How to Sell Digital Art on Etsy in 2024 | Complete Guide

Are you an artist looking to turn your passion into a profitable online business?

Selling digital art has never been easier! Etsy is a great platform for digital artists to reach a wide audience and monetize their talent. 

Etsy provides an amazing opportunity for creatives to thrive and make money off of their interests. Even if it’s just a hobby, if you are good at it, you are good to go! 

So if you want to learn how to sell digital art on Etsy, buckle up! We have done the research for you and put together an in-depth guide to help you with the process.

What is Digital Art?

Before we get into the weeds of selling digital art, let’s take a quick look at what it is!

Digital art is a form of art that is produced using tools like computers, tables, cameras, software programs, etc. 

What makes a piece of art digital is the fact that this art can entirely exist in the digital world.

It is something that requires the use of digital technology during its production process. Artists use these tools to craft unique visuals, illustrations, sounds and much more. 

Digital art has transformed the art industry as it makes it much easier for artists to create and share their art. It also allows people from different walks of life to collaborate and get inspiration from other work.

Why Sell Digital Art on Etsy?.

Etsy is known for it unique offerings. Buyers know it to be a place that houses products from artists and creatives around the world.

As a result, Etsy has become the go-to platform for people selling digital downloads.

Here are some of the advantages of selling on Etsy:

• Niche-Friendly Environment: Etsy buyers appreciate creative products and support artists. It’s a community of people that looking for such products and it offers a great opportunity for artists to sell digital downloads.
  
• Low Overhead Costs: You can set up your Etsy shop for with very little upfront cost. Etsy does not charge a monthly fee and it only costs $0.20 to publish a listing. The only other associated costs are fees associated with sales that are deducted from your revenue. Which means you can get started from as little as 20 cents.
  
• Global reach: Etsy has buyers in almost all countries in the world. So, as a seller, it offers you access to a massive audience that is eager for new and creative products.
  
• Established Marketplace: Etsy is an established brand and is trusted by buyers across the world. They are much more likely to make purchases on Etsy compared to a website they are not familiar with.

How to List Digital Art On Etsy – Step-by-Step Guide

Before you get started you will have to create your Etsy shop. Make sure you are old enough to sell on Etsy and have all the documents and IDs to start your shop.

1. Create new listing
2. Upload images of your digital art
3. Conduct keyword research to add relevant keywords to the listing
4. Write a compelling product description
5. Add category, price, product type
6. Upload your digital download file
7. Add tags
8. Publish listing

Creating a listing for your digital downloads on Etsy is pretty simple. You need to add relevant information to your listing, optimize it to match buyer search intent and you’re all set!

Here’s a detailed overview of the steps:

Create new listing

To create a listing, you can begine by logging into your Etsy account and navigating to your dashboard.

Then click on the “Listings” tab and select “Add a listing”.

Now, you’re all set to start your new listing.

Upload images of your digital art

When selling a product on an e-commerce platform, images on your listing are the first thing buyers see.

Take high-quality pictures of your digital download to catch your buyers’ eyes.

If applicable, include pictures of different angles and aspects of the product to show your buyers, what they are getting.

Conduct keyword research to add relevant keywords to listing

Keywords are the key to visibility on Etsy!

Conduct keyword research to find out what people are searching for. 

For example, look for anything related to digital art as the specific subject matter of your art might not be something people are actively searching.

You can also work backwards and get ideas by researching what type of people digital art people are looking for. 

Don’t forget to add these keywords to your listing title and description.

Use tools like Everbee to conduct your Etsy keyword research.

Write a compelling product description

Creating an informative and engaging product description is crucial.

Describe your digital download, the inspiration behind it and what makes it unique. 

Provide information such as the file format, dimensions, file size, etc. Also, add any licensing terms or restrictions related to your art.

Add category, price, product type

To sell digital art online, it is important to make it easy for buyers to find it. Select the appropriate category for your digital prints.

Set a competitive yet fair price for your digital download. Consider the effort and creativity invested.

Choose the product type that best describes your art. In this case, it will be “digital”.

Upload your digital download file

This is the heart of your listing. Upload the digital files that buyers will receive upon purchase.

Ensure the file is in a format that’s accessible to your customers, such as JPEG or PNG.

Include high-resolution files if your art is suitable for printing.

Here are the digital file formats supported by Etsy:

• .bmp
• .doc
• .gif
• .jpeg
• .jpg
• .mobi
• .mov
• .mp3
• .mpeg
• .pdf
• .png
• .psp
• .rtf
• .stl
• .txt
• .zip
• .ePUB
• .iBook

Etsy allows you to upload up to 5 digital files per listing with a maximum file size of 20 MB.

Add tags

Tags are additional keywords that help Etsy’s search engine to find your listing.

Etsy lets you add 13 tags to a product listing.

Choose a mixture of broad and specific tags that are related to your digital art prints.

For example, if you want to sell digital prints of a painting of the New York Skyline, you can use tags like:

• Digital downloads
• Wall art
• Etsy digital downloads 
• New York skyline
• New York digital print, etc.

Try to think about the keywords someone might search to find something similar to your art.

