Selling Canva templates on Etsy is a great way to make profitable passive income online. Digital Canva templates are easy to create, list, and sell; however, it’s a little bit different than selling a physical item on Etsy. Etsy makes it possible to easily list Canva templates and digital downloads. If you’ve ever wondered what Canva products you could sell, how to create the best digital Etsy listing, or how to sell your Canva templates on Etsy, you’re in the right place.
Step 1: Create and Save Your Canva Design
Etsy is one of the best places online to sell your graphic design work. Using Etsy is a great way to make passive income selling digital products, such as Canva templates.
When making Canva designs to sell, check the rules for selling Canva-made designs to ensure you’re not going against Canva or Etsy’s selling guidelines.
Open Canva and create your design. Here are some ideas for Canva projects to make and sell:
- Baby Shower Games
- Wedding Invites
- eBooks
- Graduation Announcements
- Dinner Menus
- Printable Planners
- Wall Art
Once you’ve created your Canva design, duplicate it to be safe, and save it as a PNG. Go to Share > Download > PNG > Download. You’ll upload it later to your listing images.
Step 2: Research Your Competitors on Etsy
Selling items online is often easier when your visuals follow trends or fit with your niche. You won’t get much interest if you’re selling pedicure menus with listing images that look like a heavy metal music poster. Cater your designs to your audience.
On Etsy, search for the product you’re selling or the niche you’re selling in. Take note of consistent themes in other listings and things that work well or don’t. Note colors, fonts, backgrounds, and most importantly, the information on listing photos.
Step 3: Plan Your Images
Once you’ve taken note of other listing photos, decide what to add to yours. Etsy allows a maximum of 10 images per listing. You should use all 10 if you can, making each slide informative and useful.
A good 10-image plan includes:
- Title page
- Product uses
- How the product works
- What’s included in the download
- Invite questions or a contact page
- Product mockups
- Product features and benefits
- Examples of variations
- Digital download information or warning
Since Canva templates are sought after, it’s beneficial to include the Canva logo in your listing photos. Using realistic mockups throughout your listing photos will elevate your listing and help customers visualize its use.
Step 4: Create a 10-Page Canva Document
Open Canva and select Create a design > Custom size and choose 2700px width and 2025px height.Then, select Create a new design to open your canvas.
Create a background or color theme for the first page of your design. You can use Canva elements and the transparency feature to create subtle backgrounds. Use the Duplicate button or the + Add Page button to add up to 10 pages in your chosen style.
Design Your Pages
Your title page listing image should include the product title and a large, clear image of what you’re selling. Upload your saved PNG template with the Uploads tab and drag it to your page.
This page is also a good place to put the Canva logo. You can find it by going to Elements and searching ‘Canva’. Then add it to your design. This is the first image any Etsy users will see.
Create the remaining nine pages to coincide with your planned list. Ensure you use a consistent font, color scheme, and overall style for each page.
To make variation images, go to your original design template and duplicate it. Then create a variation—how your customers could edit the template. Change the color, fonts, type of product—pedicure menu to a massage parlor, for example. Save your variation template as PNG and upload to one of your pages.
Include the original and the edited version, and use arrows from the Elements tab to show the transition.
Include mockups of your template, so customers can see how they can use the product in real life. Canva has some built-in mockups under the Elements tab, or you can download some from Smartmockups or other sites.
You should include a disclaimer stating that no physical item will be shipped and that the customer will receive a digital item only. As per Etsy’s guidelines, digital products cannot be returned or refunded.
Include another page offering help, guidance, or advice for your product. Good customer service will improve your sales. It’s your choice if you wish to include personal contact details or just a prompt to contact via Etsy’s messaging system if help is required.
Fill out all 10 of your images. You can have multiple mockup pages or variation pages to fill out extras if you don’t have enough ideas. Once finished, save as PNGs to upload directly to Etsy.
Step 5: Screen Record Your Canva Design
Etsy allows one video per listing. The video can be between five and 15 seconds and is published without sound. Listings with videos help engage potential customers for longer and allow them to see another view of your product.
For digital listings, you can create a video of your Canva template in use with screen recording apps, recording yourself editing the Canva template you’re selling. The top tip here is to ensure you’ve made a duplicate of your template in Canva, so you’re always selling the original template and not editing it accidentally.
Step 6: Edit Your Video
You can edit your video in Canva, but if you have access to other video editors, you can make a more comprehensive video. Upload your screen recording to your video editing software—or Canva—and edit it to show off your product in use.
Use the video editor to cut it down, speed it up, or chop and transition parts, so it fits within Etsy’s video length allowance. Keep the dimensions the same as images: 2700px X 2025px.
Save your video as an MP4 in the same folder that your listing images are saved.
Step 7: Create PDF With Canva Link
Your Canva template is only accessible with a link, but Etsy doesn’t allow you to upload links for digital downloads, so you need to use a loophole. Instead, you can upload a PDF file that contains the link to your Canva template.
Open the Canva template you’re selling—it’s recommended to always keep a duplicate on Canva. Go to Share > Template Link, then select Copy on the next menu. With this link, anyone can open a duplicate of your Canva design and edit it without disrupting the original file.
Open a new Canva design so you can create a PDF in Canva. The design doesn’t have to be complex, just a title of the download product, information about how to use it, and then, link to your Canva template.
To add a hyperlink in Canva, type your anchor text, then highlight the text and select the link icon that appears. Then paste your URL. To save your linked PDF, go to Share > Download > File type > PDF Standard > Download.
Step 8: Publish Your Canva Templates on Etsy
Using multiple marketing tips for your Etsy listings will help your listings thrive and reach a larger audience. To upload your Canva template listing on Etsy, go to Shop Manager > Listings > Add a listing.
Upload your 10 images and one video. Use your title page image as the thumbnail. You can zoom in or crop it on Etsy, but it will be fine left within the original proportions too.
Fill in all the details Etsy asks for, including setting your listing as a digital product. This will then allow you to upload your digital file, in this case, your PDF. Once someone purchases your listing, the PDF will become available for them to download in their Etsy profile.
With everything uploaded, written, and checked for details, you can publish your Canva template Etsy listing ready for sale.
Create Consistent Canva Template Listings on Etsy
It might take a small while to get into the flow of creating Etsy listings for your Canva templates or digital products, but once you’ve found the formula, you can create consistent listings every time. Selling Canva templates on Etsy is a surefire way to catapult your Etsy store into success, and Canva templates are easy to create if you have a creative eye for good designs.
