Digital products are items that exist only in digital format and you can get them electronically [1]. You can access these products through your computer, smartphone, or tablet without any physical interaction [2][3]. They include everything from ebooks and online courses to software, digital art, templates, music, and video content [1].
Digital products live only in the digital world, unlike physical items you can touch and hold [4]. This key difference creates some unique benefits. You can sell these products over and over without restocking, since customers get them through downloads or emails [5]. You can also update them easily as technology and trends evolve [1].
The digital product market keeps growing rapidly. Experts predict the digital media market will hit USD 560.00 billion by late 2024 [2]. On top of that, online education—one of the biggest digital product categories—should reach USD 840.00 billion by 2030 [6]. These numbers show how much people need digital goods in every sector.
Digital products give creators and businesses several clear advantages:
- Budget-friendly – No need to pay for inventory or physical storage [1]
- Better profits – Creators keep more money without ongoing costs [1]
- Quick delivery – Buyers download products right away [1]
- Unlimited sales – Sell as many times as you want without extra costs [7]
- Worldwide reach – Sell anywhere without shipping hassles [3]
Instagram creators can make good money with digital products. The platform works great to sell visual items because of its image-focused nature. You can sell photography presets, social media graphics, and digital planners [8]. The options are endless—from ebooks and online courses to artwork and music downloads [9].
These products are incredibly flexible. You can use them as your main income, attract new followers, or give them away to build your brand [1]. This makes them perfect to broaden your income beyond platform earnings.
Digital products show how the creator economy continues to change. More people want to make money from their skills and knowledge online. These products have become popular revenue streams for creator entrepreneurs [2]. Low costs and easy scaling make them perfect if you’re starting your business journey.
Popular Types of Digital Products for Instagram Creators
Image Source: Creative Market
“In the future I see a democratization of content creation through content relationships with famous influencers (brandividuals) and niche influencers alike. There’s upside to content co-creation for both brands and contributors. The influencers get exposure to the brand community and the brand gets exposure to better quality content shared with an entirely new audience.” — Lee Odden, CEO of TopRank Marketing, digital marketing thought leader
Instagram creators can make money from their expertise and creativity through digital products. These products don’t need physical storage and offer better profits than physical items. The market shows some digital products work really well on the platform.
Ebooks and guides
Ebooks remain one of the most profitable digital products because they’re versatile and cheap to produce. Creators can sell them many times without extra costs [5]. Instagram creators find success with guides about specific topics. These guides can teach others how to use Instagram features, grow their following, or make money from their content [10]. Well-laid-out guides that explain how the platform works and give an explanation of algorithms help followers get similar results [6].
Online courses and tutorials
People just need online courses as they look for ways to keep learning [5]. Reports show courses are the top-selling digital product, with 35.7% of creators selling them [5]. Courses about Instagram content planning, story creation, caption writing, and influencer marketing let creators package what they know into organized lessons [11]. Platforms like Rupa Pro make this easier with their AI Product Generator. It helps turn existing content into course outlines that creators can quickly check, add videos to, and launch.
Digital art and printables
Digital art has downloadable designs that buyers can print at home, like wall art, greeting cards, and craft templates [5]. Printables—custom wall art, greeting cards, and worksheets—work great for creators who know design [5]. Plus, printable coloring pages and educational worksheets are perfect for parents looking for kids’ activities [5].
Music and audio files
Musicians and audio engineers create royalty-free tracks and sound effects for podcasts, ads, and other content [5]. Instagram reaches about one billion users—three times the U.S. population—making it perfect for promoting music [3]. About 68% of daily music listeners are 18-34 years old, which matches Instagram’s users perfectly, as 64% fall in this age range [3].
Photography and stock images
Photographers can earn passive income through stock photography on platforms like Shutterstock or specialty marketplaces [5]. Business, lifestyle, and diverse cultural images are in high demand [12]. Stock photo websites like TONL, Pixabay, Pexels, and Nappy give creators many options for diverse and inclusive images [12].
