Selling digital downloads online is straightforward. Whether you’re providing ebooks, online courses, images, artwork, or music, WordPress simplifies the process.
With WordPress, you can securely manage and sell your digital products. It allows for quick setup and ensures that your downloads are easily accessible to your customers.
At CanadaCreate and our affiliated brands, we utilize WordPress in conjunction with Easy Digital Downloads to sell plugins, toolkits, and ebooks. In our experience, this combination is ideal.
In this guide, we will provide a step-by-step walkthrough on how to sell digital downloads using WordPress.
Which Platform is Best for Selling Digital Products?
Digital downloads refer to products that customers can download to their devices after purchase. Some of the most commonly sold digital products online include:
- eBooks, including audiobooks
- Photos and images
- Digital art, such as illustrations and graphic designs
- Printables
- Software
- Music
- Videos, including recorded webinars
Before you begin selling, you will need an eCommerce platform.
Keep in mind that some platforms are more suitable for selling physical products rather than digital downloads. It’s essential to select a solution that safeguards your digital files and includes essential features like licensing and subscriptions.
Therefore, it’s crucial to choose your platform wisely, as switching between platforms can be a complex and time-consuming process.
Although WooCommerce is a robust plugin for online sales, it is designed to accommodate both physical and digital products. Its shipping and inventory features may complicate things if you are only selling downloadable content.
For this reason, we suggest using WordPress with the Easy Digital Downloads plugin. This combination provides a more efficient and targeted solution for digital creators.
WordPress is the leading website builder available today, powering over 43% of all websites on the internet.
Additionally, WordPress offers significant advantages over platforms like Gumroad, Sellfy, or Sendowl. It allows you complete control over your website, enabling you to sell an unlimited number of products without incurring high monthly or transaction fees.
✋ However, it’s essential to understand that there are two versions of WordPress software, and it’s important to select the right one.
First, there’s WordPress.com, a platform for hosting blogs. Then, there’s WordPress.org, also known as self-hosted WordPress.
For a comprehensive comparison, check out our guide on the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
You will want to use the self-hostedWordPress.orgplatform because it provides you with complete control over your website and the freedom to sell any digital products.
Conversely, Easy Digital Downloads is the top WordPress eCommerce plugin for selling digital products.
In fact, we utilize this plugin to sell many of our premium WordPress plugins, which include downloadable files that are restricted to members only and come with built-in license keys.
🧐 Interested in learning more about the plugin? We have a detailed review of Easy Digital Downloads available.
In the upcoming sections, we will guide you through the process of setting up your WordPress site with Easy Digital Downloads. Here’s a brief overview of the steps we will cover:
- Setting Up Your WordPress Website
- Installing Easy Digital Downloads
- Configuring Your Payment Gateway
- Creating Your First Digital Product
- Choosing and Customizing Your WordPress Theme
- Personalizing Your Digital Download Emails
- Marketing Your Digital Downloads
Are you ready? Let’s get started.
Step 1.Creating Your WordPress Website
To begin selling digital downloads on WordPress, you will need a domain name, web hosting, and an SSL certificate.
An SSL certificate is crucial for any online store. It secures the connection between your customers’ browsers and your website, safeguarding sensitive information such as payment details.
This also displays the familiar padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, a vital indicator that helps establish trust with your visitors.
A domain name serves as your website’s address on the internet. This is what users will enter into their browsers to access your site, such as CanadaCreate.com.
Web hosting is where your WordPress website is stored online. You can think of hosting as your website’s home on the internet.
To assist you, we have carefully selected some of the best WordPress hosting options available.
One of our top recommended hosting providers, SiteGround, offers managed WordPress hosting tailored for Easy Digital Downloads.
In fact, we use SiteGround to host the CanadaCreate website and have been consistently impressed with their performance and support since we transitioned to their platform.
This plan includes a complimentary SSL certificate, pre-installed Easy Digital Downloads (EDD), and robust optimization features, all available at a special discount for our readers. You can launch your online store for under $5 per month.
You can set up and manage your website for less than $5 each month.
Let’s walk through the steps to purchase your domain, web hosting, and SSL certificate.
First, open the SiteGround website in a new tab to follow along with these instructions.
Next, scroll down the page and click the ‘Get Plan’ button for the Managed EDD Hosting plan you wish to purchase.
Then, SiteGround will prompt you to enter a domain name and your account details for your website.
If you haven’t decided on a domain name yet, check out our guide on selecting the perfect domain name.
SiteGround will suggest some optional add-ons, but you can always choose to add these later if needed. If you’re uncertain, we recommend skipping this step for now.
