Can You Sell Webflow Templates Independently?

In the vibrant world of Webflow, the opportunity to sell your templates opens up a realm of possibilities for designers and developers alike. While the Webflow Marketplace is a popular choice for many, the prospect of selling templates independently is not only possible but also highly advantageous for those looking to carve their own path in the digital landscape. For a deeper dive into the differences between selling via Webflow and independently, consider exploring our comprehensive comparison blog.

Examples of Folks Selling Webflow Templates Independently

The success stories of independent sellers are both inspiring and indicative of the potential that lies in taking control of your sales journey. Here are notable examples:

Memberstack

As a proof of the value of this business model, we at Memberstack have started creating our free and paid templates and selling them on our site. The strategy here is a recognition of a significant market opportunity: the growing demand for quick, efficient solutions that empower individuals and businesses to launch digital platforms without the need for deep technical expertise or significant capital investment. We are a company that offers no-code solutions for websites, so why not offer the websites too? By offering templates that span a wide range of uses—from AI businesses and template websites to online courses—Memberstack can engage with its existing audience of web developers by providing high-quality, highly integrated templates at a low cost. 

This model is a good one for other businesses as well. If you are already selling products in the no-code space, selling Webflow templates is a great way to introduce new income streams while also providing useful services to an audience that could likely find value in them. 

Craig Garner at MediumRare 

Original Story: https://webflow.com/blog/medium-rare-webflow-templates

Many designers sell their templates both on the Webflow Marketplace and on other third-party websites. This is a great way to grow market presence and maximize the reach of your designs. One such example is Craig Garner, who, through his design agency Medium Rare, sells on Envato Elements/ThemeForest as well as on Webflow. The genius of this strategy is that these templates function both as a secondary source of income from Craig, as well as marketing for his more bespoke web design agency. 

Garner began making templates about 5 years ago when he discovered Webflow and decided to exclusively use it for building templates. Since then, his business has seen a steady increase in sales, with Webflow templates significantly contributing to his revenue. Garner's process involves starting with reference designs from various media, experimenting with styles in Figma, and prototyping interactions in Webflow. He finds marketing through an email list effective and notes the brand's evolution with a shift in customer base from traditional template users to Webflow.

Webflow at Creative Market 

If you need any more proof that the multi-channel sales method is best for your template business, check out Webflow’s own page on another template site Creative Market. These templates, all in the $20-$30 range, are likely versions of template sites developed by their team and sold on their marketplace. By reuploading it to this channel, they can attract new customers to Webflow while also making (although probably insignificant in the grand scheme of things) additional income. This is a model that you should follow, using templates as a way to drive traffic to your web design company! 

Cost Structure

When selling independently, the cost structure depends on where you are selling and what you plan to offer to your customers. If you sell from your own website, you have the ultimate flexibility in deciding prices. This flexibility allows you to set prices that reflect the value and complexity of your templates. However, it's important to consider the costs associated with hosting your own selling platform, transaction fees, and any marketing expenses to ensure your pricing strategy is both competitive and profitable.

For other marketplaces, the cost structure can be different. For example: 

• Envato Elements: charges an “author fee” which varies depending on whether you are an exclusive author and on your total sales (ranging from 12.5% for high-volume exclusive sellers to 52% for all non-exclusive sellers). 
• Creative Market: charges a small creator fee per item sold (although the exact value of this is not clear on their website). 

Marketing Your Templates

The challenge of visibility is met with the freedom to craft your marketing strategy. Utilizing a mix of SEO, social media marketing, content creation, and email marketing can drive traffic to your offerings. Engaging with the Webflow community through forums and social channels can also boost your presence. The key is consistency and offering value that resonates with your target audience. Again, these templates can be a good way to generate traffic to a larger web design agency. By combining the usual marketing strategies for agencies and clearly demonstrating the value you can add, templates can become self-sustaining passive income sources for your business. 

Memberstack's Template Template

https://www.memberstack.com/webflow-templates/sell-webflow-templates

We think a template site is a great way to build some passive income for an individual, freelance, or startup. We think it’s so good of an idea that we do it ourselves – and we’re selling the template for our template site! Very meta! Memberstack's template offers a comprehensive solution for selling Webflow templates independently, including features like pricing, features overview, and a dedicated section for showcasing template purposes. It serves as a perfect starting point for those looking to sell their Webflow creations with ease and professionalism.

This template site offers both Premium and Free templates in one location, making it easy to attract new customers to free options while also making them aware of more complex paid options. This is a great strategy for template businesses, especially when they are just starting out. 

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When you select on a template, you are directed to a CMS connected page which displays a short preview of the site, as well as any information that a potential customer might want to know. Depending on how you plan to sell your template, the information on this page can be modified. 

Our template template page (that is a mouthful) includes spaces for Loom videos and screenshots, which are great ways to showcase features on premium sites without needing to provide direct access to the templates. 

The template also comes with built-in integrations with Stripe (provided you’ve set up payments there already). This is why using Memberstack with this template site can be easier – they can be easily integrated with your existing accounts. 

Using Memberstack, Make, and Webflow - this template covers everything you need to independently sell Webflow templates on your own site.

Some of the features included in this template are:

• Free template clones
• PAYG paid templates
• All-access plan
• Server-side-hosted links (For security)
• Automatic sales notifications
• Advanced content gating
• And a whole bunch more!

In addition to the template, you get pre-made Make scenario blueprints for the site, comprehensive tutorial videos, access to a private Slack group, and direct support from Memberstack staff. If you think selling templates independently, this is one of the best options out there to get started immediately. 

Conclusion

Selling Webflow templates independently is not just viable; it's a flourishing pathway for creators seeking autonomy over their work and financial returns. By leveraging the right tools, platforms, and marketing strategies, you can build a successful business around your Webflow templates, reaching audiences far and wide with your innovative designs. Think of it as an addition to other web design services, albeit one that can exist without any ongoing support. With the right marketing and strategizing, these can become a major portion of your business, allowing you to reinvest the income on growing other facets of your web design career.