I Love Canva Templates But This Is Better
I used to love selling Canva templates until I stopped.
It was no longer as easy as
- Finding quality keywords
- and running over to Canva to create the templates
Because virtually every new niche I find has thousands of products already on Etsy, Teachers Pay Teachers, and Creative Fabrica.
What was I going to do?
I already sell Canva templates on Creative Fabrica, so the increased competition almost has nothing to do with me.
But what about the thousands of readers whom I’ve inspired to start their own Canva template shop?
I mean, I wasn’t about to give up on a business model I knew worked like magic, so I went back to the drawing board.
And after a long brainstorming session, I came up with a better way to make money selling templates.
That said, we will not be switching up our business model of creating and selling templates; we will only be changing the types of templates we sell.
Yes, it’s time for us to try something new.
Now, If Not Canva Templates, Then What?
Well, for this side hustle, we’ll be selling Notion templates instead.
Last week, I talked about my investment in an eBook that illustrates how to make thousands of dollars by selling Notion templates.
Today, I’ll be sharing a summary of everything the eBook taught me, in addition to what I already know about running a digital template business.
Why Notion Templates are More Profitable Than Canva Templates
Canva has over 150 million users on its platform every single month, but are Canva templates more profitable than Notion templates?
The thing about templates is that the higher the demand, the more money there is to be made.
Now, let it be known that Canva has a library of templates, with hundreds of thousands made available to the general public.
For anyone looking to purchase premium Canva templates on marketplaces such as Etsy and Creative Fabrica, it comes down to one of two things.
1. They aren’t aware of Canva’s template library.
2. Or are in need of a template that doesn’t already exist on the library. (Which is usually not the case)
So, while Canva definitely has more users on its platform than Notion, the demand for its templates is less since Canva already has a free library.
Notion, on the other hand, is also loved by a huge community of productivity geeks who just want to stay organized in whatever area they are specialists in.
But guess what, Unlike Canva, Notion lacks a free template library.
To use the platform, you literally have to create your templates from scratch.
So while it's true that Notion is an awesome productivity tool, it's almost useless if you lack the right framework.
Unsurprisingly, not everyone has the time and patience to learn how Notion works well enough to create their own templates, and that’s where we come in.
Moreso, Notion templates are a fairly new concept, and the competition for these kinds of templates is jaw-dropping.
And by "jaw-dropping," I mean super healthy and perfect for beginners.
But that’s not where the fun ends.
In one of the Chapters in the Notion Millions eBook, the author showed how we could literally use ChatGPT to do all the work with this Notion business model.
From
- Coming up with profitable niches
- Finding the right keywords
- and even creating the framework for the Notion template
To illustrate the healthy competition for Notion templates on marketplaces like Etsy and Creative Fabrica,
I conducted a brief niche research session on ChatGPT as outlined in the Notion Millions eBook.
and you’ll be shocked at how viable the niches I found were.
I began with the major niches I knew would appreciate a Notion template for their processes.
I focused on the ones who like to stay productive and organized.
Some of the niches I found were
- Entrepreneurs
- Nutrition
- Language learning
- Parenting
- Study and much more
Then I asked ChatGPT for sub-niche ideas, and for each of these ideas, I went on to analyze on Etsy.
My benchmark for a good product Keyword was simple.
- A high demand
- With low competition of less than 1000 search results.
And I made sure to keep those criteria in mind during my research.
So for every keyword I share, I’ll add in the healthy competition score.
I love passive income, so I went with that as my sub-niche and these were the keywords I found
- affiliate marketing tracker (899 search results)
- cryptocurrency tax calculator (85 search results)
- cryptocurrency tracker (875 search results)
- stock portfolio tracker (896 search results)
- 401k tracker (815 search results)
Now, It took me just a couple of minutes to come up with these niches.
Why? Because Notion templates are super under saturated.
Yet with so much demand.
If I had to carry out the same research process to find viable Canva template keywords, it would literally take me days, no joke.
How To Make Money Selling Notion Templates
1. Sell them as templates on Etsy
Selling your Notion templates on Etsy is essentially just scratching the surface of what’s possible with Notion templates.
But, don’t get me wrong, it’s still a profitable way to make money with Notion.
Because Etsy works 100% as long as you follow the principles I teach on my page.
Choose a niche with evident demand and very low competition.
That's all.
Thankfully with Notion, this is very easy to do.
