Ever wonder how I run my digital product Etsy shop without spending all day on social media?
These are my 8 ride-or-die tools — the ones I use every single day to grow my sales, speed up my process, and keep the business running while I’m off living life and showing up for my kids.
Not gonna lie — if any of these tools disappeared, I’d cry.
They’re that essential.
In this post, I’m sharing the 8 resources that keep my Etsy shop running without needing to show up online 24/7. These are the secret weapons behind my six-figure shop and passive income game.
Get ready to read my tricks, take notes, and thank me later 😉
xo,
Jacqueline
| LEARN FROM ME |
Etsy Profits PRO – Course + Coaching Program
www.jacqueline-butler.com/etsyprofitspro
Canva Crash Course
www.jacqueline-butler.com/canva
| OTHER STEPS |
Join My Email List & Get a FREEBIE!
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Website:
www.jacqueline-butler.com
Get In Touch:
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| MY FAVE RESEARCH TOOLS |
eRank
https://erank.com?fpr=jackie31
Insight Factory
https://insightfactory.app/
Alura
https://www.alura.io/?via=jacqueline
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Hey hey, friend, welcome back!
Okay, today’s post is a fun one.
Because I’m pulling back the curtain and showing you the exact tools I use every single day to run my Etsy business.
These are my non-negotiables — my ride or dies — the resources that keep my shop running smoothly, help me create products faster, get found in search, and make this whole “passive income” thing actually feel… well, passive. And honestly – If they disappeared from the internet, I’d cry. Just saying.
Andddd would you believe me if I told you…
not a single one of them involves posting to social media?
Yep. I’m not out here dancing on TikTok or hustling for likes for my Etsy shop.
These tools helped me build a business that works for me, even when I’m offline… or wiping peanut butter off someone’s face… or googling “is this rash normal?”
So if you’ve been wondering how to make money on Etsy without being glued to your phone or spending hours trying to figure out what to sell and how to design it…
This episode is going to be your cheat code.
I’m going to be breaking down how I use each one, and why they’re worth their weight in Etsy gold.
Let’s start with #1 which is the most obvious tool in the toolbox… Etsy itself.
And I know, I know — that sounds a little too “well, duh,” but hear me out.
So many people overlook this.
Etsy isn’t just the place where your products live — it’s one of the best research tools you have.
I use Etsy every single day to see what’s trending in real time.
Not guessing or hoping that my imagination can figure out the next best selling product.
I am literally typing in keywords and seeing what’s already selling — right now.
You want to know what buyers are searching for – What’s converting? – What styles, titles, mockups, and formats are actually performing? Which are bestsellers? Why are they bestsellers? Which shops have over 10,000 sales or a ton of reviews?
Etsy will show you — if you take the time to look.
And here’s the best part: Etsy wants to show you this. Because their goal is the same as yours — they want buyers to find what they’re looking for so they can make that sweet transaction.
I always tell my students: study the marketplace you’re selling in.
Look at the bestsellers in your niche.
Check how top shops are pricing their products.
Pay attention to the thumbnails, titles, and the kind of language they use in their listings.
This one simple habit of browsing Etsy intentionally has helped me create more successful listings, launch better products, and get ahead of trends — before they go viral and before they fizzle out.
So if you’re not already doing this — start. Open Etsy, act like a buyer, and study what’s working Because Etsy isn’t just the platform you are selling on … as an Etsy seller, It’s your free, built-in market research lab.
Ok – so onto #2 – If Etsy is where I sell the product, then Canva is where the magic happens.
This tool is my literal digital product playground.
Every guide, every planner, every worksheet, every aesthetic little PDF you’ve ever seen me create? Born and raised in Canva.
And the best part? You do not need to be a designer to use it.
I’m not a graphic designer. I wasn’t trained in layout theory.
I just learned what looks good, what sells well, and how to keep things simple.
And Canva makes that insanely easy with templates, drag-and-drop features, font pairings, graphics, fun elements and all the bells and whistles without feeling overwhelming.
This is the tool I recommend to every single Etsy digital product seller — especially if you’re a beginner It’s accessible, intuitive, and honestly kind of addictive once you get going.
