Graphic design (part 2): social media, digital products, illustration, UI and photo editing
Digital design work is done for screens: social media, YouTube, presentations, apps and websites, plus designs you can sell repeatedly as digital products. Much of it can be done for international clients and paid in dollars.
See part 1 for branding and print. The shared skills, tools and safety rules listed there apply here too.
53. Social media post design
What it is: Designing posts, carousels, stories and covers for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and WhatsApp status. How it works: Brand templates + regular content (often monthly packages: e.g. 12–20 posts), sized correctly for each platform.
| Skills | Layout, brand consistency, short copywriting, platform sizes |
| Cost & equipment | Phone or laptop, Canva |
| Where to find work | Local businesses, social media managers, agencies, freelance marketplaces |
| Payment | Per post or monthly package |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium; monthly retainers give stability |
| Time to first income | Days to weeks |
How to start: Create a 9-post grid for a realistic business (social media design); offer monthly packages. Pros: Recurring demand. Cons & risks: Volume work; clients want fast turnaround. Scam warning: "Social media design job" groups requiring payment to join. Kenya notes: Combine with social media management for higher value (social media management).
54. YouTube thumbnail design
What it is: Eye-catching thumbnails that make people click on videos: bold text, expressive faces, contrast. How it works: Creator sends the video topic and photos; you deliver 1–3 options at 1280×720; some creators order weekly.
| Skills | Photo cut-outs, bold typography, understanding of click-worthy design |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop; Photoshop/Photopea/Canva |
| Where to find work | YouTubers (Kenyan and international), freelance marketplaces, creator communities |
| Payment | Per thumbnail or monthly package |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium; strong designers working with big channels earn more |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Redesign thumbnails for 10 existing videos as practice; study top creators' thumbnails. Pros: Steady weekly work with creators. Cons & risks: Competitive; results-driven. Scam warning: Don't use copyrighted images without rights. Kenya notes: Kenya's YouTube creator community is growing; many creators need consistent thumbnails.
55. Selling Canva templates
What it is: Creating editable Canva templates (social posts, CVs, planners, menus, business kits) and selling them as digital products. How it works: Design template sets → share via Canva template links → sell on marketplaces (e.g. Etsy, Creative Market, your own site) or locally.
| Skills | Template design, product thinking, marketing |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, Canva (Pro helpful), marketplace fees |
| Where to find work | Online marketplaces, your own shop, social media |
| Payment | Per sale via the marketplace's payout methods |
| Realistic earnings | Very low at first; can grow to low–medium with many products and marketing |
| Time to first income | Weeks to months |
How to start: Research best-sellers; create a niche set (e.g. templates for Kenyan salons or churches); check Canva's licensing rules for selling templates. Pros: Sell the same product many times. Cons & risks: Crowded market; marketing takes effort; marketplace availability for Kenyan sellers varies. Scam warning: "Buy my template course and make $10,000/month" claims. Kenya notes: Local templates (KRA invoice formats, Kenyan CVs, church programmes) can be a niche; see digital products.
56. Presentation and pitch deck design
What it is: Turning content into clear, professional slides for businesses, start-ups, students, conferences and NGOs. How it works: Restructure content, design a master template, create charts and visuals, deliver PowerPoint/Google Slides/Keynote files.
| Skills | Slide design, storytelling, charts (PowerPoint) |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, PowerPoint or Google Slides |
| Where to find work | Start-ups, corporates, consultants, students (theses), freelance marketplaces |
| Payment | Per slide or project |
| Realistic earnings | Low–medium to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Redesign 3 messy decks as before/after samples (pitch decks). Pros: Good international demand. Cons & risks: Tight deadlines before meetings. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Start-ups pitching investors and NGOs presenting to donors need strong decks.
57. Infographic design
What it is: Turning data, processes or information into visual graphics for reports, social media and websites. How it works: Understand the message → choose chart types and flow → design → check accuracy.
| Skills | Data visualisation, simplification, accuracy |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, design software |
| Where to find work | NGOs, health organisations, marketers, educators, journalists |
| Payment | Per infographic or project |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Turn public data (e.g. KNBS statistics) into 3 infographics. Pros: Valued by organisations. Cons & risks: Must represent data honestly. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Public health and development communication in Kenya uses infographics heavily.
58. Ebook, lead magnet and digital document design
What it is: Designing ebooks, guides, workbooks and checklists that businesses and creators give away or sell. How it works: Layout of text, images and callouts; interactive PDF features; cover design.
| Skills | Multi-page layout, typography |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, Canva/InDesign/Affinity |
| Where to find work | Coaches, marketers, authors, businesses |
| Payment | Project fee |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Design a sample ebook on a topic you know. Pros: International demand. Cons & risks: Long documents take time. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Local trainers and coaches increasingly sell guides via WhatsApp and online shops.