Video content and templates
Video content, especially Instagram Reels, helps creators get noticed. Reels work like TikTok, making them great for short videos that feature dancing and micro music clips [3]. Video templates help keep branding consistent. Canva offers many Instagram Reels templates in different styles, from simple designs to retro frames for travel videos [13].
Software and presets
Lightroom presets help Instagram creators keep their visual style consistent. These one-click solutions improve photos while keeping Instagram feeds looking uniform [14]. Professional presets usually change 30-50 settings in an image, offering better editing options than simple filters [15]. Popular styles include Kodak film looks, natural enhancers, and vintage effects that work for different creator niches [14].
Rupa helps creators sell these digital products easily. They don’t have to worry about algorithms and can turn followers into customers through simple marketing automation.
Examples of Digital Products to Sell on Instagram
Instagram’s digital product marketplace gives creators amazing chances to earn from their expertise and creativity. E-learning leads this space with projected revenue of USD 165.00 billion by 2025 [9]. Gaming follows at USD 116.00 billion, while music and video streaming and SaaS each reach USD 77.00 billion.
Digital products shine on Instagram’s visual platform. Ebooks make consistent profits since creators can sell them repeatedly without extra costs [9]. Many successful Instagram creators sell specialized guides about platform growth strategies and engagement techniques that help their followers get similar results.
Online courses top the list of digital products, with 35.7% of creators selling them [2]. Millie Adrian (Modern Millie) shows what’s possible in the education sector. She built a 7-figure business teaching social media influencers how to monetize Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube [8]. Her courses brought in USD 400,000 and 600 students in 2021 [8].
Digital planners and templates thrive on the platform. Users love customizable Instagram post layouts, story templates, and content calendars that help them keep consistent branding. Tools like Rupa Pro’s AI Product Generator help creators turn their content into structured products they can review, improve, and publish quickly.
Photography products thrive naturally on Instagram’s visual platform. Photographers can earn through direct sales in the stock photography market or team up with established platforms [9]. Digital art prints give artists a chance to sell downloadable files that buyers can print and frame [9].
Design assets like Lightroom presets, Canva templates, and custom fonts solve real problems for Instagram’s audience. These products command higher prices because they help content creators and businesses create professional-quality visuals.
Niche-specific digital products often bring great returns. Food creators sell recipe collections and meal planners [8], while pet experts offer training guides and animal care resources [8]. The pet industry reached USD 143.60 billion in 2023 [16], showing huge potential for targeted digital products.
Fashion and beauty digital products excel on Instagram, where 96% of beauty brands have a presence [17]. Tutorial packages, style guides, and digital lookbooks are valuable resources for followers who want industry expertise.
Rupa makes it easy to create and sell these digital products. Creators can turn followers into customers through automated marketing features without complex funnels or technical barriers. This helps them break free from algorithm dependence and build direct relationships with their audience.
How to Set Up Your Instagram to Sell Digital Products
Setting up your Instagram account the right way lays the groundwork for selling digital products. You’ll need to follow specific steps that change your regular profile into a business account ready for sales.
Switch to a business account
The original Instagram account must become a business account to unlock features needed for selling digital products. Your profile menu icon sits in the top right corner – tap it and go to Settings. Look for “Account” and scroll down to find “Switch to professional account” [18]. The platform will ask you to pick between “Business” or “Creator” – choose “Business” [19]. Instagram needs some extra details about your business category and contact information. You can show or hide your business details on your profile during setup [18].
Connect to Facebook Commerce Manager
Your next step connects your Instagram business account to Facebook’s Commerce Manager. Open Commerce Manager in your desktop browser and click “Get Started” [5]. The system will guide you to “Create a Catalog” followed by another “Get Started” button [5]. Pick “Ecommerce” when asked about your business type [5]. Users of partner platforms like Shopify should select “Connect a Partner Platform.” Others can pick “Upload Product Info” to manage things manually [5]. You’ll need to choose which Business Manager account owns your catalog – this step requires admin access [5].
