Do you need to promote your digital artwork and graphics on-line?
By promoting your artwork as downloadable information, you may make cash with out having to pay for transport or skilled printing. You may also promote the identical digital artwork or graphic file numerous occasions.
On this article, we’ll present you how one can simply begin promoting your digital artwork and graphics on-line utilizing WordPress.
Why Promote Your Digital Artwork and Graphics On-line?
In case you’re an artist, there are many methods to promote your work on-line. For instance, you can create a print-on-demand store and switch your graphics into branded merchandise or high-quality prints.
Nonetheless, increasingly artists are promoting their work as digital downloads moderately than tangible items. These things might embody inventory photograph libraries, downloadable worksheets, ebooks, templates, and extra.
Promoting digital downloads lowers your prices since you don’t should pay for printing and transport charges. You additionally don’t have to fret about bodily storage, provides, or managing your stock. All of this implies you spend much less effort and time for larger income.
With that in thoughts, let’s see how one can promote digital artwork and graphics on-line.
Which Platform Ought to You Use to Promote Digital Artwork and Graphics?
First, you’ll want to decide on an eCommerce platform that you simply’ll use to promote your artwork and graphics as digital downloads.
An eCommerce platform is software program that you simply’ll use to add your paintings after which provide these information on the market.
Whereas it’s doable to alter your eCommerce platform later, doing so could be disruptive to your corporation. To keep away from that, you will need to select your eCommerce platform fastidiously.
For this use case, you need to choose a platform that has been designed particularly for promoting digital downloads.
That’s why we suggest utilizing WordPress and Simple Digital Downloads for promoting artwork and graphics.
WordPress is the greatest web site builder on the planet. It powers over 43% of all web sites on the web together with thousands and thousands of internet sites the place folks promote digital downloads. WordPress provides you full management over your web site, so it’s straightforward to design a ravishing and crowd pleasing web site the place you’ll be able to showcase your work.
Simple Digital Downloads is the perfect WordPress eCommerce plugin to promote digital merchandise. In reality, we use the plugin ourselves to promote a lot of our premium WordPress plugins.
With WordPress and Simple Digital Downloads, you’ll be able to promote as many merchandise as you need with out paying excessive transaction charges. This offers WordPress and Simple Digital Downloads an enormous benefit over different platforms corresponding to Sellfy, Gumroad, Sendowl, and WooCommerce.
With that being stated, let’s check out methods to simply create a WordPress web site with Simple Digital Downloads, so you can begin promoting your digital paintings and graphics on-line.
Step 1. Setting Up Your WordPress Web site
Earlier than you begin constructing your WordPress web site, it’s essential to know that there are two varieties of WordPress software program, WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
We’ll be utilizing WordPress.org, also called self-hosted WordPress, as a result of it has extra options and suppleness. For an in depth comparability, you’ll be able to see our information on the distinction between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
To start out promoting digital artwork and graphics with WordPress, first you’ll want a area identify (like www.wpbeginner.com). In case you don’t have already got a reputation in thoughts, then you’ll be able to see our information on how to decide on the perfect area identify.
You’ll additionally want website hosting which is the place your web site’s information are saved on-line, and an SSL certificates so you’ll be able to securely settle for bank card funds in your WordPress web site.
A website identify usually prices $14.99/yr and internet hosting prices begin from $7.99/month. The value of an SSL certificates differs relying on the place you purchase the certificates. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to anticipate to pay anyplace between $50-200 / yr for an SSL certificates.
As you’ll be able to see, the internet hosting and safety is dear, particularly for artists who’re simply beginning out.
Fortunately, one among our prime advisable internet hosting suppliers, SiteGround, is providing an enormous 73% off deal on their managed internet hosting for Simple Digital Downloads. It comes with a free SSL certificates, Simple Digital Downloads pre-installed, and all of the optimization options you want.
You will get began for lower than $4 per thirty days.
