How to Make €500/Month Selling Digital Templates on Etsy 🎨💵

Are you looking for a stable source of passive income? Selling digital templates on Etsy using Canva Pro can be a highly profitable venture! With a little effort and creativity, you can easily make €500 or more per month. Here’s a detailed guide to help you get started.


1. Research & Select a Niche 🔍

Before jumping into creating templates, it’s essential to do some market research. On Etsy, digital templates are in high demand, especially for small business owners, content creators, and event planners.

  • Browse Etsy: Explore popular listings to see which types of templates are trending. This could include social media posts, Pinterest pins, business cards, resume designs, e-book covers, planners, wedding invitations, and more.
  • Pick Your Niche: Select a niche that resonates with your interests and market demand. For example:
    • Social Media Templates 📱
    • Business Branding Kits 🏢
    • Printable Planners 📅

By focusing on a specific niche, you increase your chances of attracting the right audience and standing out among the competition.


2. Create High-Quality Templates with Canva Pro

Once you’ve decided on a niche, it’s time to create your templates. Canva Pro is an excellent tool for this, offering lots of features that make designing professional templates quick and easy.

  • Design 10–20 Templates: Aim to create at least 10-20 high-quality templates. The more you have, the more you can sell. Ensure they are customizable for non-designers, meaning they should be easy to edit (fonts, colors, etc.).
  • Canva Pro: If you don’t already have a Canva Pro subscription, you can contact me for a cheap lifetime deal. Canva Pro offers access to premium features, including more templates, stock photos, and better export options.
  • Different File Formats: When exporting, make sure you offer templates in multiple file formats (e.g., JPG, PNG, PDF, and editable Canva links) so customers can use them on various platforms.

3. Set Up Your Etsy Shop 🛒

Now, it’s time to set up your Etsy shop. Etsy is an ideal platform for selling digital templates because of its massive customer base looking for creative products.

  • Shop Setup: Make sure your shop looks professional with a clean banner, profile picture, and shop description that highlights your niche.
  • Optimized Listings: Use relevant keywords in your product descriptions and titles to increase visibility in search results. The more detailed and specific, the better!
  • Listing Your Templates: The first 40 listings on Etsy are free. After that, Etsy charges €0.20 per listing. Make sure to upload high-quality mockups to showcase your templates in use (e.g., on a phone screen, printouts, etc.).

4. Promote & Drive Traffic 📢

Getting traffic to your Etsy shop is crucial. With the right promotional strategy, you can increase your sales significantly.

  • Etsy Ads: Invest about €50/month in Etsy Ads to boost visibility within Etsy’s search results. The key is to start small (e.g., €1/day) and gradually increase your budget as you see what works for you.
  • Pinterest Ads: Consider spending around €30/month on Pinterest ads. Pinterest is a visual platform where people search for inspiration, making it ideal for promoting your templates.
  • Organic Social Media Promotion: Use TikTok and Instagram Reels to promote your templates. Showcase your designs through short, engaging videos. This is a cost-free way to gain visibility and potentially get some organic sales.

5. Automate Delivery & Scale Your Business 📈

One of the best features of selling digital products is the ability to automate delivery. Etsy takes care of sending the digital files to the customers once they purchase.

  • Create More Templates: Keep creating new templates regularly and add them to your Etsy shop. The more variety you offer, the more sales you can generate.
  • Upsell Bundles: Bundle similar templates together for a better price, encouraging buyers to purchase more.
  • Customer Service: Keep your customer service prompt and helpful. Respond to inquiries quickly, and if necessary, offer revisions to templates.

Earnings Breakdown 💰

Here’s a breakdown of how you can make money with this strategy:

  • Template Pricing: Price each template at €7 on average.
  • Monthly Sales: If you sell 72 templates per month, that’s €504.
  • Fees: Etsy charges about 10% in fees, which is around €50.
  • Ads and Promotion: With a budget of €80/month for ads, this will help drive traffic and increase visibility.
  • Net Profit: After fees and advertising costs, your net profit will be around €370–€450/month. As you create more templates and bundles, this figure can scale easily.

Payment Methods 💳

When it comes to receiving payments for your templates, Etsy provides various payment options. You can accept payments via:

  • Credit/Debit Cards
  • PayPal
  • Etsy Payments (covers local payment methods in your region)

Additionally, you can also offer alternative payment methods like SikiraPay, a convenient and secure payment platform that supports multiple currencies and is especially useful for international customers.


Scaling Your Business 🚀

As your shop grows, there are several ways you can scale your income:

  • Custom Template Services: Offer custom templates for an additional fee. You can charge more for personalized designs.
  • Expand to Other Marketplaces: Don’t limit yourself to Etsy. Try platforms like Gumroad, Creative Market, or even Amazon to sell your templates.
  • Create a Website: Build your own website to sell directly and collect emails for marketing. This allows you to have more control over your business and potentially increase profit margins.