59. Digital planners and printables
What it is: Downloadable planners, budget sheets, study timetables, colouring pages and worksheets sold as files. How it works: Design in Canva/InDesign/Affinity → export PDFs (interactive for tablets where relevant) → sell on marketplaces or your own store.
| Skills | Product design, layout, marketplace SEO |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, design software, store fees |
| Where to find work | Online marketplaces, your own website, social media |
| Payment | Per sale |
| Realistic earnings | Very low at first; low–medium for some with many products |
| Time to first income | Weeks to months |
How to start: Research niches; create a small product line; test with friends and social media. Pros: Passive-ish income once listed. Cons & risks: Crowded; copying is common. Scam warning: Courses promising guaranteed Etsy income. Kenya notes: Local versions (CBC worksheets, KCSE revision timetables, chama record books) may sell via WhatsApp and local shops; respect copyright of curriculum materials.
60. Print-on-demand designs
What it is: Uploading designs to print-on-demand services that print and ship T-shirts, mugs, posters and phone cases when customers order, paying you a margin or royalty. How it works: You design and upload; the platform handles printing, shipping and customer service.
| Skills | Design for products, niche research, marketing |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, design software; some platforms need upfront account setup |
| Where to find work | Print-on-demand marketplaces (check availability for Kenyan sellers and payout methods) |
| Payment | Royalties per sale |
| Realistic earnings | Very low for most; some succeed with many designs and strong niches |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Upload original designs in focused niches; avoid trademarks. Pros: No stock to hold. Cons & risks: Low margins; trademark violations get accounts closed. Scam warning: Courses selling "guaranteed POD income". Kenya notes: Local printers also offer on-demand printing; you can run a local version selling via social media.
61. Stickers and sticker packs
What it is: Designing stickers for products, laptops, branding, events, or digital sticker packs for messaging apps. How it works: Vector or illustrated designs with cut lines for printing; digital stickers as PNGs in required sizes.
| Skills | Illustration, bold simple shapes |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop or tablet |
| Where to find work | Businesses (branding stickers), events, print-on-demand, local printers |
| Payment | Per design or product sales |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to low |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Create a themed sticker set (e.g. Sheng phrases) and test printing locally. Pros: Fun; product potential. Cons & risks: Small amounts per sale. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Branded stickers for products and boda boda/matatu culture are local niches.
62. Email newsletter and marketing graphics
What it is: Headers, banners and templates for email newsletters and campaigns. How it works: Design within email platform limits (width, file size), consistent with brand.
| Skills | Web graphics, brand consistency |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, design software |
| Where to find work | Businesses, marketing agencies, e-commerce stores |
| Payment | Per campaign or retainer |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Learn email marketing basics (content and email). Pros: Recurring campaigns. Cons & risks: Often bundled with other marketing work. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: E-commerce shops and SACCOs use email and SMS campaigns.
63. Web banners and display ads
What it is: Banner ads in standard sizes for websites and ad networks, plus website hero images. How it works: Design sets in multiple sizes; sometimes simple animations; file size limits.
| Skills | Concise messaging, resizing systems |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, design software |
| Where to find work | Agencies, e-commerce businesses, media sites |
| Payment | Per set or campaign |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Create a full banner set for one campaign as a sample. Pros: Clear deliverables. Cons & risks: Repetitive resizing. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Online retailers run frequent sales campaigns needing banner sets.
64. UI design for apps and websites
What it is: Designing screens and components for websites and mobile apps: layouts, buttons, forms, design systems and prototypes. How it works: Research → wireframes → visual design in Figma → prototype → hand-off to developers.
| Skills | UI/UX principles, Figma, accessibility, collaboration with developers |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, Figma (free plan) |
| Where to find work | Start-ups, agencies, developers, freelance marketplaces, product companies (jobs) |
| Payment | Project, hourly or salary |
| Realistic earnings | Medium to medium–high with skills and portfolio |
| Time to first income | Months (learning and portfolio) |
How to start: Follow the web design & UI/UX subject; build 2–3 case studies. Pros: High demand; career path. Cons & risks: Requires deeper learning. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Kenyan fintech and start-ups hire UI/UX designers; international remote roles exist.
65. Icon design
What it is: Designing consistent icon sets for apps, websites, signage and presentations. How it works: Grid-based vector drawing with consistent stroke, style and sizes.
| Skills | Vector precision, consistency |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, vector software |
| Where to find work | App developers, agencies, icon marketplaces |
| Payment | Per set or royalties |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks to months |
How to start: Design a 24-icon set in one style. Pros: Sellable as products too. Cons & risks: Niche demand. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Local icon sets (Kenyan foods, transport, culture) can be distinctive.
66. Illustration (books, editorial, educational)
What it is: Drawing original illustrations for children's books, magazines, textbooks, websites and campaigns. How it works: Brief → sketches → final art (digital or hand-drawn and scanned) → files for print/web.
| Skills | Drawing ability, style, storytelling |
| Cost & equipment | Drawing tablet (or iPad), software (Krita is free), or paper + scanner |
| Where to find work | Publishers, authors, NGOs, educational content producers, agencies |
| Payment | Per illustration or project; sometimes royalties |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium (strong portfolios do better) |
| Time to first income | Weeks to months |
How to start: Build a consistent portfolio of 10–15 pieces in your style. Pros: Creative; unique style stands out. Cons & risks: Takes time to develop skill. Scam warning: Contracts that take all rights for very little pay: read terms. Kenya notes: Educational publishers and NGOs need African-representative illustrations.