One of my readers took my advice,
- found a very low competition on Etsy
- and launched a shop that got its first sale in less than two weeks.
Yes, and he was a complete beginner to selling on Etsy.
2. Sell Teacher Themed Notion Templates
Let’s say Etsy isn’t your cup of tea; well, that’s okay because there’s this website called Teachers Pay Teachers.
With over 26.2 million monthly visitors, this marketplace, made by teachers for teachers, is one of the best out there.
The competition on this marketplace is a lot less than on Etsy.
And with the same ChatGPT research strategy I talked about earlier,
I found the following niches that are perfect for a new shop on Teachers Pay Teachers
- student attendance tracker (840 search results)
- editable student assessment tracker (940 search results)
- spelling inventory assessment (250 search results)
Now how do I know Teachers Pay Teachers is a profitable way to sell templates
For about a month or so, I tried selling teacher-themed templates on Teachers Pay Teachers.
And while my shop was live, I made a total of sales with fewer than 15 product listings.
Not a lot of money but still proof that Teachers Pay Teachers is another amazing marketplace to sell on.
3. Sell them on Gumroad
This has to be the most profitable way to make money from your notion template.
Easlo, a 17-year-old, tried this and made over $500k in just 2 years from selling Notion templates on Twitter.
Sure, he had to build his audience first, and it took a while, but it was worth it.
So pick a topic you're passionate about, let's say books.
- Create your first Notion template and upload it as a product on Gumroad e .g. A book tracker
- Post one piece of content everyday providing value e.g with book summaries and reviews
- Then once in a while, promote your template to your audience
Some of the easiest places to grow an audience are
- TikTok
- Medium
- and Pinterest
Any of these platforms will be perfect for selling your niche-specific notion template.
A fellow writer on Medium, Poonam Sharma, tried out this side hustle using Twitter and even made $100 in a single day.
And with this same business model, I’ve made thousands of dollars on Gumroad by selling my digital products on Medium.
So if you can’t write a book or create a course to sell on Gumroad, consider selling a simple Notion template instead.
How To Create Notion Templates To Sell.
1. Pick a Niche Using ChatGPT
Your niche is the single most important element of your Notion template business.
Now,
- You could choose to go with a single niche, creating different templates for buyers in that niche.
And That’s okay.
- But it doesn't hurt to have a shop with different templates catering to different niches.
This is a perfect strategy especially on marketplaces like Etsy and Teachers Pay Teachers.
You essentially become the one-stop shop for all things Notion.
Now, the Notion Millions eBook has a chapter that outlines niche research with ChatGPT, and I highly recommend you read this book.
2. Create your template
Creating a sellable template might sound overwhelming, but let me break it down.
What if I told you it was possible to ask ChatGPT for the entire framework of your Notion template?
Well that’s another trick I learnt from the eBook I bought.
Now I know that an affiliate tracker will need the following section on Notion.
To create your first template, you’ll need to learn how Notion works and understand the basics.
I mean, coupled with the trick where ChatGPT generated the entire outline for your Notion template,
your only job is to turn that framework into a full-blown Notion template.
And while the eBook guide I bought has a basic walkthrough section, YouTube is another option for learning how Notion works.
Conclusion
Notion templates are digital products, and digital products are one of the most profitable ways to make passive income.
- I’ve shown you three ways a notion template could generate passive income for you.
- And I’ve also shown you how ChatGPT can literally do all the work for you.
Now here’s what I expect from you
- learn more about this business model
- learn more about how Notion works
- Then, take a week or two to create your first template; afterward, create your second and third.
In a month or less, you’ll be glad you listened.
Now, I bought the eBook because I wanted to try a new side hustle similar to selling Canva templates.
And, as a beginner to Notion like I am, it was definitely helpful.
With everything from
- The exact niches to create Notion templates in ( so you know what subniches to ask ChatGPT for)
- To ChatGPT hacks for creating Notion templates even as a complete beginner
- a Beginner’s Guide to basics of creating an aesthetic template on Notion
and much more
I’d say this guide was definitely worth the pay and I highly recommend it.
So if you’re interested in this side hustle, you should start learning and improving your Notion skills with the Notion Millions Guide.
Note: There are affiliate links in the article and if you buy something, I’ll get a commission at no extra cost to you.
This content is free, and by using these links, You’ll be supporting my work & that means a whole lot to me.