And if your brain ever says, “But I’m not creative enough” — I want you to know:
Canva was made for people who think that. It holds your hand the whole way and still lets you make something beautiful. I literally use it everyday – Sometimes even while I’m watching Real Housewives and eating snacks, just to keep it extra profesh.
On my Instagram @jacquelinebutler.co I give you a ton of different Secret Canva Element codes for graphics that are so cute plus digital product ideas by using those exact graphics – seriously its pretty awesome and I’d appreciate the follow! You can save them and use them when you are ready.
But on Canva, you can create anything from From affirmation cards to budgeting planners to party games and everything in between — and chances are, if you see a digital product on Etsy… it was most likely made with Canva. Not everything obviously, but the majority of it for sure.
So yeah… Canva’s one of my favorite ride or dies.
Quick side note before we move on to the next tool…
If you’ve been wanting to feel more confident designing your digital products — but Canva still feels a little intimidating — I’ve got you.
I created a Canva Crash Course that’s only $17, and it walks you through everything you need to know to start designing digital products with confidence. It’s short, sweet, and super beginner-friendly — no design degree needed.
I have the link in the show notes or you can jacqueline-butler.com/canva
Next up is number 3
And Listen… some days, the ideas are flowin’.
Other days, I stare at the screen like, “Have I ever had an original thought in my life?”
That’s when ChatGPT swoops in like the genius bestie I didn’t know I needed.
This tool is my go-to for idea generation, product naming, listing descriptions, product content, and even customer message replies when I just… can’t human.
Seriously — if you’ve ever sat there thinking,
“What should I name this new journal?”
or
“How should I phrase this without sounding like a robot or an idiot?”
…ChatGPT has your back.
It’s not about copying and pasting some boring, AI-generated blob. It’s about using it to spark ideas and get unstuck when your brain has gone full buffering wheel.
Sometimes I’ll give it a messy sentence and say, “Make this sound fun but clear.”
Or I’ll ask for 10 product ideas in the whatever niche.
OR help writing a response that doesn’t make me want to rip my hair out to a negative review or to a customer that didn’t read to download instructions.
It’s like having a super smart, never-tired assistant who will work 24/7 for you.
And while I still believe your voice matters most — especially on Etsy — tools like ChatGPT make it 100x easier to find your flow faster, especially when the mom brain is braining.
If I could tattoo one productivity tip on your soul, it’d be:
Don’t suffer through blank pages. Let tools like this get you started.
#4 is one of my personal favorites and the main research strategy that I teach in Etsy Profits PRO – and that’s eRank. It is quite literally the secret map that tells you where all the good stuff is buried.
This tool is my absolute favorite for one reason:
It helps me find high-demand, low-competition products to sell.
And when you’re trying to make passive income on Etsy without wasting hours guessing what might work — this is everything.
With eRank, you can:
- See real-time search volume for product ideas
- Compare keywords to see which ones will actually get you found
- Discover trending products before they explode
- Spy (nicely!) on what’s working for top shops in your niche
And my favorite part?
It’s not just for the SEO nerds (though hey, I see you). It’s incredibly beginner-friendly once you know what to look for.
This tool literally helps you stop guessing and start making smart, data-backed decisions that lead to more visibility — and more sales.
Because let’s be honest… you don’t need more digital products.
You need the right products — the ones people are already searching for.
eRank is how I find them. Period.
Ok number 5 is one that I consider one of the most underrated research tools for Etsy sellers… and that’s Facebook.
So before you roll your eyes – hear me out — Facebook might not be the coolest platform on the block anymore, but when it comes to Etsy product research? It’s secretly gold.
Specifically: Facebook Groups.
You want to get inside the minds of your target audience?
See what they complain about, what they’re searching for, what language they use to describe their problems?
Go lurk in a few niche groups.
Join a group for teachers, new moms, book club organizers, homeschool parents — whatever audience you want to serve. And then just observe.
Seriously, you’ll start to see the same questions come up again and again.
You’ll start to notice gaps.
You’ll start to think… “Wait, I could turn that into a digital product.”
This is next-level market research that doesn’t feel like research.
It’s free. It’s in plain sight. And most Etsy sellers aren’t using it.
So while everyone else is overanalyzing fonts and stressing over SEO, you’ll be out here quietly creating products your audience actually wants — because you listened.