67. Character and mascot design
What it is: Creating mascots and characters for brands, schools, games, animations and children's content. How it works: Concept sketches → character sheets (poses, expressions, colours) → final files.
| Skills | Illustration, character design principles |
| Cost & equipment | Drawing tablet, software |
| Where to find work | Brands, game developers, animation studios, schools |
| Payment | Project fee; licensing for broader use |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks to months |
How to start: Design mascots for imaginary brands; show turnaround sheets. Pros: Memorable portfolio pieces. Cons & risks: Niche. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Brands and campaigns use mascots for local marketing and children's education.
68. Photo retouching and editing
What it is: Improving photos: colour correction, skin retouching, removing blemishes or objects, restoring old photos. How it works: Clients send photos; you edit to their brief; deliver high-resolution files.
| Skills | Photoshop/Photopea or Lightroom skills, natural-looking edits (photo editing) |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop with a good screen |
| Where to find work | Photographers, studios, families, businesses, freelance marketplaces |
| Payment | Per photo or batch |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium |
| Time to first income | Days to weeks |
How to start: Show before/after samples; partner with photographers. Pros: Steady work from photographers. Cons & risks: Volume work; ethical concerns about misleading edits. Scam warning: Don't edit documents or IDs; that's fraud. Kenya notes: Old photo restoration for funerals and family events is a popular local service.
69. Product photo editing for e-commerce
What it is: Removing backgrounds, adding white or branded backgrounds, shadows and consistent sizing for online store product photos. How it works: Batch editing to marketplace requirements (e.g. white background, set dimensions).
| Skills | Background removal, consistency, batch processing |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, editing software (AI tools speed this up) |
| Where to find work | Online shops, Jumia/Kilimall sellers, Instagram shops, international e-commerce stores |
| Payment | Per image or batch |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to low; better with volume and retained clients |
| Time to first income | Days to weeks |
How to start: Offer local online sellers a free sample of 5 images; then packages. Pros: Local and international demand. Cons & risks: AI tools reduce prices for simple jobs; add value with retouching and consistent styling. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Many Kenyan online sellers use phone photos; consistent, clean product images help them sell.
70. Vector tracing and logo redrawing
What it is: Converting low-quality logos or images into clean vector files for printing, embroidery or signage. How it works: Redraw manually in vector software (auto-trace often isn't good enough).
| Skills | Vector drawing precision |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, vector software |
| Where to find work | Printers, embroidery shops, sign makers, businesses with old logos |
| Payment | Per file |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Offer the service to printers and embroiderers in your town. Pros: Quick, repeatable work. Cons & risks: Low price per job. Scam warning: Only redraw logos for their owners or with permission. Kenya notes: Printers constantly receive blurry logos from WhatsApp; vector redraws are in demand.
71. Mockups and product visualisation
What it is: Showing designs on realistic products (packaging, shirts, signage, devices), or creating mockup templates for other designers. How it works: Use smart-object mockups or 3D tools; sell mockup templates or provide visualisation as a service.
| Skills | Photoshop smart objects or 3D software (Blender is free) |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop (3D needs a stronger computer) |
| Where to find work | Designers, brands, packaging clients, template marketplaces |
| Payment | Per mockup or product sales |
| Realistic earnings | Low to low–medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Learn mockup creation; offer visualisation with packaging and branding projects. Pros: Adds value to other design services. Cons & risks: Licensing of mockup assets. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Product makers seeking shelf space use mockups to pitch to retailers.
72. Design contests
What it is: Platforms where clients post a brief and many designers submit; the client picks and pays one winner. How it works: You submit designs speculatively; only the winner is paid (some platforms also offer direct projects).
| Skills | Fast concept creation, presentation |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, software |
| Where to find work | Design contest platforms |
| Payment | Prize to the winner |
| Realistic earnings | Very low for most; unpredictable |
| Time to first income | Unpredictable |
How to start: Use contests sparingly, mainly to practise briefs; focus on direct clients for real income. Pros: Practice with real briefs. Cons & risks: Lots of unpaid work; low win rates. Scam warning: Non-platform "contests" that collect designs without paying anyone. Kenya notes: Treat contests as practice; local direct clients usually pay more reliably.
Summary
- Digital design methods include social media, thumbnails, templates, decks, infographics, ebooks, printables, print-on-demand, stickers, email and banner graphics, UI design, icons, illustration, characters, photo editing, product images, vector work, mockups and contests.
- Recurring work (monthly packages, thumbnails, product photos) and higher-skill work (UI, illustration, decks) pay best over time.
- Respect licences and trademarks; build a portfolio; mix local and international clients.
Check yourself
What is the standard size of a YouTube thumbnail in pixels? (write like 1280x720)
Show answer
1280x720
Which free tool do many UI designers use? (one word)
Show answer
Figma
Selling the same digital template many times is an example of a digital ___ (one word)
Show answer
product
Should you edit IDs or official documents for clients? (yes or no)
Show answer
no