Create and upload your product catalog
Your product catalog forms the backbone of selling digital products on Instagram. Commerce Manager offers different ways to add products. Small inventory owners can pick “Manual” to add each digital product one by one with its image, name, description, website link, and price [20]. Bigger catalogs work better with “Data feed” for spreadsheet uploads, or “Partner Platform” for Shopify users [21]. Make sure your digital product descriptions clearly tell customers these are downloadable items without physical shipping [10].
Enable Instagram Shopping
After your catalog setup, your account needs review to turn on Instagram Shopping. Head to your profile settings, tap “Business,” then “Set Up Instagram Shopping” and follow along [22]. Reviews usually take a few days [21]. Instagram sends you a notification once approved. Go back to settings, hit “Business,” pick “Shopping,” and link your new product catalog [21]. This lets you tag products in posts and stories so people can discover and buy your digital products.
Tools like Rupa Pro make this whole process much easier for creators. Its AI Product Generator helps turn your content into digital products quickly. The automated marketing features handle technical sales details while you focus on creating.
Best Instagram Features to Promote Digital Products
“Actually talk to your customers. Use the language that they use. Talk about the things they talk about. Never feed salad to a lion.” — Jay Acunzo, Founder of Marketing Showrunners, keynote speaker and author
Instagram gives creators powerful features that help them market and sell their digital products better. The platform’s tools create multiple ways to promote, connect with customers, and make direct sales.
Instagram Stories and Reels
Instagram Stories help creators build close connections with their audience and boost sales quickly. Small accounts with under 10,000 followers have seen their reach grow by 35% [6]. These posts that vanish after 24 hours build trust. Creators can show their digital products in action, share behind-the-scenes moments, or display customer reviews. Polls, countdown timers, and product stickers turn viewers into buyers and create a natural sense of urgency for time-limited deals [6].
Reels get 36% more reach than other Instagram content, which makes them perfect to showcase digital products [6]. These short videos up to three minutes use text overlays, AR filters, and trending audio to show digital products. Reels lead the pack in engagement rates and perform better than carousels, photos, and Stories [23]. This makes them great for promoting digital items like courses or templates. Educational Reels can achieve engagement rates up to 4.2% [23].
Product tags and shopping posts
Product tags let creators mark their digital products in posts, Stories, and Reels. Customers can shop without leaving the app. Tags appear right on the product and give quick access to details and buying options [6]. Tagged items show up in users’ Explore feeds, which helps reach new audiences [6]. This smooth setup makes buying simple—customers can go from discovering to purchasing with one tap [6].
Instagram Live and IGTV
Instagram Live puts creators front and center with their audience while showing off digital products. Live videos add a human touch to online shopping, and customers can buy without going to stores [11]. People can comment and ask questions during broadcasts, which builds trust right away [11]. Live videos are great for launching products, answering questions, and showing how digital products work [11].
IGTV supports longer videos—up to an hour for verified users—that look great on phones [24]. This feature shines when creators need to teach viewers about their digital products’ benefits and uses. IGTV descriptions can include clickable links to send traffic to websites or landing pages, which helps boost digital product sales [24].
Link in bio and Highlights
The link in bio is a vital way to drive clicks from Instagram profiles [25]. Tools like Linktree or Instagram’s own solutions help creators display multiple digital products at once. This works great during promotions or when creators sell different products [25].
Highlights keep Stories visible forever by pinning them to profiles. Creators can sort their digital products into Highlight sections like “Products,” “Tutorials,” or “Reviews” [26]. This organization creates an easy-to-browse catalog that new visitors can check out anytime [26].
Rupa Pro enhances these features by making it easier to create and market digital products. The platform helps creators turn their Instagram followers into customers through optimized automation.
Tracking Performance and Improving Sales Strategy
Performance tracking is the foundation of a successful digital product strategy on Instagram. Creators can optimize their approach to boost sales and participation by analyzing metrics and making informed adjustments.
