Creating Attractive Listing Images for Your Digital Products on Etsy- A Must Read

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When selling digital products on Etsy, first impressions are very important.

Your listing images, or listing photos, serve as the visual gateway to your digital products, capturing the attention of potential customers and enticing them to explore further.

In this blog post, we will look into the key strategies of how to create attractive listing images for your digital products on Etsy that stand out from your competitors and land you a sale in your Etsy shop.

creating attractive listing images for your digital products on etsy

Why Listing Images Matter

The primary role of listing images is attracting customers.

Your listing images are the first point of contact for potential buyers on Etsy.

They play a significant role in capturing attention, piquing interest, and enticing customers to click on your product versus one of your competitors.

An Etsy seller could have the best SEO but without the right listing images, it will be difficult for them to make a sale in their Etsy shop.

Listing images should effectively communicate the unique value proposition of your digital products.

They should provide a clear representation of what customers can expect from your product and showcase the benefits of your offerings.

High-quality listing images create trust and credibility in potential buyers.

Photos are the #1 way to make more sales on Etsy. In this video, Taylor shares with you the photography strategies that will help you optimize your listings and convert more visitors into buyers.

Choosing an Aesthetic for Your Listing Images

When you’re ready to create your digital product listing images, there is a lot that goes into the aesthetic.

To increase your productivity, you can create templates to help you generate images quicker for your digital download products.

There are many ways you can design your Etsy listing images. We will explore two ways that many Etsy sellers do this.

Create Images Based on Your Brand Style

Many Etsy sellers like to develop a brand style and design all of their images to match.

Other sellers may design their images based on seasonal products or product lines.

Developing a distinguishable brand style helps create a cohesive and recognizable visual identity for your business.

Add your logo, brand colors, and other visual elements that reflect your brand’s identity.

This helps create a consistent and professional look across all your listing images, reinforcing your brand and making your products more recognizable.

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Research Your Competitor

Another way to determine how to design your Etsy listing photos is to research your competitors and look at their images.

While it is never okay to directly copy their images, you can use successful Etsy listings in your niche as inspiration and to help you figure out what works and what does not.

Identifying trends can be helpful to incorporate into your listing images and differentiate yourself from your competitors.

Designing Your Listing Images

Creating eye-catching listing images can be very easy with the right tools.

Many Etsy shops design their digital product images using software such as Canva, a popular online graphic design tool, that offers a user-friendly platform with a wide range of features to help you craft eye-catching and professional-looking images.

What Can You Do With Canva?

Canva is the #1 tool that all printable sellers should learn. You can make designs for free very quickly using Canva. Want to learn more about Canva?

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When creating your listing images, there are key elements to consider to make your images visually appealing and engaging.

First, make use of high-quality images or screenshots of your digital products to showcase their features and appeal.

Canva allows you to easily upload your images or choose pictures from its extensive library of stock photos.

The best way to include your product as a high-quality image is to download it from the designing program you are using as a PNG and then upload that image to Cavna to use in your listing images.

Canva also has a library of mockup elements that you can use to help your products stand out from the crowd.

In addition to templates, you can use Pro elements in your listing image designs.

Utilizing mockups to showcase your digital downloads in visually appealing ways, helps potential buyers understand the functionality and versatility of your offerings.

Etsy recommends that your listing images should be a minimum of 2000px for the shortest side of the image and should be a resolution of at least 72 ppi and use an aspect ratio of 4:3. You can read more about their requirements and best practices for your images in their help center.

example of listing image from the swag elephant
An example of a main listing image.

Having compelling titles and descriptions of digital items is also important to include in your listing images.

You will want to create attention-grabbing titles that instantly draw the potential buyer’s attention, and use descriptive text to highlight the key features, benefits, and unique selling points of your digital products.

Experiment with different font styles, sizes, and colors to make your text visually appealing and easy to read.

Ways to Use Additional Listing Image Slots

Newer Etsy sellers find it difficult to utilize all 10 listing images when they first start. If you find yourself struggling to fill all 10 spots, there are other things you can add in those slots that will ultimately help your shop in the long run.

You can use a slot to promote additional products in your shop, give size information about your product, give usage ideas for your products, answer questions about your product that customers may have, showcase reviews of your products, and many more.

You want the focus to be on your product however, so make sure there is a balance between the number of additional photos that give information and it doesn’t take away from the product you are trying to sell.

Tips to Remember

Each product you list on Etsy allows you to include up to 10 images.

While there is no telling if including all 10 images helps to boost you in Etsy’s algorithm, the more images you include for a product, the more likely you are to get a potential customer to click and learn more about your product, thus leading to a sale.

You can utilize the ten images to showcase your product and its features and also show your products in real-life contexts and settings to create relatability and evoke desire.

This can be important, as many buyers are searching visually for what they want and they may not take the time to read your listing descriptions.

By including all the important information about your product that a buyer would need to know, you will be more likely to land the sale versus a buyer who has to go searching for answers to their questions about a product.

Your main listing image, the first image that displays your product, should be the most compelling and engaging photo, capturing the essence of your digital product and convincing buyers to click for more details.

Did you know, you can add a 15-second video to your Etsy listing to further model your digital product in use? Etsy recommends this step and says having a video of your products can help to increase your conversion rate for your Etsy shop.

Other Ways to Create Listing Images

While using software to digitally design your listing photos is the most popular way amongst digital Etsy sellers, some also choose to photograph their digital downloads in use and use those images in their listing photos.

By using the digital product as the focal point of a photo, it gives the buyer a glimpse of what the product looks like in real life, after it is printed out.

If you decide you would like to take photos of your digital products, you will want to use a high-resolution camera or a smartphone with a quality camera for your product photography.

You may also want to add props or accessories around any still images you are shooting to enhance the visual appeal of your products without overshadowing them.

Utilize natural light whenever possible, as it provides a soft, flattering effect.

For controlled lighting conditions, consider using lightboxes or diffusers.

Ensure your background is clean and free from distractions, allowing your products to take center stage.

Carefully arrange your products in an appealing and organized manner.

Incorporate lifestyle elements into your product, or even videos showcase how your products can be used.

Should you choose to take real photos of your products, be sure to edit them properly for the best results.

A/B Testing

One way to be sure that your Etsy listing photos are capturing the attention of your intended audience is to experiment with a different first image or thumbnail image that potential buyers would see first.

Split testing, also known as A/B testing, allows you to compare the performance of different images and make data-driven decisions.

example of ab testing listing image
Here is an example of a listing that does A/B testing by using 2 different listing images for the same product.

Pay attention to metrics such as visits, conversion rates, and customer reviews to identify top-performing images and continuously refine your listing photos.

Making changes and updating your listing images based on customer response is a great way to set your Etsy shop up for success.

Pay attention to customer preferences, adapt to current trends, and implement changes to your Etsy listing photos as needed.

Regularly refreshing your Etsy listing photos can help maintain interest, engage new customers, and drive sales.

Final Thoughts

Creating attractive listing images for your digital products on Etsy is a vital part of your overall marketing strategy.

By understanding the impact of listing photos, investing time in planning and preparation, and optimizing your images for Etsy’s platform, you can effectively showcase the value and uniqueness of your digital products.

Remember to edit and enhance your images, maintain consistency in branding, and monitor your images based on customer feedback and performance data.

By taking the time and effort to create visually appealing images and videos, you will capture the attention of potential buyers, drive visits, and boost sales in your Etsy shop.

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