A good mockup does one job: it shows a buyer what they will get. For a digital product, that matters more than usual, because there is nothing to pick up and turn over. The listing image is the product.
Here is a simple way to make clean mockups for ebooks, planners, printables and templates, plus a few rules to keep them honest.
Start With Clear, High-Resolution Pages
A mockup is only as sharp as the file you put into it. Export your cover or page preview at a high resolution before you start, and use a real page from the product rather than a placeholder. If buyers will see a planner spread inside the mockup, make sure the text on it is readable at thumbnail size.
Make a Mockup in Canva
Canva’s Help Center describes several ways to reach its Mockups tool. In the editor, open the side panel, choose Elements, search for Mockups, pick one, then drag your image into it. You can also open Apps and search for Mockups, or select a photo, choose Edit and find Mockups under Apps. The tool works on desktop and mobile. The page lists t-shirts, websites and posters among the types, and mentions video mockups.
- Open a design sized for your listing image.
- Add a mockup from Elements or Apps.
- Drag in your cover or page image, then reposition or crop it.
- Select Apply changes.
- Repeat with different pages so you have several views.
Build a Custom Mockup From Your Own Photo
If you have a photo of a tablet, a clipboard or a blank notebook on a desk, Canva can turn it into a mockup template. According to its Help Center, you add the photo, select it, choose Edit, open Mockups under Apps and create a mockup template. Canva detects the best surface, you confirm it, then drag your design on and choose Fill, Fit or Smart Crop.
Two limits to know. Custom mockup templates are tied to paid plans, and premium photos can’t be used for them, so use your own photos or free images from Canva’s library. Canva also notes that flat, simple surfaces and uncluttered backgrounds work best.
Size Your Images for Etsy
If you sell on Etsy, its image help page recommends listing images of at least 2000 × 2000 pixels. The first photo should be at least 635 × 635 pixels so it does not rank lower in search, and it should be landscape or square. The page also says Etsy supports JPG, GIF, PNG, SVG and HEIC files, and that transparent PNGs show black in the transparent areas, so export mockups with a solid background.
Etsy uses the sRGB color profile. If your colors look off after upload, convert from CMYK to sRGB. Keep the main item centered with room around it, so it still reads well when Etsy crops it into thumbnails.
Keep Mockups Honest
- Show the real product. Use actual pages from your file, not designs you don’t deliver.
- Don’t imply extras. If the mockup shows a printed book or a framed print, say in the listing that the product is a digital download.
- Check the platform’s image policy. Etsy’s listing image rules discuss mockups for personalized and production-partner items, but the page does not address digital items, so read the current rules for your category before relying on one.
- Respect licenses. If you build on PLR, confirm that your license allows you to use the cover or graphics in promotional images.
A Quick Image Set to Aim For
Before you publish, view each image at the small size a buyer sees in search results. If the title, cover or key pages are hard to read there, crop closer or simplify the scene. Also save your finished mockups with descriptive file names, such as the product name and the view, so you can find and update them later.
A practical listing set might include a cover on a device or flat surface, two or three inside pages, a “what’s included” image, and one image that shows the file formats. You can reuse the same mockup frame across your products so your shop looks consistent.
Sources
- Canva Help Center: Create mockups using images or designs
- Etsy Help Center: Requirements and Best Practices for Images in Your Etsy Shop
- Etsy: Listing Image Requirements
Featured image: Photo: StockSnap (CC0)