Digital Planners for GoodNotes: How to Design & Sell Your Way to Success

In a world where everyone’s juggling busy schedules, digital planners are like having your very own pocket-sized personal assistant.

But here’s the twist—you could be the one designing those planners and raking in profits from the trend. With GoodNotes leading the charge in digital note-taking, creating planners for this platform is an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up. Whether you're a designer, entrepreneur, or just someone with a love for organization, there’s a growing demand for customizable digital planners that blend both creativity and practicality.

So, how do you jump into this trend and make it work for you? Let’s break it down, step by step.

Why GoodNotes is the Perfect Platform for Digital Planners

GoodNotes isn’t just another note-taking app—it’s become the go-to tool for digital productivity enthusiasts. With millions of users, it’s a goldmine for creators looking to design and sell digital planners. Plus, its intuitive interface means customers can easily download, customize, and use your planner creations without any hassle.

Here's why GoodNotes is a dream for digital planner designers:

Endless Customization

Users can effortlessly annotate, highlight, and insert images into their digital planners. This flexibility gives designers a ton of creative freedom to craft planners that are as visually stunning as they are functional.

High Engagement, Loyal Users

The GoodNotes community is all about staying organized and productive, making them the ideal audience for well-designed, easy-to-use planners. They’re looking for beautiful layouts, but also features that will help them streamline their day-to-day.

Simple Distribution

Selling digital planners for GoodNotes is as easy as sharing a PDF. Once your customers purchase and download, they can quickly import the planner into their GoodNotes app. No shipping, no inventory—just pure digital magic.

How to Design a Digital Planner for GoodNotes

Now that you’re on board with the idea of selling digital planners, let’s get into the design process. Here’s a roadmap to creating planners that stand out from the crowd.

1. Choose Your Theme and Layout
First things first—what’s the vibe of your planner? Is it sleek and minimalist, or are you going for something more colorful and playful? Knowing your audience will help you decide. Whether you're targeting students, entrepreneurs, or busy moms, make sure your theme speaks to their needs.

2. Tools to Get You Started
You don’t need to be a pro at graphic design to create a killer planner. Platforms like Canva, Adobe Illustrator, and Affinity Designer are great for making templates. Canva is especially beginner-friendly, offering drag-and-drop tools that allow you to create clean, professional designs. Once you’ve created the layout, you can export it as a PDF for easy import into GoodNotes.

How to Create Hyperlinks in Your Digital Planner

This is where the magic happens! Hyperlinks make digital planners feel interactive and super user-friendly. Think of them like shortcuts within your planner, allowing users to jump between sections with a tap—just like flipping tabs in a physical planner.

Here’s how you can create them step-by-step:

Design Your Layout in Canva

After creating the layout of your planner in Canva, identify which sections you want to hyperlink (for example, the "Weekly Overview" or "Monthly Goals" sections).

Add Hyperlinks

In Canva, click on the element (like text or a button) that you want to turn into a hyperlink. Then click the Link icon in the toolbar. Here’s where it gets a little tricky—since PDFs don’t have page numbers like a website, you’ll need to link to specific pages within your PDF using page numbers. Input the number of the page where that section starts, and Canva will create the link.

Pro Tip:

Create a clickable table of contents at the beginning of your planner, so users can easily navigate through the entire document.

Export Your Planner as a PDF

Once you’ve set up your hyperlinks, export your document as a PDF with hyperlinks enabled. In Canva, this option is usually labeled "PDF (Standard)"—be sure to check that box before exporting. The resulting PDF will maintain all your clickable links, ready to be imported into GoodNotes.

How to Import Your Planner into GoodNotes

Now that your planner is designed, hyperlinked, and exported as a PDF, it’s time to get it into GoodNotes. Here’s how:

1. Open GoodNotes
Open the GoodNotes app on your tablet or iPad.

2. Import Your Planner
Tap the + New button in GoodNotes, then select "Import." Choose your newly created PDF planner from your device’s files or cloud storage (like Dropbox or Google Drive).

3. Test the Hyperlinks
Before you start selling your planner, make sure all the hyperlinks work seamlessly. Navigate through the planner to check that each link takes you to the right section. Once everything is working smoothly, your planner is officially ready for GoodNotes users!

How to Market and Sell Your Digital Planners

Designing a gorgeous digital planner is just one piece of the puzzle. Now it’s time to get it into the hands (or screens) of paying customers. Here’s how you can effectively market your GoodNotes planners:

1. Choose Your Sales Platform
Etsy is a great place to start for selling digital products—it’s packed with shoppers looking for unique, customizable planners. But you don’t have to stop there. Think about setting up a Shopify store or even creating a landing page on your own website for direct sales.

2. Use Social Media to Showcase Your Designs
Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok are perfect for visual content. Show behind-the-scenes shots of your design process, create quick tutorial videos, or share user testimonials to build buzz around your products. The more you show your planners in action, the more your audience will want to buy.

3. Collaborate with Influencers
Partner with influencers in the productivity, stationery, or planning space. Offering them a free planner in exchange for a review or shout-out can get your product in front of thousands of potential buyers.

4. Offer a Freebie
Everybody loves a good freebie. Offer a mini-version of your planner or a free template to get people hooked on your design style. Once they’ve tried it, they’ll be much more likely to come back for more.

Conclusion: Start Designing and Selling Your GoodNotes Digital Planners Today

Designing and selling digital planners for GoodNotes is more than just a fun project—it’s a way to tap into a growing market of productivity lovers who are looking for creative ways to stay organized. Whether you're an established designer or someone just starting out, there’s room for you in this space. With GoodNotes as your platform and a bit of marketing know-how, you’ll be on your way to creating digital planners that not only sell but keep your customers coming back for more.

So what are you waiting for? Start designing today, and watch your creativity turn into cash.