Selling Digital Products as a Web Designer: Tips for Success
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Ever wonder if you have to choose between digital products or one-on-one services to succeed?
Well, my past Square Secrets Business™ student, and now course co-coach, does both—and more!
Katelyn started focusing on her web design career full-time in 2020, and within just six months, was making the same income she’d earned at her old 9-to-5.
When we last chatted on my channel two years ago, she was fully booked for her VIP days at a rate of $1,000 per day, embracing her love for problem-solving and leaning into her unique, personality-based niche.
These days, Katelyn’s been making strides with digital products in a big way—but that’s just the beginning.
She’s also introduced a membership program and one-on-one coaching to her offerings, so I knew it was time for a proper catch-up.
I hope you enjoy this conversation with my dear friend and course co-coach, Katelyn!
On Evolving Services and Pricing
What services do you offer now, and how has pricing changed?
Answer: My VIP day rate is now $1,750—up from $1,200. Custom websites have also increased and now range from $5,000 to $11,000. My services now include:
VIP days
Custom web design
Digital products
Memberships
One-on-one coaching
Are you managing this alone, or do you have a team?
Answer: It’s just me right now. My assistant had a big life change, so I’ve gone back to being a solopreneur. It’s a lot, but I enjoy the variety.
On Memberships and Digital Products
What inspired you to create digital products and a membership?
Answer: The membership has been amazing—much easier and more fun than I expected!
It’s a small group of about 18 women, which keeps it personal. I know their names, what’s happening in their lives, and our calls are always full of great discussions.
The digital products came from client feedback.
I’d share Loom videos about my systems, and clients would ask, “How did you do that?” So I turned my systems into templates others can use.
My digital products include:
Notion Templates: A client portal and a content guide for DIY clients.
Pricing Calculator: A Google Sheet for accurate pricing.
Squarespace Template: A pre-built framework for starting new sites (structured, not fully blank).
On Digital Products and Transitioning from Services
What’s the price range for your templates?
Answer:
Squarespace template $125.
Cient portal $197
Pricing calculator is $27
How did you transition from client services to creating digital products?
Answer: Honestly, it happened by accident. In 2022, I was super busy with client work. By 2023, I decided to take a couple of months off to focus on creating a customizable version of the client portal that people kept asking about.
I blocked out time in my calendar to create it, uploaded it to my website’s Squarespace shop without a sales page—just to validate if people would actually pay for it.
Once it started selling, I knew it was worth creating a proper sales page.
Now, my business is more focused on digital products than client work, which feels like a natural shift.
Are all your digital products equally popular? How do you promote them?
Answer: Sales can feel a bit random, but I push them through blog posts, YouTube videos, and related content.
example:
if I’m talking about something DIY in a video, I’ll mention that I have a ready-made template available.
Here’s how I promote them:
I mention them in blog posts, with a call to action at the bottom.
I link to them in my YouTube video descriptions.
I use website pop-ups occasionally to feature a product.
I run occasional sales, like a birthday sale I did for my business’s fourth anniversary.
I don’t run ads or have a super formal strategy—it’s mostly organic traffic from my content.
On Creating Successful Digital Products
What advice would you give someone trying to create a unique, successful product?
Answer: Start by listening to your clients. Pay attention to what they compliment you on. If a client says,
“This onboarding process is so smooth,”
think about how you could turn that into a template for other designers.
Here are some ideas:
If clients love your launch graphics, you could sell them as Canva templates.
If they praise your streamlined project process, create a system template.
The key is to listen to feedback, think about what’s repeatable, and productize it for others.
How do you validate ideas for digital products?
Answer: The most important thing is to listen to what people are asking for. Clients, YouTube comments, surveys, or even Facebook groups can give you ideas. For me, conversations with clients have been huge.
Here’s how I listen:
Past clients have emailed me to say how much they loved my processes—things like clear timelines and easy-to-use portals. That’s a signal it might be worth turning into a product.
I also watch Facebook groups where people complain about expensive tools or complicated systems. If I know a simple solution, I test whether others might be interested in that.
Example:
I created Notion-based client portal after hearing countless people in groups say they didn’t like the tools they were using. I shared a Loom video of my setup, and the reaction made it clear there was a market for it.
Any tips for creators without an audience yet?
Answer: If you don’t have your own audience, Facebook groups are a goldmine. Look for where your ideal clients hang out and listen to what they’re frustrated with or asking for.
Even before you have a community, just being helpful can lead to great business ideas and, eventually, successful products.
On Taking the Courses and Building an Audience
When & Why did you decide to take my courses?
Answer: I took Square Secrets™ & Square Secrets Business™ in 2019. Then in 2021, we had just moved to a new state—literally across the country. I realized I didn’t want to spend all my time on client work when there were so many new things I could explore.
I’d discovered that I really enjoy teaching through blogging, and I wanted to figure out how to create digital products. But when I saw you marketing the course, I realized my email list was too small to sell anything effectively. So, I took Audience Academy to learn how to grow my list, and it became a crucial stepping stone.
Did the course make an impact on your audience and sales?
Answer: Absolutely. My email list size at least doubled. When I started the course, my list was maybe a quarter of what it is now. It’s not a massive list, but it works for me and continues to grow steadily.
On Blogging, YouTube, and Traffic
How did you manage blogging while running client services?
Answer: It wasn’t easy! Creating blog posts, videos, and other content while doing client work was always a challenge. I’d often procrastinate and find myself scrambling mid-week to put something together.
Your course helped me figure out what was most important and where to focus my efforts. Over time, I got better at it. When I added YouTube to the mix—six or seven years into my business—it felt like the right time, and it ended up being a big boost for my traffic.
