How to Create a Simple Digital Product (Even If You’re Starting From Zero)

by Shane Doyle · April 1, 2026

If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to make money online, but I’ve got nothing to sell…” then good, you’re exactly who this is for…

Here’s the straight truth, and it might surprise you:

You don’t need a giant course, and you don’t need a fancy website, and you definitely don’t need months of work.

Instead, you just need a simple digital product that fixes one small, annoying problem.

So let’s break this down step-by-step, and let’s keep it real simple.

What Is a Simple Digital Product?

A digital product is something you create once, and then you sell it over and over again online. And this is something I’ve done many times myself.

Why? Because instead of trading time for money, you build it once and keep getting paid.

Here are a few easy examples:

A short PDF guide
A checklist or cheat sheet
A template (emails, social posts, planners)
A quick video tutorial
A swipe file (done-for-you content people can copy)

And here’s why people love this model:

No inventory. No shipping. No hassle.

Even better, you can create your first one in a weekend… if you stay focused!

Step 1: Start With a Problem (Not an Idea)

Most beginners get this backwards, and that’s why they get stuck.

They try to come up with a “brilliant idea” first.

But that’s the wrong approach.

Instead, just ask yourself:

What problem can I help someone solve quickly?

For example:

“I don’t know how to start making money online”
“I can’t stay organized”
“I never know what to post on social media”
“I want to lose weight, but I don’t know where to begin”

Now here’s the key:

You are not trying to solve everything.

You are solving one small piece of the problem.

Because when something feels simple and doable, people are far more likely to buy..

Step 2: Pick a Simple Format

Now keep this part easy, because you are not building a college course!

Instead, choose a format that’s quick to create and easy to use.

PDF Guide (The Go-To Option)

This is the most popular choice (and one of my favourite digital products to create) and for good reason.

Think 5-20 pages that show someone how to do something step-by-step.

Example:
“How to Make Your First $100 Online in 7 Days”

Checklist or Cheat Sheet

Short, punchy, and straight to the point.

People love these because they can use them right away.

Example:
“10-Step Daily Social Media Posting Plan”

Templates (Plug-and-Play Wins)

People don’t want to start from scratch, so templates are gold.

Examples here might include: email templates, ad templates, or even content calendars.

Mini Video Training

If you can talk someone through a task, you can sell this. I’ve managed to create and sell a lot of these over the years – and you don’t even have to show your face! You can just record your screen..

The key thing here is to keep it short and focused – 10 to 30 minutes is more than enough.

Step 3: Create It (Without Overthinking It)

This is where most people freeze.

Why? Because they want everything to be perfect.

But perfection is what slows you down.

Your first product only needs to be:

Clear
Helpful
Simple

I can assure you, that’s it.

Easy Structure for a PDF Guide:

Introduction (what it is and who it’s for)
The problem (why it matters)
Step-by-step solution
Quick summary or action plan

And you don’t need fancy tools either!

You can use:

Word or Google Docs (which I used a lot of when I first started out)
Canva (if you want it to look nicer)
PowerPoint (yes, it actually works great)

So don’t overthink the tools – just start building.

Step 4: Price It Smart (Not Cheap)

Here’s where most beginners make another mistake.

They think, “I’ll just sell it for $1.”

But that actually hurts you.

That’s because low prices often feel like low value.

Instead, aim for:

$7–$17 for a simple product
$27–$47 if it solves a stronger problem

Remember, people are not buying pages.

They are buying solutions. And they will pay for them.

So if your product saves time, removes confusion, or gets results, it’s worth more.

Step 5: Keep the Sales Process Simple

You don’t need complicated systems to get started.

In fact, simple works better in the beginning.

Here’s all you need:

A simple sales page (or even a long post or email)
A way to collect payment (like Stripe or PayPal)
A delivery method (email with a download link)

That’s it.

You can always add bells and whistles later, but for now, focus on getting your first sale.

Step 6: Sell With Stories (Not Tech)

Now here’s the part people avoid – but it’s the part that makes money, believe it or not.

Selling.

You don’t need fancy funnels or complicated systems.

But you do need to connect with people.

So instead of saying:

“Buy my guide”

For example, you could say something like:

“I struggled with this for months, and nothing worked… until I found a simple way to fix it. So I put everything into a short guide to help others skip the frustration.”

That’s what grabs attention.

Because people don’t buy products.

They actually buy relief, results, and real stories.

Why This Works (Especially for Beginners)

Simple digital products work well because:

They’re fast to create
They’re low risk
They build confidence
They can grow into bigger offers later

In fact, many successful online businesses started with just one small product. For example, mine was a simple little test product – interestingly it was about digital products itself!

……And then they build it from there.

Final Thought: Done Beats Perfect Every Time

If you take one thing from this, let it be this:

Your first product will not be perfect – and that’s completely fine.

Because it doesn’t need to be perfect.

It just needs to help someone.

So start small, keep it simple, and get it out into the world.

Because once you create your first digital product…

You’ll realize the second one is even easier!

SHANE DOYLE

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