How to Make $5,000 a Month Selling Canva Templates Online

I know what most people believe about making money digitally, but making money online is easier than ever, and one of the hottest niches right now is selling Canva templates!

Canva is a user-friendly design tool that allows even non-designers to create stunning visuals effortlessly, and there’s a huge market for pre-made templates.

Surprisingly, it’s a market that’s nowhere near saturated either.

If you’ve got a flair for design and a dash of creativity, you can turn this into a profitable business.

Here’s your ultimate guide to making $4,000 a month selling Canva templates online, packed with insider tips and tricks to make your business a roaring success!

First Things First, Why Canva Templates?

Canva templates are in high demand because they save users loads of time and effort.

Whether it’s for social media posts, business presentations, resumes, or wedding invitations, templates provide a quick and easy starting point to work from.

Not only is this a fairly passive income stream (once you’ve created and listed, you continue to sell the same item), but you also don’t even need to sell a lot of them to turn seriously high profits.

The average Canva template seller on platforms such as Etsy and Shopify make $6,340 a month, according to Shopify’s own selling data.

So making $5,000+ a month is beyond do-able! Whether you’re just looking for a side hustle or a way to replace your current full time income, this is a true golden opportunity to take advantage of.

How to Make $5,000+ a Month Selling Canva Templates Online

Step 1: Become Proficient in Canva

Before you start selling, you need to at least be familiar and proficient with Canva.

I recommend spending at least 3-7 days exploring all its features and tools – this will save so much time later on!

Dive into elements, grids, frames, text tools, and effects. Canva offers a treasure trove of tutorials and courses on their website that can help you become a pro in no time.

Insider Tip:

Join Canva Communities: Hop into Facebook groups or forums where Canva users share tips, ask questions, and showcase their designs. It’s a great way to get inspired and learn from others.

Step 2: Identify Your Niche

Finding your niche is key to standing out, but this is where most people get stuck!

I’m going to go against the grain here and say you don’t need to specialize early on – this is especially true if you’re selling on Etsy or Shopify.

Whilst I don’t recommend creating just anything that pops into your head, having 2-3 categories or niches to play around with will quickly show you which ideas are doing well for you and which ones to avoid.

Alternatively, if you want to, you can just focus on a specific type of template or target audience.

Some popular niches, but in demand niches include:

Social Media Templates: Instagram posts, Facebook ads, Pinterest pins, YouTube thumbnails, Tiktok covers etc.
Business Templates: Presentations, business cards, flyers, invoices.
Personal Use Templates: Wedding invitations, party invites, planners.
Educational Templates: Worksheets, lesson plans, certificates, print out games.

Insider Tip:

Research Trends: Use tools like Google Trends and Pinterest to see what types of templates are trending. This can help you choose a niche that’s both popular and profitable.

Step 3: Invest in Canva Pro!

As a Canva Pro user myself, I can’t emphasize enough how much the premium features have enhanced my design process!

The Magic Resize tool alone has saved me countless hours. Instead of manually adjusting designs for different social media platforms, I can now resize them with a single click.

The access to 50 million premium elements has also been a game-changer, allowing me to create high-quality designs without the need to purchase additional stock photos or graphics (yes to saving more money!)

The Brand Kit has also made it easy to maintain a consistent look across all my designs, which is crucial for building a recognizable brand online.

And let’s not forget the Background Remover—it’s incredibly intuitive and produces clean results, making my images look professional and polished.

Whilst you’re likely very tempted to take the free Canva option, it will severely limit you down the road because of its lack of features.

For example, you can’t resize your designs, you don’t have access to image adjustment options, and the template options you have are very limited. It’s just not a great experience and your designs likely just won’t stand out.

That’s why I see Canva Pro as an investment in myself, my business and my future. Plus, it’s a fraction of the cost of Adobe and way more user-friendly!

Step 4: Create High-Quality Templates

Quality is crucial. Your templates should be visually appealing, easy to edit, and useful to your target audience.