Let’s go forward and stroll by means of methods to buy your area identify, website hosting, and your SSL certificates.
First, you’ll want to go over to the SiteGround web site and click on on the Get Plan button.
After that, SiteGround will ask you to enter a website identify in your web site, and they’re going to additionally present you some non-obligatory extras you should buy.
You don’t have to fret concerning the extras at this level as a result of you’ll be able to all the time add them later if you’d like it, so we suggest skipping this step.
After that, you simply must enter your cost info to complete the acquisition.
You’ll get an electronic mail quickly with particulars on methods to log into your new account. When you login, you will notice two buttons beneath the Web sites tab: Website Instruments and WordPress Admin.
Website Instruments is your web site’s internet hosting dashboard the place you’ll be able to handle all the things associated to your web site, corresponding to establishing your emails.
Clicking the ‘WordPress Admin’ button takes you to the newly put in WordPress web site that already has Simple Digital Downloads pre-installed for you.
It will take you to a display screen the place you’ll be able to log into your WordPress dashboard.
Right here, merely kind within the username and password you created, after which click on on ‘Log In.’
Now, you’re prepared to begin constructing an internet retailer to promote your digital artwork and graphics.
Are you utilizing a distinct WordPress web site internet hosting service like Bluehost, Hostinger, HostGator, or WP Engine? Then you’ll be able to try our information on methods to set up WordPress for step-by-step directions for these internet hosting suppliers.
Step 2. Setting Up Your eCommerce Plugin
In case you’re utilizing SiteGround, then Simple Digital Downloads already comes pre-installed.
In case you’re utilizing a distinct internet hosting supplier you then’ll want to put in and activate the Simple Digital Downloads plugin. In case you need assistance, then please see our information on methods to set up a WordPress plugin.
After getting entry to the Simple Digital Downloads plugin, go to Downloads » Settings.
First, you’ll set your retailer’s location.
Chances are you’ll plan to promote your artwork and graphics as digital downloads solely, however Simple Digital Downloads will nonetheless use your location to auto-fill some fields when a customer makes a purchase order.
It might additionally use your location to calculate gross sales tax.
So as to add your location, merely open the ‘Base Nation’ dropdown menu. You possibly can then select the place your corporation is predicated.
Subsequent, discover the ‘Base State / Province’ discipline.
Right here you’ll be able to open the dropdown and select the state or province the place your retailer operates from.
If you’re pleased with the knowledge you’ve entered, click on on the ‘Save Adjustments’ button to avoid wasting your adjustments.
Step 3. Including a Fee Gateway to WordPress
When promoting digital artwork and graphics on-line, you’ll want a technique to settle for credit score funds out of your clients.
By default, Simple Digital Downloads helps well-liked cost gateways together with Stripe, PayPal and Amazon Funds.
Need to use a distinct cost gateway as a substitute? You possibly can add additional cost choices utilizing the Simple Digital Obtain extensions.
So as to add cost gateways to your web site, go forward and click on on the ‘Funds’ tab. Then be sure the ‘Gateways’ tab is chosen.
Within the Fee Gateways part, test the field for every of the gateways that you simply need to add to your web site.
In case you test multiple cost technique, you then’ll want to decide on a default gateway. This cost gateway might be chosen routinely when the customer arrives at your checkout web page.
You need to use any gateway you need, however Stripe can settle for bank cards in addition to Apple Pay and Google Pay. With that in thoughts, you might need to use Stripe as your default cost gateway.
After choosing a number of cost gateways, click on on the ‘Save Adjustments’ button.
You’ll now have entry to new tabs the place you’ll be able to configure every of your separate cost gateways.
The method of configuring the cost gateway might be barely completely different relying on which gateway you’re utilizing, however Simple Digital Downloads will stroll you thru the method.
Let’s have a look at Stripe for example.
To arrange Stripe, merely choose the ‘Stripe’ tab after which click on on ‘Join with Stripe.’