Next, enter your payment information and complete the transaction.
After your payment is processed and confirmed, SiteGround will send you an email with instructions on how to access your hosting account.
Log into your SiteGround account to access the web hosting control panel, where you can manage your new website.
You will notice that SiteGround has already set up WordPress for you.
Click on the ‘WordPress Admin’ button to access your WordPress site’s dashboard, where Easy Digital Downloads is pre-installed.
If you prefer not to use SiteGround, you can install WordPress on other hosting providers like Bluehost and Hostinger, following a similar process.
Step 2: Setting Up Easy Digital Downloads
WordPress does not come with built-in eCommerce functionality, so you will need a plugin to sell your digital downloads.
WordPress plugins are similar to apps on your phone; they enhance your website with various features and functionalities.
Note:In this tutorial, we will use the free version of Easy Digital Downloads, which includes a premium version offering advanced features like email marketing tools, additional payment gateways, email support, and more.
If you’re using SiteGround as your hosting provider, Easy Digital Downloads is already installed for you. However, if you’re with a different hosting service, you’ll need to install the Easy Digital Downloads plugin manually.
To proceed, you’ll need to install and activate the Easy Digital Downloads plugin. If you require assistance, consider referring to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, navigate to Downloads » Settings in your WordPress admin dashboard. Here, the first step is to set your store’s location.
🤔 You might be curious why your location is necessary if you’re not selling physical items.
This information allows Easy Digital Downloads to automatically fill in certain fields when a customer makes a purchase. Additionally, your location can be used to calculate applicable sales tax.
To specify your location, open the ‘Base Country’ dropdown menu and select the country where your store is located.
Next, enter the base state or province where your store is operating in the ‘Base State / Province’ field.
After providing this information, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Save Changes’ button.
Step 3: Configuring Your Payment Gateway
To successfully sell products online, it’s essential to have a reliable payment processing system. Fortunately, Easy Digital Downloads is compatible with popular payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, and Amazon Payments.
If you’re looking to expand your payment options, consider exploring the Easy Digital Downloads extensions. This resource offers additional solutions like Braintree, Authorize.net, and more.
To select your payment gateways, navigate to Downloads » Settings and then click on the ‘Payments’ tab. Ensure you are in the ‘Gateways’ section.
In the ‘Gateways’ section, you can choose all the payment gateways you wish to utilize on your WordPress site.
The most widely used payment gateways are Stripe and PayPal, so we will guide you through the setup process for these options.
If you plan to offer multiple payment providers, you will need to designate a default payment gateway. This option will automatically be selected when a visitor accesses your checkout page.
We suggest setting Stripe as the default payment method, as many customers prefer to pay with credit cards.
Now, scroll to the bottom of the page and click ‘Save Changes.’
After the page reloads, you will see new tabs that allow you to configure your selected payment gateways.
To use PayPal, click on the ‘PayPal’ tab and enter your PayPal email address and password.
To set up Stripe, navigate to the ‘Stripe’ tab and click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button. This will launch a setup wizard to guide you in connecting your website to Stripe.
This will initiate a setup wizard to assist you in connecting your website to Stripe.
Depending on your location, you may want to customize the currency displayed on your website.
By default, Easy Digital Downloads displays all prices in US dollars, showing the dollar sign before the amount, so $5 is represented as ‘$5.’
To modify the default currency settings, scroll to the top of the screen and select the ‘Currency’ tab.
Next, open the ‘Currency’ dropdown to select a different currency.
Keep in mind that not all payment gateways accept every currency. If you’re unsure, it’s best to check the website of your chosen payment gateway, as most provide a list of supported currencies.
Remember to click the ‘Save Changes’ button to ensure your updates are saved.
Step 4: Creating Your First Digital Product
With your WordPress site ready, you’re now set to start selling your digital products!
To create your first digital product, navigate to Downloads » Add New. In the ‘Enter download name here’ field, you can enter the name of your product.
Next, write a compelling description for your product. This description will be visible to your visitors, so ensure it is informative and persuasive.
Many online stores and websites utilize product categories and tags. This strategy helps customers find the products they are searching for and encourages them to discover related offerings.
You can set up categories and tags in the ‘Download Categories’ and ‘Download Tags’ sections.
By default, Easy Digital Downloads will list your product as a free download. If you intend to sell your digital products, you will need to assign a price.
To do this, scroll down to the ‘Download Prices’ section.
Here, you can enter the price that visitors will need to pay to download your product.
The next step is to upload your product.
This could be an ebook, a recorded webinar, a PDF guide, a photograph, or any other file format supported by WordPress.
