How to validate a digital product idea before you build it
Validating means finding out whether people would pay for your idea before you spend weeks making a course or e-book. It doesn't remove the risk, but it avoids the most expensive mistake: building something nobody wants.
1. Check for existing demand
Competition is often good news, because it means people are buying. Search your topic in the Ad Library and look for ads active for weeks or months. Check interest on Google Trends and YouTube as well.
2. Study live offers
- What's the main promise?
- Who is the product for?
- What's the price and what's included?
- What do the comments complain or ask about?
3. Find your own angle
Don't make a copy. Speak to a more specific audience, solve a step others ignore or deliver it in a simpler format.
4. Test purchase intent
- Build a simple page with the promise, price and guarantee.
- Run a pre-sale or a waitlist.
- Run a small ad and watch for clicks, sign-ups and purchases.
- If people buy, build it. If not, adjust the promise before giving up.
In a pre-sale, be clear about the delivery date and refund buyers if the product doesn't ship.
How to speed up the research
Prospect Spy shows days running and copies of each ad, and downloads the creatives, so you can quickly see what your niche already buys.
Read next
- How to sell on Facebook and Instagram from scratch
- How to create ad creatives based on what already works
- How much to spend on your first Facebook and Instagram ads
Frequently asked questions
Does my course need to be finished before I sell?
No. You can pre-sell it, as long as you're clear about the delivery date and guarantee.
How many sales validate an idea?
There's no fixed number. A few sales to strangers are worth more than lots of praise from friends.
Is a lot of competition bad?
Not necessarily. It signals demand, but it calls for a different angle.