Design Tips:

Keep It Simple: Don’t overcrowd your templates with too many elements. Clean and user-friendly designs are a hit.
Use Consistent Branding: Stick to consistent colors, fonts, and styles to give your templates a professional look.
Provide Instructions: Include instructions or tips on how to customize the templates. A simple text box within the template itself can do wonders. So many people forget this!!

Insider Tip:

Use Canva Pro: Invest in Canva Pro to access premium elements, fonts, and features. It will make your templates stand out and give you more creative freedom.

Step 5: Set Up an Online Store

You need a platform to sell your templates.

Popular options include Etsy and Gumroad. You can also sell directly from your own website for more control.

Platform Overview:

Etsy: A bustling marketplace for digital products with a built-in audience.You might take less profit but you don’t need to do any of the marketing yourself, so silver linings.
Gumroad: Perfect for selling digital products with a straightforward interface and low fees. You will need to do all the marketing here though.
Creative Market: Ideal for selling design assets to a design-savvy crowd. This platform isn’t for beginners.
Your Website: Use platforms like Shopify or WordPress with WooCommerce to create your own online store.
TeachersPayTeachers: You also have niche specific options like Teachers Pay Teachers to sell your designs, so worth checking out if this exists in your niche.

Insider Tip:

Optimize Listings: Use SEO-friendly titles and descriptions to ensure your templates appear in search results. Include lots of high-quality images/mock-ups and videos to showcase your templates.

Step 6: Price Your Templates Competitively

Pricing your templates correctly is crucial. Research your competition to see what similar templates are selling for.

Pricing Strategy:

Single Template: Sell individual templates for a low price ($5-$20).
Bundles: Offer bundles of multiple templates for a higher price ($20-$50). Bundles can increase your average order value and attract more buyers.

Insider Tip:

Offer Discounts: Use discounts and promotions to entice buyers, especially when launching new templates or during holiday seasons.

Step 7: Market Your Templates

Marketing is essential to drive traffic to your store and convert visitors into buyers.

Use multiple marketing channels to reach a broader audience.

Marketing Channels:

Social Media: Use Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to showcase your templates. Join relevant groups and engage with potential customers.
Email Marketing: Build an email list and send regular updates about new templates, promotions, and tips!
Content Marketing: This is more long-term. Start a blog or YouTube channel to provide valuable content related to your niche. This can drive organic traffic to your store.
Paid Advertising: Want faster traction? Consider using Facebook ads, Google ads, or Pinterest ads to reach a larger audience quickly.

Insider Tip:

Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with influencers in your niche to promote your templates. This can significantly boost your visibility and credibility.

Step 8: Streamline Production

When you’ve had some sales coming through, you’ll need to think about scaling!

To scale your business and make $5,000 a month, you need to streamline your production process.

Efficiency is key to producing high-quality templates quickly.

Efficiency Tips:

Template Frameworks: Create basic frameworks for different types of templates. This will save time when creating new designs.
Batch Work: Batch similar tasks together (e.g., creating all the Instagram post templates at once) to increase efficiency.
Use Keyboard Shortcuts: Learn and use Canva’s keyboard shortcuts to speed up your design process.

Insider Tip:

Outsource: Consider outsourcing repetitive tasks, such as creating variations of a template, to a freelancer. This can free up your time to focus on designing new templates.

Step 9: Provide Excellent Customer Service

Happy customers are way more likely to return and recommend your products to others.

Provide excellent customer service to ensure customer satisfaction.

Customer Service Tips:

Quick Responses: Respond to customer inquiries promptly.
Clear Instructions: Provide clear instructions on how to download and use your templates.
After-Sales Support: Offer support if customers have trouble with your templates. This can include creating a FAQ section or offering direct support via email.

Insider Tip:

Gather Feedback: Ask for feedback and reviews. Positive reviews can boost your credibility, gives you a boost in certain platform algorithms and attract more buyers.

How to Make $5,000 a Month Selling Canva Templates Online

First Things First, Why Canva Templates?