This launches a setup wizard which can stroll you thru the method of configuring Stripe as your cost gateway.
In case you’re utilizing a number of cost gateways, you then’ll must repeat these steps to arrange every gateway individually.
By default Simple Digital Downloads exhibits all of your costs in US {dollars}. When you’ve arrange your cost gateway, you might need to change the foreign money that’s used in your web site.
To indicate your costs in any foreign money apart from US {dollars}, simply click on on the ‘Foreign money’ tab.
Subsequent, open the ‘Foreign money’ dropdown. Now you can select the foreign money that you simply need to use in your web site.
Simply bear in mind that some cost gateways might not settle for each foreign money. In case you’re not sure, then you’ll be able to all the time test your chosen cost gateway’s web site. Most have a listing of currencies that they assist.
If you’re pleased with the foreign money settings, click on on the ‘Save Adjustments’ button close to the underside of the display screen.
Step 4. Flip Your Digital Artwork Right into a Downloadable Product
When you’ve arrange no less than one cost gateway, you’re able to create your first digital product. This may be any digital artwork or graphic file that you simply need to promote on-line.
To create a digital product, merely go to Downloads » Add New.
Now you can kind a reputation for the product into the ‘Enter obtain identify right here’ discipline. This might be proven on the product’s web page, so that you’ll need to use one thing that catches the customer’s consideration and precisely describes your graphic or digital paintings.
Subsequent, kind out the outline that can seem on this product web page. You’ll need to give guests all the knowledge they should determine whether or not this product is correct for them.
For instance, you may embody the graphic’s dimensions and backbone. You may additionally speak concerning the product’s licensing and the way the shopper can use the artwork after shopping for it.
Many on-line shops and web sites use product classes and tags to assist consumers discover what they’re in search of. These classes and tags may encourage guests to discover associated graphics and digital artwork merchandise, which may get you extra gross sales.
You possibly can create new classes and tags within the Obtain Classes and Obtain Tags field. To study extra, please see our step-by-step information on methods to add classes and tags for WordPress pages.
Subsequent, you’ll need to set a worth by scrolling to the Obtain Costs part.
Right here, kind in how a lot guests pays to obtain this graphic or digital paintings.
You’re now able to add the picture file that you simply need to promote. In terms of pictures, WordPress helps gif, heic, jpeg, png, and webp codecs.
Professional Tip: If you wish to promote digital artwork and graphics in a file kind that WordPress doesn’t assist, then see our information on methods to permit extra file varieties in WordPress.
So as to add your downloadable file, merely scroll to the Obtain Recordsdata part.
Within the File Title discipline, kind a reputation for the file that consumers will get once they make a purchase order. Then, merely click on on ‘Add a File’ to the precise of the ‘File URL’ discipline.
Now you can select any picture from the WordPress media library, or you’ll be able to add a brand new file out of your laptop.
Lastly, you’ll need so as to add a product picture.
If you’re promoting digital artwork and graphics, you don’t need folks to steal your work with out paying. Because of this, we don’t suggest utilizing your unique digital artwork or graphic because the product picture.
One possibility is to make use of a lower-resolution model of your picture. One other is to add a watermark to the unique graphic. Or you are able to do each.
In case you do create a watermark utilizing internet design software program, then be sure to present this watermark in a location that isn’t straightforward to crop out.
Many artists place their watermark within the middle of the picture, or they use the watermark in a repeating sample that covers the entire product.
A 3rd possibility is to create a preview of how the consumer may use your digital artwork or graphic. For instance, you can present your work in a mock-up cell phone display screen or advertising show. Offering context like this could encourage consumers to purchase your product.
So as to add a product picture, merely scroll to the Obtain Picture part after which click on on the ‘Set Obtain Picture’ hyperlink.
This launches the WordPress media library the place you’ll be able to select a picture or add a brand new file out of your laptop.
If you’re comfortable together with your digital obtain, click on on the Publish button to make it stay.