Expert TipIf you want to sell file types that WordPress doesn’t support, like SVG images or PSD files, check out our guide on how to enable additional file types in WordPress.
To upload your downloadable file, simply navigate to the ‘Download Files’ section.
In the ‘File Name’ field, enter the name of your downloadable file.
Next, click the ‘Upload a file’ button, which will open the WordPress media library for you to select the file you wish to offer for download.
The last step is to add a product image.
When selling digital downloads, having an eye-catching product image is crucial since customers can’t physically inspect the item. Get creative with how you showcase your product.
For instance, you could design a 3D mockup of an ebook cover, create a stylish icon for a software download, or make an appealing cover image for a PDF guide.
If you’re selling a recorded webinar, consider using a polished screenshot from the video.
The great news is that you can easily create professional-quality product images using web design tools like Canva.
The fantastic news is that you can effortlessly create a professional-looking product image using web design software such as Canva.
To upload a product image, simply navigate to the ‘Download Image’ section.
Next, click on the ‘Set Download Image’ link. This will open the WordPress media library, allowing you to select your product image.
Once you are satisfied with the details you’ve provided, click the ‘Publish’ button to make your product live.
Congratulations! Your first digital product is now live. You can view your product page to see it in action.
You can easily create additional digital downloads by following these same steps.
Step 5.Choosing and Personalizing Your WordPress Theme
Themes determine the appearance of your WordPress website for visitors, including layout, colors, and fonts.
With thousands of WordPress themes available, selecting the right one can be challenging. Check out our selection of the most popular WordPress themes for excellent choices.
After selecting a theme, refer to our beginner’s guide on how to install a WordPress theme to activate it on your website.
Once your theme is installed, follow our guide on customizing your WordPress theme to personalize it.
If you are new to this, consider using the Coaching Pro theme, as it is fully compatible with Easy Digital Downloads.
An alternative is to design your own custom theme from the ground up.
To build a custom theme, you will need SeedProd, the leading drag-and-drop website builder for WordPress, utilized by over 1 million websites. Our team has extensive experience with SeedProd, having used it to create complete websites for our other brands such as WPForms and Duplicator.
It is our preferred tool for crafting high-converting landing pages and custom themes without any coding required. SeedProd also offers a variety of pre-designed templates ideal for showcasing digital downloads.
🎨 Discover all its features by reading our comprehensive SeedProd review!
SeedProd includes numerous pre-designed templates, including those specifically tailored for promoting digital downloads.
For further information, feel free to explore our guide on creating a custom WordPress theme without coding.
Step 6: Personalizing Your Digital Download Emails
Whenever a customer purchases a digital download, Easy Digital Downloads will automatically send them an email.
This email contains a link that allows the customer to download the file they have just purchased.
Consider personalizing this email to include your own text and branding. Strong branding enhances your business’s professionalism and fosters customer loyalty.
To personalize your emails, navigate to Downloads » Settings and select the ‘Emails’ tab. Ensure that the ‘General’ tab is active.
Begin by uploading a custom logo for your emails.
This logo will appear at the top of your purchase confirmation emails.
To upload a logo, click the ‘Upload File’ button and either upload a new image or select one from your WordPress media library.
You can also specify a ‘From Name’ that will appear in the customer’s inbox. Choose a name that clearly identifies your business, such as your website’s name.
Additionally, you’ll need to provide a ‘From Email.’ This email will serve as both the ‘from’ and ‘reply-to’ address.
Since customers may respond to your emails, use a professional email address that you check regularly.
Once you are satisfied with your email branding, proceed to the ‘Purchase Receipts’ tab. Here, you will compose the email that customers receive after making a purchase.
You may want to preview how this email currently appears. Click on the ‘Preview Purchase Receipt’ button to view your email in a new tab.
In the ‘Purchase Receipts’ section, you can customize the email subject and heading. Additionally, you can modify the content of the email body.
To add a personal touch to your emails, you can utilize special placeholders that automatically fill in customer details, such as their name or the date of purchase. These serve as shortcuts to personalize each email without manual input.
In Easy Digital Downloads, these placeholders are referred to as ‘dynamic text’ or template tags. You can easily copy and paste these tags into the subject line or body of your email as you edit.
Easy Digital Downloads will automatically replace the tag with the actual information, like the customer’s name, each time it sends a purchase receipt.
If you scroll down, you’ll discover all the different dynamic text options available for your use.
Simply copy and paste these various dynamic text elements into your emails.
Whenever an email is sent, Easy Digital Downloads will substitute the placeholder dynamic text with actual values, such as the customer’s name.