Monitor engagement and conversion rates
Tracking engagement metrics shows which digital products strike a chord with your audience. The engagement rate calculates the percentage of viewers who interact with your content through likes, comments, shares, or saves—this shows how effective your content is [27]. Your conversion rate goes beyond simple engagement to measure how well you turn followers into customers [21]. This vital metric compares sales against total profile visits or link clicks and helps you spot which digital products lead to actual purchases [28].
Use Instagram Insights
Instagram’s built-in analytics tool gives you detailed data about audience behavior and content performance. The Insights dashboard lets creators see metrics like post reach, profile visits, website clicks, and follower demographics [29]. These analytics help you find the best posting times when followers are most active, which improves content visibility [30]. On top of that, it breaks down performance by content type, so you can compare how different digital products perform across posts, Stories, and Reels [31].
Test different content formats
A/B testing different parts of your digital product promotions gives you great insights into performance. This method lets you experiment with variables like posting times, content types, captions, and visuals to find the best combinations [21]. Multivariate testing takes this further by changing multiple elements at once to discover winning formulas [32]. Tools like Rupa Pro make this easier with automated marketing features that handle testing and optimization.
Adjust based on audience feedback
Your long-term success depends on constantly refining your strategy based on performance data. Regular metric reviews help you spot weak points in your digital product marketing that need changes [33]. Instagram Insights’ audience demographic information helps you create messages that match your followers’ priorities [30]. On top of that, direct customer feedback through comments, messages, and surveys adds quality insights to your numbers [27]. This helps creators fine-tune their digital products to match what their audience wants.
Key Takeaways
Digital products offer Instagram creators a powerful path to monetization with high profit margins and infinite scalability. Here are the essential insights for getting started:
• Digital products are infinitely scalable – Once created, they can be sold repeatedly without inventory costs or production limits, making them ideal for passive income generation.
• Switch to Instagram Business account and enable Shopping features – This unlocks product tagging, catalog integration, and seamless in-app purchasing capabilities for your digital offerings.
• Focus on high-performing content types – Reels deliver 36% more reach than other content, while Stories create intimate connections that drive immediate sales through interactive elements.
• Track engagement and conversion rates religiously – Use Instagram Insights to identify which digital products resonate with your audience and optimize posting times for maximum visibility.
• Popular digital products include ebooks, online courses, and presets – These leverage your expertise while solving specific problems for your Instagram audience, with courses being the most sold category at 35.7%.
The digital product market is projected to reach $560 billion by 2024, making this an opportune time for creators to diversify their revenue streams beyond algorithm-dependent income. Success comes from combining the right products with Instagram’s native features and consistent performance optimization.
FAQs
Q1. What exactly are digital products for Instagram creators? Digital products are intangible items that can be sold and delivered electronically. For Instagram creators, these can include ebooks, online courses, digital art, presets, templates, and more. They offer high profit margins and scalability without the need for physical inventory.
Q2. How can I start selling digital products on Instagram? To sell digital products on Instagram, switch to a business account, connect to Facebook Commerce Manager, create a product catalog, and enable Instagram Shopping. Once approved, you can tag products in posts and stories, making them discoverable and purchasable within the app.
Q3. Which types of digital products perform best on Instagram? Popular digital products on Instagram include ebooks, online courses, digital art, presets, and templates. Online courses are particularly successful, with 35.7% of creators offering them. The platform’s visual nature makes it ideal for products like photography presets and social media graphics.
Q4. What Instagram features are most effective for promoting digital products? Instagram Stories, Reels, product tags, and shopping posts are highly effective for promoting digital products. Stories create intimate connections and drive immediate sales, while Reels offer 36% more reach than other content types. Product tags allow for seamless in-app purchasing.
Q5. How can I track the performance of my digital products on Instagram? Use Instagram Insights to monitor engagement rates, conversion rates, and audience demographics. Track metrics like post reach, profile visits, and website clicks. Regularly test different content formats and adjust your strategy based on performance data and audience feedback.