You can use Etsy SEO tools to do some keyword research.

Publish listing

Now, the final step! You’re finally ready to start selling art online.

Review your listing to make sure everything is how you intend it to be.

Once you think your listing is optimized and ready to go, hit the “Publish” button to make your digital art available for sale!

Digital Art vs Physical Art

It is much easier for sellers to sell digital art compared to physical products as it doesn’t involve packaging and shipping. 

Selling digital downloads on your Etsy shop only requires you to create your listing and upload your downloadable files. 

On the other hand, if you wanted to sell physicall products you will need to fullfil your orders, which increases your expenses and opens you to the risk of damages to your products in transit.

With Etsy’s digital downloads, buyers can instant access their purchase, which offers them a seamless experience.

Digital downloads can be reproduced countless times which allows artists to enjoy higher profit potential. 

Preparing Your Digital Art for Sale

If you want to start selling digital prints online, it is important to create digital downloads that offer a smooth customer experience and can get buyers’ attention.

In section we will show you can ensure that your digital art is ready to be sold on Etsy.

Selecting the right file formats

Choosing the correct file format is important to ensure that your buyers are receiving the best experience.

Here are some common formats and considerations:

• JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): JPEG is widely used for photographs and images with gradients. It offers good compression, making file sizes smaller while maintaining acceptable quality. Ideal for most digital art.

• PNG (Portable Network Graphics): PNG is preferred for images with transparency or a need for high quality, such as logos or artwork with sharp lines. Keep in mind that PNG files tend to be larger.

• TIFF (Tagged Image File Format): TIFF is a lossless format, suitable for preserving the highest quality. It results in large file sizes and may not be necessary for most digital art.

You can offer your digital art in multiple formats to cater to different customer preferences.

But remember that you will have to create separate listings for different formats as Etsy does not allow you to offer variations for digital products.

Resolution and size considerations for different types of digital art

Protecting your digital art and your brand from unauthorized use is crucial for maintaining the value of your creations and your online business. 

Consider these methods:

• Watermarking: Add a subtle watermark to your images to discourage unauthorized use while allowing potential buyers to see the artwork clearly. Be sure to offer a watermark-free version upon purchase.

• Terms of Use: Clearly define the terms of use for your digital downloads in your product descriptions. Specify whether they are for personal use, commercial use, or both.

• Copyright Information: Include copyright information in your product descriptions, reminding customers that your art is protected by copyright laws.

Creating mockups to help buyers visualize the final product

Providing mockups is an excellent way to help buyers envision how your digital art will look in real-life applications. Here’s how to create effective mockups:

• Use Graphic Design Software: Use graphic design software like Adobe Photoshop or Canva to superimpose your digital art onto various products or settings.

• Show Versatility: Showcase your art on different items, such as walls, clothing, or stationery, to demonstrate its versatility.

• Realistic Presentation: Ensure that your mockups look realistic and align with the quality and style of your digital art.

Selling Digital Products on Etsy – Beyond Art

Etsy’s digital friendly platform provides an opportunity for anyone to sell digital products and build an online business.

Selling digital products on Etsy goes much beyond just art. 

Here are a few examples of digital products that people are selling on the platform:

1. Printable Planners and Journals

2. Digital Scrapbooking Kits

3. Educational Printables

4. Wedding and Party Invitations

5. Social Media Templates 

6. Budget and Finance Spreadsheets

7. Crafting Patterns and Templates

8. Photography and Lightroom Presets

9. Ebooks and Digital Guides

10. Fonts and Graphics Bundles

11. Digital Art Brushes and Tools

12. Calendars and Planners

13. Web Design Templates

14. Meditation and Wellness Resources

15. Language Learning Resources

Final Thoughts

Selling digital art on Etsy can be a rewarding and lucrative endeavor if you are savvy and willing to put in the work.

It obviously goes much beyond just uploading art on the platform. You need to master some digital marketing and e-commerce skills. 

But with the right strategy, it can be amazing business that you can run with very high margins.

If you are flirting with the idea of selling your art on Etsy, this is your sign to get going and start your profitable artistic journey.

Selling Digital Art On Etsy: Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth selling digital art on Etsy?

Absolutely!

Selling digital art on Etsy is extremely easy to get started with. It offers you a well established marketplace where buyers look for artistic and unique products.

With the right marketing strategies, you can turn this into an extremely profitable venture.

Is Shopify or Etsy better for selling art?

If you are a new artist, you may find it easier to get started with Etsy.

This is because Etsy is a marketplace where anyone can sell their products. And it already has a large amount of visitors that are searching for different products.

Shopify on the other hand, lets you create your own storefront, which has it advantages but you will have to find ways to bring people to your website. If you don’t have an established name or brand, it may be harder to get traction.

Etsy provides you with an established ecosystem where with the right strategies you can find incredible success.

Is it profitable to sell digital products on Etsy?

Yes, selling digital products can be very profitable on Etsy.

You do not have to worry about packaging and shipping your product. You can also sell the same product over and over again. You can maintain great margins and profitability.

However, your success will depend upon the quality of your art, your marketing efforts, consistency and pricing!