Step 5. Customizing Your Digital Obtain Emails
Each time somebody buys a digital obtain out of your web site, Simple Digital Downloads will ship an electronic mail to that individual.
This electronic mail has a hyperlink that the shopper can use to obtain the digital artwork file or graphic that they only bought, as you’ll be able to see within the following picture.
Whereas this electronic mail has all the things the shopper must entry their obtain, it’s a good suggestion to customise it. For instance, you may assist your electronic mail stand out by including your personal emblem and branding.
To customise the default electronic mail, merely go to Downloads » Settings. Then click on on the ‘Emails’ tab.
Chances are you’ll need to begin by including a emblem to the acquisition affirmation electronic mail.
This emblem seems on the prime of your buy receipt emails, so your clients can clearly see who this electronic mail is from.
So as to add a emblem, click on on the ‘Add File’ button. Now you can both select a picture from the WordPress media library or add a file out of your laptop.
You may also add a ‘From Title.’ This identify will seem within the buyer’s inbox, so that you’ll need to use one thing that the shopper will acknowledge such because the identify of your web site or design firm.
You’ll additionally want so as to add a ‘From E-mail,’ which can act because the ‘from’ and ‘reply-to’ tackle.
Some clients might reply to the acquisition receipt electronic mail. For instance, in the event that they’re having issues downloading the file, they may attain out by merely clicking ‘Reply’. With that in thoughts, you’ll need to use a skilled electronic mail tackle that you simply test incessantly.
After making these adjustments, click on on the ‘Buy Receipts’ tab.
On this display screen, you’ll be able to kind in an electronic mail topic, add heading and in addition change the e-mail’s physique textual content.
You would merely kind within the textual content that you simply need to ship to each buyer. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to create extra useful and personalised emails by utilizing the Simple Digital Downloads function, Conditional Emails.
Conditional Emails use what are referred to as ‘template tags’ to personalize your messages. These template tags change based mostly on components corresponding to the client’s identify and the way a lot they paid for his or her digital obtain. Each time Simple Digital Downloads sends an electronic mail, it is going to routinely substitute the template tags with actual values.
You’ll see all of the completely different tags that you need to use in Conditional Emails on the backside of the ‘Buy Receipts’ tab.
If you’ve completed making adjustments, you might need to ship a check electronic mail so you’ll be able to see how the message will look to your clients.
To do that, merely click on on the ‘Ship Take a look at E-mail’ button and Simple Digital Downloads will ship an electronic mail to your admin electronic mail tackle.
Have you ever clicked on the ‘Ship Take a look at E-mail’ button, however haven’t acquired a check electronic mail? Possibly your web site isn’t sending emails correctly. If clients don’t get buy affirmation emails, they gained’t be capable of obtain your digital artwork and graphics.
With that in thoughts, you’ll be able to comply with our information on methods to repair the WordPress not sending electronic mail subject to ensure your emails attain your clients. You may also try WP Mail SMTP, our answer to WordPress electronic mail issues.
If you’re pleased with how the acquisition receipt electronic mail seems, you’ll be able to go forward and click on on the ‘Save Adjustments’ button.
Step 6. Take a look at Your Digital Obtain
When you’ve created your first Simple Digital Downloads product and customised the acquisition emails, it’s a good suggestion to test that guests should buy it with none issues.
Earlier than you do a check buy, it’s essential to place Simple Digital Downloads into check mode. This lets you check the buying course of with out having to kind in your credit score or debit card info.
To place your web site into check mode, you’ll be able to go to Downloads » Settings and click on on the ‘Funds’ tab.
Below ‘Gateways,’ it would be best to allow ‘Take a look at Mode’ by checking the primary field.
Subsequent, discover the ‘Fee Gateways’ entry and test the ‘Take a look at Fee’ field to the precise. Lastly, open the ‘Default Gateway’ dropdown and select ‘Take a look at Fee.’
