It’s become very fashionable to say digital products are over.
That you can’t sell information anymore.
That everything is free now so no one buys.
I understand why people think that. There’s more content out there than anyone could get through in a lifetime. Most courses sit on your hard drive half-finished. And a lot of what’s being sold is… not great.
But that doesn’t mean the model stopped working.
It means most people are creating the wrong thing.
What’s actually changed
People don’t want more information. They want something that does something. Something that gets them from where they are to a quick result without having to figure everything out themselves.
That’s what’s changed.
There isn’t less demand but higher expectations.
Why some products still work (very well)
Take The 18M KU Code.
That didn’t sell because it’s a “course”. It sold because it’s built on something real – my own 18M+ page reads. It focuses on one outcome: keeping readers hooked. It gives a clear way to apply it. And it cuts out everything that doesn’t matter.
It’s not trying to teach everything about publishing. It’s solving a specific problem that makes money.
That’s what people pay for now.
The mistake most people are making
They’re still creating products like it’s 2018. They’re long, broad and packed with information. Then they wonder why no one finishes them or buys the next thing.
Because information isn’t what’s valuable anymore. Application is.
What actually works now
If you’re creating anything – a guide, a product, a course – this is what’s still working:
Clear, narrow outcomes. Not “learn this topic.” But “get this result.”
Built-in action. Prompts, templates and examples. Not just explanations.
Speed. People want to see something work fast. Even a small win changes everything.
Proof. Not theory or opinions but actual results.
Continuation. The product isn’t the end. It leads somewhere whether that is to emails like this one, more offers or deeper help.
Tools that make this easier (and faster)
You don’t need anything complicated to do this properly.
- Perplexity AI – https://www.perplexity.ai/ – fast, cited answers when you’re researching ideas or markets
- Gamma – https://gamma.app/ – turn rough ideas into clean, structured guides or mini-products
- Tally – https://tally.so/ – simple way to create quizzes, checklists, or lead capture without friction
- Loom – https://www.loom.com/ – add quick walkthroughs or personal guidance without overcomplicating things
- Stan Store – https://stan.store/ – easy way to sell low-ticket offers directly from social or email
- Beehiiv – https://www.beehiiv.com/ – clean, fast-growing email platform with built-in growth tools
- Carrd – https://carrd.co/ – simple one-page sites for offers and lead magnets
- Ko-fi – https://ko-fi.com/ – lightweight way to sell or accept payments without complexity
You don’t need all of these. Pick a couple and use them properly. The goal is to get something live, not to spend hours finding the perfect setup.
If you’re starting (or starting again)
Don’t try to make something big. Pick one thing you know how to do. Help one person get a result with it. Then turn that into a simple guide, a checklist or a short product.
That’s enough. That’s how most things that work actually start.
Two things worth watching
This is three minutes long. It’s technically about how movements spread but the real point is simpler: the things that catch on are easy to follow. That’s it. Worth thinking about whatever you’re creating.
How to Start a Movement – Derek Sivers
And this one is worth ten minutes of your time if you’ve been adding more to something instead of cutting it. Morieux makes the case, with data, that complexity makes results worse, not better. The instinct to add more is usually the problem.
As work gets more complex, 6 rules to simplify – Yves Morieux
People are still buying. Constantly. But they’re more selective now. They’re looking for something specific, usable and that works.
If you give them that, courses still work. Very well.