As you work on your email, it’s wise to send a test email. Click the ‘Send Test’ button, and Easy Digital Downloads will deliver an email to your admin email address.
Expert Tip:If your test emails are not being delivered, don’t be concerned. This is a frequent issue with WordPress, and there is typically a straightforward solution.
Refer to our guide on resolving the issue of WordPress not sending emails to make sure all your communications successfully reach your customers’ inboxes.
Once you are satisfied with your purchase receipt emails, simply scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the ‘Save Changes’ button.
Step 7: Promoting Your Digital Downloads
Easy Digital Downloads creates a new page for each product. To successfully sell your digital downloads, you will need to attract visitors to these pages, which may involve adding them to your website’s menu.
You can also link to your product pages from various sections of your website, such as blog posts, landing pages, or even an announcement bar.
To create these links, you will need the URL of the product page, which can be found directly below the product’s title.
Another option is to incorporate the product’s ‘Purchase Shortcode’ into a page or post.
To set up a ‘Purchase’ button, navigate to the ‘Download Settings’ section of the product.
You can easily add this shortcode to any post, page, or widget area such as your sidebar. This feature is powerful because it allows you to place a ‘Buy Now’ button anywhere on your website, capturing sales at the moment when a reader is most interested.
For detailed instructions on how to insert shortcodes, refer to our beginner’s guide on using shortcodes in WordPress.
Once everything is configured, clicking the ‘Purchase’ button will add the digital download to the visitor’s shopping cart.
The purchase button will change to a checkout button. Clicking this button will direct the customer to the Easy Digital Downloads checkout page, where they can enter their payment details and complete their purchase.
Bonus: Tools to Increase Your Digital Download Sales
Congratulations on successfully adding digital downloads to your site! Your next goal is to persuade visitors to purchase those downloads. This is where additional WordPress plugins can be beneficial.
Here are some of our top recommended plugins to help you boost your digital download sales:
- OptinMonster is the leading conversion optimization software available. It allows you to create opt-in forms to grow your email list and convert visitors into paying customers, while also helping to reduce shopping cart abandonment.
- All in One SEO is the top SEO plugin for WordPress, designed to enhance your website’s visibility in search engines, driving more traffic and increasing sales.
- MonsterInsights is the leading analytics tool for WordPress, providing insights into your visitors’ origins and behaviors on your site, enabling you to refine your marketing strategies based on accurate data.
- AffiliateWP empowers you to tap into new audiences through affiliate marketing. This comprehensive solution allows you to establish your own affiliate program, enabling others to promote your products for a commission.
- PushEngage is the premier push notification software for WordPress. This tool enables you to inform your customers about everything from new digital downloads to special promotions and exclusive coupon codes.
- MemberPress is the top membership plugin for WordPress. If you’re offering an online course, MemberPress allows you to create a members-only forum, facilitating engagement with your audience and fostering peer support. You can also schedule the release of course content.
- SmashBalloon is the top social media feeds plugin for integrating custom feeds from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Many digital creators maintain a personal brand across various platforms, so displaying your social media feeds can enhance credibility and provide social proof.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Digital Downloads
Many of our readers frequently ask us questions regarding the sale of digital downloads. Below, we have addressed some of the most common inquiries.
1. Is it possible to start selling digital downloads without any initial investment?
Yes, Easy Digital Downloads Lite is completely free. It includes all the essential features you need to begin selling digital downloads on your WordPress site.
Although Easy Digital Downloads Lite is free, you will need to purchase a domain name and web hosting, which will incur some costs.
As your business expands, you might consider upgrading to the pro version of Easy Digital Downloads. This enhanced plugin offers advanced email marketing tools, additional payment gateways, and the capability to sell digital subscriptions through WordPress.
2. What are the costs associated with creating a WordPress website?
Your choice of hosting and budget will determine your approach. Starting with Bluehost at just $1.99 per month and utilizing free plugins and themes can help minimize your initial expenses. We suggest adopting a business strategy that begins small and allows for increased investment as your sales of digital downloads grow.
For detailed insights, check out our article on the costs associated with building a WordPress website.
3. Is it possible to sell physical products using Easy Digital Downloads?
Definitely! Many successful businesses diversify their offerings to include new product types.
Even though the name suggests otherwise, Easy Digital Downloads can be used to sell physical products as well. There’s a Simple Shipping add-on available that provides shipping functionalities for the Easy Digital Downloads plugin.
We hope this tutorial has equipped you with the knowledge to sell digital downloads. You might also be interested in our guides on adding customer invoices for Easy Digital Downloads and creating a digital product marketplace.
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