After that, scroll to the underside of the display screen and click on on ‘Save Adjustments.’
Now that you simply’re in check mode, go to Downloads » All Downloads. Right here, discover the product that you simply need to check and click on on its ‘View’ hyperlink.
This opens the product web page the place consumers should buy this digital obtain.
To make a check buy, go forward and click on on the ‘Buy’ button.
Simple Digital Downloads will now add this merchandise to your cart.
After that, it’s time to click on on the ‘Checkout’ button.
Since we’re in check mode, you’ll be able to merely kind in your electronic mail tackle and identify, after which click on on ‘Buy.’
You don’t must enter any cost info.
After a number of moments, you’ll get a purchase order affirmation electronic mail containing a hyperlink to obtain your file.
If all the things works and you’ll entry your file, then you’ll be able to add extra digital merchandise to your web site by repeating the identical course of described above.
When you’ve accomplished the check, don’t neglect to take your web site out of check mode so you’ll be able to settle for funds out of your guests.
To do that, merely go to Downloads » Settings » Funds. You possibly can then uncheck ‘Take a look at Mode’ in your cost gateway settings.
Step 7. Choosing and Customizing Your WordPress Theme
Themes management how your WordPress web site seems together with the colours, format, and fonts. Your theme is the face of your WordPress web site and performs an essential function in how guests see your model.
There are millions of completely different free and premium WordPress themes to select from. You need to be sure to select a high-quality WordPress theme that appears good and has precisely the options you want.
That can assist you make the precise selection, we’ve put collectively a listing of the hottest WordPress themes. Our prime choose is the Astra Theme because it’s absolutely suitable with Simple Digital Downloads, free to get began, and utterly customizable.
When you’ve chosen a theme, you’ll be able to see our information on methods to set up a WordPress theme.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to create your personal customized theme from scratch with SeedProd. It’s the greatest drag and drop WordPress theme builder out there, utilized by over 1 million web sites.
SeedProd additionally comes with numerous ready-made, professionally designed templates. These templates embody layouts which are good for selling graphics corresponding to inventory images, worksheets, and ebooks.
For extra particulars, try our information on methods to create a customized WordPress theme (no coding wanted).
Step 8. Selling Your Digital Downloads
In case you’re going to promote your digital artwork and graphics in your new web site, you then’ll must drive site visitors to your completely different product pages.
This may imply including a product web page to your web site’s menu. You may additionally create a gross sales web page to promote your digital merchandise, after which embody hyperlinks to completely different merchandise you point out in order that guests can test them out.
We’ve additionally seen digital artists create a weblog the place they write about their work, share recommendation and ‘methods to’ guides, and canopy different related matters. These posts are the right place to incorporate hyperlinks to any related digital artwork and graphics that readers should buy.
Irrespective of the way you promote a product, you’ll must know its URL.
To search out this hyperlink, merely go to Downloads » All Downloads. You possibly can then discover the product that you simply need to hyperlink to, and click on on its ‘Edit’ hyperlink.
You’ll discover the URL straight beneath the product title.
Now you can hyperlink to this product web page from any space of your web site, just by utilizing this URL. To study extra, see our step-by-step information on methods to add a hyperlink in WordPress.
Simple Digital Downloads additionally creates a novel ‘Buy’ button for every product. You possibly can add this button to any web page, submit, or widget-ready space. That approach, the customer should purchase a particular product from any web page in your web site.
When the customer clicks on this button, it is going to add that merchandise to their procuring cart. That approach guests can begin the buying course of from anyplace with out having to go to the product’s particular person web page.
You possibly can add this button to your web site utilizing a chunk of shortcode that Simple Digital Downloads creates routinely.
To get a product’s shortcode, merely scroll to its Obtain Settings part. You possibly can then copy the textual content within the ‘Buy Shortcode’ discipline.
