Unlock Profits: A Simple Guide to Selling Excel and Google Spreadsheets on WordPress

Spreadsheets play a crucial role in managing everything from side projects to full-time businesses, yet many individuals prefer not to create them from scratch.

This is why offering digital spreadsheet templates has emerged as a highly effective business strategy. Users of Excel and Google Sheets are already accustomed to these tools and are eager to invest in ready-made templates that they can easily customize and utilize.

We have collaborated with numerous clients who depend on various spreadsheets for organization. Rather than spending hours creating their own, they often opt for a pre-made solution that quickly addresses their needs.

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of selling spreadsheet templates on your WordPress site, including how to set up secure downloads, process payments, and safeguard your files against unauthorized distribution.

What Platform Should You Choose for Selling Excel or Google Spreadsheets?

First, you need to select an eCommerce platform that will enable you to sell your Excel or Google spreadsheets effectively.

Since these spreadsheets are digital files that customers can download after purchase, it is essential to choose an eCommerce platform specifically tailored for selling digital downloads.

This platform will include essential features, licensing options, and subscription services, making it easier for you to establish your online store.

We highly recommend using WordPress along with Easy Digital Downloads for selling your Excel and Google spreadsheets.

WordPress is the leading website builder globally, powering over 43% of all websites on the internet. It offers complete control over your site and enables you to create a user-friendly eCommerce store.

Easy Digital Downloads is the top WordPress plugin for selling digital products. We personally use EDD to sell many of our premium WordPress plugins and have had a fantastic experience.

To discover more about our experience, check out our review of Easy Digital Downloads.

With WordPress and Easy Digital Downloads, you can sell an unlimited number of spreadsheets without incurring additional transaction fees from the platform. You will only be responsible for the standard fees from your payment processor, such as Stripe or PayPal.

Now, let’s explore how simple it is to set up a WordPress site with Easy Digital Downloads so you can begin selling your spreadsheets online.

Are you ready to get started? Here’s what we will cover in this guide:

• Step 1: Setting Up Your WordPress Site
• Step 2: Configure Easy Digital Downloads
• Step 3: Set Up Your Payment Gateway
• Step 4: Convert Your Spreadsheets into Downloadable Products
  • How to Sell Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets
  • Selling Google Sheets via Direct Link
  • Selling Google Sheets with a PDF Certificate
• Step 5: Personalizing Your Digital Download Emails
• Bonus Tools to Boost Sales of Excel and Google Spreadsheets

Step 1: Setting Up Your WordPress Website

Before you begin building your site, it’s essential to understand the two types of WordPress software: WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

WordPress.com is a hosted solution, while WordPress.org is open-source and free. We will use WordPress.org for complete control over your website.

First, you’ll need a domain name and WordPress hosting to start selling your spreadsheets.

We recommend SiteGround for your hosting needs. It is a well-known provider that offers managed WordPress hosting optimized for Easy Digital Downloads, complete with a free SSL certificate and significant discounts.

You can essentially create a website for under $5 per month.

For detailed instructions on setting up your WordPress site, refer to our comprehensive guide on creating a WordPress website.

If you’re exploring other excellent hosting options, we highly recommend Bluehost and Hostinger.

Step 2: Configuring Easy Digital Downloads

The free version of Easy Digital Downloads enables you to create a fantastic online store. However, if you wish to access features like Content Restriction, Recommended Products, or Recurring Payments, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version of the plugin.

For this tutorial, we will utilize the free plan.

To get started, simply install and activate the EDD plugin. If you require assistance, consult our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Once activated, navigate to theDownloads » Settingssection in your WordPress admin dashboard.

Here, you need to specify your store’s location so the plugin can accurately calculate sales tax and automatically fill in certain fields.

To do this, scroll down to the ‘Store Location’ section. Then, select your business’s location from the ‘Business Country’ dropdown menu.

Next, you will need to complete the ‘Business Region’ field.

In this field, you can open the dropdown menu and select the state or region where your store is located.

After entering your details, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to save your settings.

Step 3: Configure Your Payment Gateway

To sell Excel or Google spreadsheets online, you need a method to accept credit card payments from your customers.

Easy Digital Downloads is compatible with popular payment gateways such as Stripe, PayPal, and Amazon Payments. You can also explore additional payment gateways by visiting the official Easy Digital Downloads extensions library.

To select your payment gateway, navigate to the ‘Payments’ tab at the top. Ensure that the ‘General’ tab is active.

Next, tick the boxes for all the payment gateways you wish to integrate into your online store.

If you choose multiple payment options, you must designate a default gateway.

You can select any option, but we recommend Stripe as it supports credit card transactions along with Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Then, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

Once the page reloads, you will see new tabs for configuring each of your selected payment gateways.

The setup process for each gateway may vary depending on the one you choose. We will use Stripe as our example.

To begin, navigate to the ‘Stripe’ tab and click on the ‘Connect With Stripe’ button.

This will open a setup wizard that guides you through the process of connecting your Stripe account step by step. If you use multiple payment gateways, simply repeat these steps for each one.

By default, Easy Digital Downloads displays all prices in U.S. dollars.

If you prefer to show prices in a different currency, click on the ‘Currency’ tab and select your desired currency from the dropdown menu.

Keep in mind that some payment gateways may not support all currencies. If you’re unsure, please check the website of your selected payment gateway.

After adjusting the currency settings, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your updates.

Step 4: Convert Your Spreadsheets into Downloadable Products

With your WordPress site configured with Easy Digital Downloads, you are now ready to start selling spreadsheets online.

How to Sell a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet

To upload your first Excel spreadsheet for sale, navigate to the Downloads » Add New section in your WordPress admin sidebar.

