travel photographer who turned his wanderlust into a goldmine by creating printable maps. He had visited dozens of cities and took incredible aerial shots and street views. Instead of just selling these as stock photos, he designed a series of minimalist city maps based on his travels, including iconic landmarks and streets. These printable maps became a hit on Etsy, and over time, he sold thousands of them. What started as a side project turned into a full-blown income stream, all from photos he had already taken.

Getting Your Digital Products Ready

So now you’re pumped to get started, but how do you actually prepare your digital downloads for sale? There’s more to it than just uploading your photos. Let’s go over the best practices for formatting your printables, optimizing them for digital sale, and protecting your hard work from getting ripped off.

Best Practices for Formatting Your Digital Downloads

When selling digital products, the quality of your files is crucial. Here are some best practices for making sure your digital downloads look great and are easy for your customers to use:

• File Types: Common file formats for printables include JPEG, PDF, and PNG. For images, JPEGs are usually the go-to, but PNGs work better if you need transparency in your images. PDFs are great for multi-page documents like planners or workbooks.

• Resolutions: Make sure your images are high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) so they look crisp when printed. Nobody wants to buy a printable only to discover that it looks pixelated when they try to hang it on their wall.

• Sizes: Offer your products in multiple sizes to give customers flexibility. For example, if you’re selling wall art, provide sizes like 8x10, 16x20, and 24x36 so buyers can choose what fits their space.

Tools for Creating and Optimizing Printables

Creating beautiful printables doesn’t require expensive software. In fact, many photographers and designers create high-quality printables using free or affordable tools:

• Canva: This is a go-to tool for designing printables. It’s super user-friendly and offers tons of templates for everything from planners to wall art.

• Photoshop: If you want more control over your designs, Photoshop is a great option, especially for fine-tuning images and creating multi-layered designs.

• Inkscape: A free alternative to Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape is perfect for creating vector-based designs, which scale perfectly no matter the size.

By using these tools, you can turn your existing photography into professional-looking printables, whether it’s for planners, posters, or social media templates.

Licensing Concerns: Protecting Your Work

One of the big concerns when selling digital products is that once the buyer has downloaded it, they could potentially resell or misuse your work. To protect your digital downloads, here are a few strategies:

• License Agreement: Include a clear license agreement with your download. Make it clear that the product is for personal use only and cannot be resold or used for commercial purposes without permission.

• Watermarks: You can add a subtle watermark to your printables if you’re worried about them being misused. While most people will buy printables for personal use, adding a watermark to preview images ensures that your work isn’t stolen before they make the purchase.

Example: An Artist’s Strategy for Copyright Protection

One artist I know uses a clever method to protect her digital products. She offers low-resolution versions of her printables as free downloads to attract potential buyers but watermarks them heavily. When someone purchases the full-resolution version, it comes without the watermark. This strategy builds trust with customers while protecting her from having her work stolen or misused.

Pricing Your Digital Products

Now that your digital products are ready, how do you figure out how much to charge? Pricing can be tricky, but with a little research and strategy, you can set prices that attract buyers without undervaluing your work.

Researching the Right Price for Your Printables

The first step is to look at what similar products are selling for on platforms like Etsy or Creative Market. For example, if you’re selling wall art, search for other wall art printables and see what the going rate is. Typically, printables can range from $5 to $50 depending on the complexity of the design, the size, and the audience.

Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples—look at products that are in the same niche as yours. If you’re selling minimalist travel maps, compare your pricing to other map printables, not generic art prints. This way, you’ll have a more accurate idea of what your target audience is willing to pay.

Creating Bundle Deals to Encourage Larger Purchases

One great way to boost your revenue is by offering bundle deals. Instead of selling individual printables for $10 each, you could create a bundle of three or four related products for $25. Bundles give buyers more value and encourage them to spend more in one go, which increases your overall sales.

For example, if you’re selling Instagram story templates, offer a full kit that includes templates for posts, stories, and highlights. Or, if you’re selling travel photography, create a collection of prints from a particular destination—like a bundle of five printable Paris landmarks. People love getting more bang for their buck, and bundles are a great way to provide that.

Using Sales and Discounts Wisely

Discounts can be a powerful tool to drive sales, but it’s important not to overdo it. If your products are always on sale, buyers will start to expect it and wait for the next discount before purchasing. Instead, use sales sparingly and strategically—think holiday sales, or special promotions for new product launches.

Offering seasonal discounts is another great way to entice buyers. For example, if you’re selling printable holiday cards, offer a 20% discount in November and December when people are looking for Christmas-themed products. Not only will this boost your sales during peak times, but it can also help you clear out older inventory.

Example: The Impact of Seasonal Discounts on Sales

One digital artist I know sells printable calendars and planners. She noticed that sales spiked at the beginning of the year when people were setting goals and getting organized. So, she started offering a “New Year’s Sale” with a 25% discount on all planners in January. The result? Her sales tripled during the first month of the year compared to the previous months, showing how timing and discounts can significantly impact your bottom line.

Final Thoughts on Selling Printables

Selling printables and digital downloads is an excellent way to diversify your photography business. Not only can you create a steady stream of passive income, but you can also reach new audiences that might not be interested in traditional photo prints or stock photography. By offering your work as digital products, you can tap into the growing demand for downloadable content—and build a profitable side business in the process. Whether it’s wall art, planners, or Instagram templates, the possibilities for monetizing your photography through printables are endless!