And that, my friend, is how you make sales without begging strangers on Instagram to notice you.
Oh — and speaking of Facebook groups?
I’ve got one just for you — it’s totally free, filled with people who are building Etsy digital product shops just like you asking questions, supporting each other, and plus I hang out in there too, so head to jacqueline-butler.com/freegroup to join the club, and I’ll even send you my free Etsy Starter Guide as a welcome gift.
#6 is Alura, and this is my reliable research sidekick that never lets me down.
Alura is an incredible tool for keyword optimization — it helps me figure out exactly what tags to use, which keywords are getting traffic, and how competitive they are on Etsy. It even shows you real shop listings that rank well for those terms.
It’s like getting a peek behind the curtain of top-performing Etsy shops… without having to do all the creepy stalking yourself. 😂
What I love about Alura is how user-friendly it is — even if SEO makes your head spin, this tool helps you feel like you actually know what you’re doing.
And when your tags and titles are optimized?
More people find your stuff.
More people buy your stuff.
More passive income for you.
Highly recommend using it alongside eRank — they work beautifully together. Don’t worry, I teach you how to do this inside of Etsy Profits PRO
Okay so next up is Midjourney.
This is my favorite AI tool for creating unique, eye-catching graphics — whether it’s art to sell on its own, backgrounds to level up your product mockups, or just creative inspo when you’re in a rut. I know there are a lot of AI image generators out there, but Midjourney is the one I keep coming back to. Why? Because once you get the hang of prompting, the quality is insane.
And let’s be honest — sometimes you need visuals that don’t look like everyone else’s Canva templates. Midjourney gives you that edge.
Plus, it’s kind of fun to feel like a wizard when you type in a sentence and suddenly have a dreamy, Pinterest-worthy design at your fingertips.
Just a heads-up: there’s a little learning curve, but once you crack it? Game changer. I also give you a Midjorney Beginners Guide with over 130 prompts you can steal inside of Etsy Profits PRO.
And last but not least… Pinterest.
Ahh, Pinterest. The introvert’s marketing dream. No posting. No creating captions. No stories. Just a powerful little snowball that keeps rolling… and growing… and driving traffic to your Etsy shop while you sleep.
This isn’t just a place for recipes and DIY bathroom makeovers — Pinterest is a search engine. One that lets your content live forever. I’ve had pins from five years ago still bringing people to my listings today. That’s the magic.
When you treat Pinterest like a visual Google instead of another social platform to “keep up with,” it becomes your quiet little traffic machine – it’s the definition of set it and forget it.
Alright, friend — there you have it.
My 8 ride-or-die resources that I use every single day to run my digital product Etsy business.
Not one of them involves lip syncing, DMs, or dancing on Reels.
And yet… they’ve helped me build a multiple six-figure business that runs without me constantly having to “show up.”
If you’re serious about creating passive income on Etsy — these are the tools I swear by.
But here’s the thing: having the tools is just the beginning.
Knowing how to use them strategically?
That’s where the real magic happens.
And that’s exactly what we dive into inside my free Facebook group.
It’s where I share even more tips, trainings, and behind-the-scenes strategies — and it’s full of amazing women building their own Etsy businesses, just like you.
Come join the club at jacqueline-butler.com/freegroup
And when you do? I’ll send you my Etsy Starter Guide totally free — just for hanging out with us.
Oh! And before I go —
If you loved hearing about these tools, and you want to really dive into one of them (ahem… Canva), I’ve created something just for you:
My Canva Crash Course is now available separately for just $17.
It’s a bite-sized, beginner-friendly course packed with everything you need to start designing digital products in Canva — without getting overwhelmed.
You’ll learn how to confidently navigate Canva, pair fonts like a pro, use hyperlinks, explore the new Magic Studio tools, and actually save and share your projects the right way.
Snag it now at jacqueline-butler.com/canva or click the link in the show notes
It’s an easy YES if you’re ready to start creating products that sell.
I hope this post gave you some real insight into the behind-the-scenes tools that make this whole digital product life run smoothly.
You don’t need all the tools, and you definitely don’t need to use them all perfectly.
But having the right ones in your corner can take you from guessing… to growing.
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