Making Money With Procreate Designs

Do you love drawing on Procreate? Are you looking for ways to make money with your digital art skills? Look no further! In this blog post, we will discuss how to turn your Procreate designs into marketable merchandise on Etsy. Etsy is a great e-commerce platform that connects creators with potential customers, and it’s the perfect place to monetize your art. With a little effort and perseverance, you can turn your digital art skills into a profitable side hustle!

Hi! I am Michelle, creator of Fiddles & Fern, a print-on-demand Etsy shop that came to life through my Procreate designs. I, like so many others, got an iPad specifically for Procreate. I love lettering and drawing and wanted to take it on the go. I also knew that I wanted to see my designs on physical products and went down the Google rabbit hole trying to figure out how to make that happen.

Step 1: Create Amazing Designs

The first step to making your Procreate designs marketable is to create amazing designs that people would love to buy. To do this, you need to practice and experiment with different styles and techniques until you find your niche. Make sure your designs are unique, visually appealing, and align with your audience’s interests.

Browse through Etsy for inspiration, study your competitors’ designs, and think about how you could improve or add value to existing products. Check out Pinterest trends to find out what is trending at what time of the year so that you can always be ahead of the game.

Once you have your designs ready, it’s time to bring them to life!

Step 2: Turn Your Designs Into Marketable Merchandise

One of the best ways to monetize your Procreate designs is to turn them into marketable merchandise that you can sell on Etsy. There are countless ways to do this, including prints, stickers, phone cases, T-Shirts, mugs, and more.

Where can you print your products?

• Local printing shop - This is a great option if you are looking to order only a few items. You can find local printing shops in your area, and they can help you turn your Procreate designs into physical products with ease. Many local shops offer t-shirts, hats, mugs, totes, and more. Not only are you supporting local businesses, but the in-person customer service will be unbeatable.
• Online Printing Services - If you are looking to order in bulk, then online printing partners might be your best option. There are many online printing companies that offer a variety of products and services. With an online printer, you can upload your design directly from the Procreate app and print it on any product you choose. Plus, you can often get discounts when ordering in bulk! Some examples of online printing services would be VistaPrint and Minted.
• Print-on-Demand - Print-on-demand services allow you to produce products as and when they are ordered. This is a great option if you want to test the market with your product before committing to larger orders. POD is also a great option if you want to order one product at a time when personalizing them. Some examples of POD providers would be Printify, Printed Mint, or CustomCat. All great options that allow you to see your designs on a product quickly.

You can also create custom designs for specific events or occasions, like birthdays, graduations, weddings, or holidays. Custom personalized orders on Etsy are the way to go! People love custom products and you can typically charge more for them since it takes more time to create the designs.

The key is to offer unique, high-quality products that resonate with your target audience and stand out from the competition. Make sure to consider the cost of production when setting your prices, and add a fair profit margin on top.

A typical profit for a print-on-demand product is around 20%. For example, if your product costs $10 to produce, you would charge $12 - leaving a profit of $2 per item.

Step 3: Optimize Your Etsy Shop and Listings

To succeed on Etsy, you need to optimize your shop and listings for visibility and sales. This includes optimizing your shop name, cover photo, logo, and description, as well as using relevant keywords, tags, and categories that match your products.

• Keyword Research: Conduct keyword research to identify relevant search terms that potential customers use to find products similar to those sold in your shop. Ensure that your shop titles, descriptions, and tags include these keywords to improve visibility on search engines.

• High-Quality Product Photography: Use high-quality images that showcase your products from multiple angles and in use. Using natural lighting, a neutral background, and a few lifestyle product images will help customers visualize your product.

• Clear Product Descriptions: Craft clear and concise product descriptions that highlight the features, benefits, and specifications of your products. Don't forget to include measurements, materials, and care instructions.

• Optimized Product Pricing: Set competitive but profitable prices for your products, considering factors such as production costs, time spent, and market value. Use Etsy's pricing suggestions to ensure that your pricing is consistent with the market.

• Efficient Order Fulfillment: Provide prompt order fulfillment by setting accurate shipping and handling times, promptly responding to customer queries, and providing tracking information.

• Active Shop Management: Manage your shop actively by updating product listings regularly, responding to customer feedback, and maintaining a consistent brand aesthetic across all product listings.

• Utilize Etsy Ads: Utilize Etsy's advertising platform to increase visibility and drive traffic to your shop. Set up and monitor ads regularly to ensure that they are delivering results.

• Incorporate Customer Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews by providing stellar customer service, following up after the purchase, and offering an incentive to leave a review. Showcase positive reviews on your shop page to increase credibility and trust.

• Social Media Marketing: Leverage social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest to increase visibility, drive traffic, and foster engagement with your brand. Ensure that your social media handles and website are consistent with your Etsy shop, and cross-promote your products across all channels.

Step 4: Promote Your Products and Brand

While having a great Etsy shop is essential, you also need to promote your products and brand to reach a wider audience and increase your sales. You can promote your products on social media, such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, by creating engaging content, using relevant hashtags, and collaborating with influencers or other brands.

You can also participate in Etsy teams, forums, or events, to network with other sellers and share tips and resources.

Finally, you can consider advertising on Etsy or other platforms, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads, to boost your visibility and reach.

• Etsy Ads: Etsy offers a built-in advertising platform that allows sellers to create ad campaigns to appear in Etsy search results or on other Etsy pages. You can set a daily budget and pay-per-click, allowing for complete control over ad spend. Etsy Ads campaigns can increase visibility and drive traffic to your shop.
• Google Ads: Google Ads is a popular advertising platform that allows sellers to create campaigns to appear on Google's search engine results pages, partner sites, and mobile apps. This platform uses keyword targeting, demographics targeting, and location targeting for audience targeting, enabling you to reach more potential customers beyond Etsy's marketplace.
• Facebook Ads: Facebook Ads is a powerful advertising platform that allows sellers to create campaigns to appear on Facebook and Instagram. This platform offers targeting options such as age, gender, interests, behaviors, and more to reach potential customers. Facebook Ads can help sellers increase visibility, drive traffic, and foster engagement with their brand.

By utilizing these advertising platforms, sellers can increase their visibility, reach new audiences, and ultimately drive more sales in their Etsy shop.

Making money with your Procreate designs is entirely possible, and Etsy is a great platform to get started. By creating amazing designs, turning them into marketable merchandise, optimizing your Etsy shop and listings, and promoting your products and brand, you can turn your digital art skills into a profitable side hustle. Remember to stay focused, consistent, and creative, and always strive to improve your craft and customer experience. Who knows, you might just turn your passion for digital art into a full-time career!

You're Almost There!

By following these simple steps, you can turn your Procreate app designs into physical products and sell them on Etsy. It's a great way to earn some extra income doing something that you love. Additionally, you get to see your digital creations transformed into tangible items that people can enjoy.

If you are ready for the next step of making your product, get started today! My expertise is in the world of print-on-demand for digital designers. If that is something you are excited about, download my free worksheet, "Top 10 Print-on-Demand Companies: Pros & Cons for Selling your digital art designs from Home." 

You will walk away ready to make a choice on the top print providers that you want to look into for printing your products.

Thanks so much for reading and I can't wait to see what you create! For more information on print-on-demand, you can check out my blog here or to dive right into print-on-demand for Etsy, you can also check out my course, Procreate to Product.