In the content editor, enter a name for your Excel spreadsheet in the ‘Enter Download Name Here’ field.

Choose a descriptive name for your product that clearly conveys the purpose of your spreadsheet.

Next, provide a detailed description that will be displayed on the product page.

Many online stores utilize product categories and tags to enhance searchability for customers.

You can create tags and categories for your spreadsheets by using the ‘Add New Download Tag’ and ‘Add New Download Category’ options.

After that, navigate to the ‘Download Prices’ section.

Here, enter the price that customers will need to pay to download the spreadsheet.

Next, you need to upload a ‘Download Image’ for the spreadsheet, which will serve as the featured image on the product page. You can easily create this image using free design tools like Canva.

Once you’ve completed that, scroll down to the ‘Download Image’ section in the sidebar, click on ‘Download Image,’ and upload your chosen image.

After that, it’s time to upload your spreadsheet.

To do this, scroll down to the ‘Download files’ section and enter an appropriate name in the ‘File Name’ field.

Then, click the link button in the ‘File URL’ field.

This action will open the WordPress media library.

You can easily upload the Excel file directly from your computer.

After uploading the Excel spreadsheet, click the ‘Publish’ button to make your product available for sale on your site.

Selling Google Sheets via a Direct Link

The process for selling Google Sheets on WordPress is slightly different. Since Google Sheets operates in a web browser, you cannot sell it as a downloadable file; instead, you will provide a link.

To sell Google Sheets, create a ‘copy link’ for the spreadsheet you want to sell. This link allows customers to access a copy of your spreadsheet upon purchase.

To generate this link, open the Google spreadsheet you intend to sell from your Google account and click the ‘Share’ button.

A popup will appear on your screen after you click the button.

In the popup, choose the ‘Anyone with the link’ option from the ‘General Access’ dropdown menu.

Next, use the dropdown menu on the right to select ‘Viewer.’ This step is crucial.

This setting ensures that customers can only view your original spreadsheet to make a copy, preventing them from editing or altering your master file.

Finally, click the ‘Copy Link’ button to save the link.

After copying the link, navigate to the ‘Download Files’ section in Easy Digital Downloads.

Then, paste the Google Sheets link into the ‘File URL’ field.

Next, remove the edit?usp=sharing portion from your link.

You will need to replace it with copy.

Once you’ve added your Google Sheet’s copy URL, click the ‘Publish’ button at the top of the page.

That’s it! Your spreadsheet will be available for purchase by customers right away.

Selling Google Sheets with a PDF Certificate

Another simple method to sell Google Sheets is by providing a download certificate. While this is a viable alternative, be aware that it adds an extra step for your customer (downloading a PDF to access the link).

For the best customer experience, we recommend using Method 1 whenever possible.

Start by creating a Word document and pasting the shared link of your Google Sheet into it.

Once you’ve pasted the link, eliminate the edit?usp=sharing portion from the link and replace it with copy. Ensure that you format the URL as a hyperlink to make it clickable.

As shown in the image above, the shared link may appear unattractive. To enhance the professionalism of your download certificate, consider using a link cloaking tool like Pretty Links.

This plugin allows you to create clean, professional-looking links and also provides tracking for the number of clicks on the links in your certificates.

For comprehensive guidance, check out our tutorial on cloaking affiliate links in WordPress.

Next, save the document you created on your computer, preferably as a PDF file.

Then, return to the ‘Download Files’ section in EDD and upload the certificate file. After that, click the ‘Publish’ button.

Using this approach, customers will receive the certificate for download after completing their purchase. They can then click the link included in the purchase certificate to access the Google spreadsheet they just acquired.

Step 5: Personalizing Your Digital Download Emails

Whenever a customer purchases a spreadsheet from your site, Easy Digital Downloads will automatically send them a receipt via email.

This email will include a link for the customer to download the Excel or Google spreadsheet they just bought.

Consider personalizing this email by incorporating your own text and branding.

To achieve this, navigate to the Downloads»Settings section in the WordPress dashboard and select the ‘Email’ tab.

Ensure that the ‘General’ tab is active.

You might want to begin by adding a logo to your purchase receipt emails.

This logo will be displayed at the top of the email, helping customers recognize the sender.

To upload your logo, click the ‘Attach File’ button next to the ‘Logo’ option and select an image from your computer or WordPress media library.

Furthermore, to make your emails more personalized, you can incorporate dynamic text.

You can find a list of these variables at the bottom of the tab and insert them into your emails to tailor them for your customers.

Once you are satisfied with your purchase receipt emails, scroll down and click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

Essential Tools for Boosting Sales of Excel and Google Spreadsheets

After successfully integrating Google and Excel spreadsheets into your website, the next step is to persuade visitors to purchase your downloadable content.

Here are some of our top recommended plugins that can enhance your sales of Excel and Google spreadsheets.

• All in One SEO is the leading SEO plugin for WordPress, designed to help you optimize your site and attract more traffic from search engines.

• MonsterInsights is the premier analytics solution for WordPress, providing insights into your visitors’ origins and their interactions on your site. Use this data to refine your business strategy.

• OptinMonster is the top conversion optimization tool available. It enables you to create opt-in forms that grow your email list and turn visitors into paying customers, while also helping to minimize shopping cart abandonment.

• PushEngage is the top push notification software for WordPress, allowing you to send tailored web push notifications to inform customers about discounts, abandoned carts, and more.

We trust this guide has provided you with valuable insights on how to sell Excel and Google spreadsheets online. Additionally, consider exploring our comprehensive guide on the effectiveness of WordPress for eCommerce and our curated selection of popular homemade items to create and sell online.

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