Now you can add the shortcode to any submit or web page, or perhaps a widget-ready space like your web site’s sidebar. For extra particulars on methods to place the shortcode, you’ll be able to see our information on methods to add a shortcode in WordPress.
You possibly can try it out by pasting the copied shortcode right into a weblog submit or web page, after which you need to see a ‘Buy’ button within the content material space.
In case your guests click on on this button, it is going to flip right into a ‘Checkout’ button. To finish the acquisition, your customers will merely click on it once more to go to a checkout web page the place they’ll enter cost info and purchase your digital artwork or graphics.
BONUS – Instruments to Promote Extra Digital Artwork & Graphics
There are 2 most important methods to promote extra of your paintings: drive extra site visitors to your web site, and persuade extra of your web site guests to finish a purchase order.
That is the place WordPress plugins are available.
Listed below are a few of our prime picks for plugins that may enable you get extra site visitors and promote extra of your artwork and graphics:
- All in One web optimization is the greatest web optimization plugin for WordPress and will help you optimize your web site to get extra site visitors from search engines like google like Google.
- MonsterInsights is the greatest Analytics answer for WordPress. It helps you see the place your guests are coming from and what they do in your web site, so you’ll be able to determine your corporation technique based mostly on actual information.
- OptinMonster is the conversion optimization software program available on the market. You need to use it to create optin kinds to develop your electronic mail checklist and convert guests into paying clients. It may well additionally cut back procuring cart abandonment.
- PushEngage is the greatest push notification software program for WordPress. It means that you can ship personalised internet push notifications to let your clients learn about your new paintings or gross sales and promotions.
FAQs About Promoting Digital Artwork and Graphics On-line
Lots of our readers have reached out to us with questions on promoting their digital artwork and graphics. We’ve tried to reply a few of the most incessantly requested questions beneath.
The place can I promote my digital artwork on-line?
There are many platforms, shops, and digital marketplaces the place you’ll be able to add your digital artwork and promote it.
Some well-liked selections amongst artists embody Etsy, Amazon, and Tremendous Artwork America.
Many of those platforms have already got a big viewers. By importing your work to those websites, you’ve got an current viewers of people that use the platform.
Nonetheless, many of those marketplaces and web sites take a proportion of each sale you make, and a few even cost upfront charges. To spice up your income, we suggest creating your personal web site as a substitute.
On this approach, you’ll have full management over your model, and get all of the income from every digital sale.
How a lot does it value to create a web site for my digital artwork?
Establishing a digital retailer is far simpler and cheaper than opening a bodily store.
You can begin with SiteGround EDD Internet hosting for $5 per thirty days and use free plugins and themes to restrict your prices. We all the time suggest a enterprise mannequin the place you begin small. That approach, you’ll be able to spend more cash as you construct your viewers and begin to promote extra digital artwork and graphics.
Through the use of Simple Digital Downloads to promote your paintings, you’ll be able to keep away from lots of the upfront prices and intermediary charges you usually get when promoting by way of an internet market corresponding to Etsy. As a substitute, you simply should pay industry-standard bank card transaction charges.
For extra info, see our article on how a lot it prices to construct a WordPress web site.
Can I additionally promote bodily merchandise?
Sooner or later, you might need to promote bodily merchandise. For instance, you may create merchandise that includes your graphics or promote your digital artwork as framed prints.
Regardless of the identify, Simple Digital Downloads can be able to promoting bodily merchandise. There’s even a Easy Delivery addon that provides transport options to the Simple Digital Downloads plugin. On this approach, you’ll be able to ship your branded merchandise, framed prints, or different bodily merchandise to your clients utilizing the instruments you’re already conversant in.
We hope this text helped you discover ways to promote digital artwork and graphics on-line. You may also undergo our information on the greatest Instagram WordPress plugins and how to decide on the perfect web site builder.
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The submit Learn how to Promote Digital Artwork and Graphics On-line (The Simple Means) first appeared on WPBeginner.