What impact did YouTube and blogging have on your bookings and sales?
Answer: My YouTube channel really surprised me. I started posting videos consistently, and with fewer than 500 subscribers, I booked my first $6,000 client. It proved that YouTube works, even with a small audience.
Today, blogging still drives most of my traffic—around 70-80% of my clients come from blog posts, with YouTube growing as a secondary source. Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest barely register in comparison.
On Sharing DIY Content as a Web Designer
Why do you think DIY content helps designers attract clients?
Answer: A lot of designers worry that sharing DIY content will stop clients from hiring them, but that’s not how it works. Most people can’t piece together useful information from 20 different sources—it’s like trying to make a puzzle with pieces from different boxes.
Eventually, they realize they need one trusted resource to guide them or decide they’d rather hire someone to handle it for them. Sharing DIY content builds trust and makes you that go-to expert when they’re ready to invest.
On Transitioning to Digital Products
What’s the breakdown of your income between services and products?
Answer: This year has been drastically different. From January to August 2024, about 70% of my income has come from digital products. Here’s the breakdown:
70% Digital products
15% Affiliate sales
10% Other services (like design days, one-on-one sessions, and white-label work)
5% Custom projects
Even though custom projects are high-ticket, the overall percentage is small because digital products have outperformed them consistently.
What advice would you give someone wanting to prioritize digital products?
Answer: Take messy action! As a recovering perfectionist, I know it’s tempting to wait until everything is perfect, but that will hold you back. Just start.
example:
When I launched my templates, I didn’t create a sales page—I just added them to my Squarespace shop and waited to see if people would buy. That validation gave me the confidence to invest more time into improving them later.
On Email Strategies
Do you market digital products through your emails?
Answer: I’ve adopted a new email strategy this year. Here’s how I structure them:
A brief update about what’s happening behind the scenes in my business.
A blurb about the latest blog post or what’s coming up next.
A “Worth Sharing” section with three items—sometimes my own offers, like a sale, or other resources I’ve found useful.
It’s been a great way to casually promote my products while also adding value for my readers.
On Life with 70% Income from Digital Products
What’s life like now that most of your income comes from digital products?
Answer: It feels so much more flexible and less stressful. I’ve been lucky to work with phenomenal clients, so stress wasn’t about the people—it was about deadlines. My custom projects tend to be 20+ pages with integrations and other complexities, all squeezed into two weeks.
Now, without those deadlines, I have more time for myself.
I can wake up when I want, work when I want, and finally fit in morning workouts, which I hadn’t done in ages.
Plus, I can take my dog Luna for walks when the weather’s nice. It’s calm, joyful, and I feel like I have more creative freedom.
On Co-Coaching Inside Square Secrets Business™
What are the biggest challenges you see students facing in the course?
Answer: It’s mostly mindset. Fear holds them back—fear of picking the wrong niche, choosing the wrong marketing platform, or thinking they need to add services like Showit because Squarespace isn’t enough.
common challenges:
Imposter syndrome: Thinking they’re not good enough.
Scarcity mindset: Feeling like there’s not enough work out there.
Overcomplicating things: Making decisions harder than they need to be.
Marketing fear: Believing they’re bad at it or hating it outright.
I always remind students: if you don’t like something, find a way to do it differently—make it enjoyable. That’s how you’ll stick with it.
On Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
What mindset shifts helped you overcome imposter syndrome?
Answer: I used to feel like I didn’t know enough. Anytime that thought crept in, I’d sign up for another course. While learning is great, there comes a point when you have to realize:
You don’t need to know everything. You just need to know more than your clients.
You can start small—charge less in the beginning while building your skills. Over time, your confidence and expertise will grow, and so will your prices. It’s okay if your early work isn’t perfect; you’re learning as you go.
On Raising Prices
How did you approach raising your prices, and would you do anything differently?
Answer: I waited too long between price increases—usually at least a year. By the time I raised them, my skills had already improved significantly, and my prices didn’t reflect that.
Looking back, I’d recommend small, consistent increases.
exampleS:
Add $100–$250 per project.
Raise your prices once a quarter.
Even if you’re not taking new courses, every project brings new challenges and skills. Charge for those skills!
On Strategic Blogging and Audience Growth
What changed about your blogging strategy after taking the course?
Answer: Before, I’d blog about random topics without much strategy. Now, I focus on creating series or “seasons” of posts that build on each other.
I also simplified my topics, focusing on content that aligns with my business goals rather than what I find personally interesting but isn’t monetizable.
For example, blogging about my standing desk setup might get an affiliate sale, but it doesn’t build my business long-term.
What advice would you give someone on the fence about joining Audience Academy?
Answer: Do it! The course is straightforward, comprehensive, and simple—it’s not overwhelming. I completed it in about a week and immediately started implementing changes.
Some changes were small, like tweaking my routines, but they doubled my audience within 6–12 months. It wasn’t about doing everything at once; it was about making consistent, strategic shifts over time.
I hope Katelyn’s story offered you valuable insights on building digital products and how web design can be a brilliant foundation for creating that passive income stream you’ve been dreaming about.
As Katelyn shared, the key to uncovering those must-have digital products often lies in understanding the needs and challenges of your clients.
Which is why surveying and connecting with your picture-perfect client or audience is so essential.
But to do that effectively, you first need a clear picture of what audience you're looking to serve.
So if you and your dream client haven’t quite met yet, I’ve got just the thing.
Download my complimentary Ideal Client Avatar Workbook that will help you get to know them inside and out so that you can craft a digital product that was truly made for them!
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