When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail platform, I really did not desire “adequate.” I required something better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years assisting others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a device– I was searching for a proper partner Beehiiv Automation Templates.
And that’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack option?” I thought that as well at first. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to state– both the victories and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that might actually aid expand my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing any longer.
So I began comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was considering this with the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little deeper, and fractures begin showing. The largest one? You do not in fact have your fans.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting out an audience you can never ever totally reach.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights only activate if the location chooses to allow the group see you. Does not really feel terrific.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list development devices, and no system fees (other than the typical Stripe cut). However pledges are easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not sound like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new platform normally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No crises. Connecting my custom domain name? A couple of minor missteps, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Also, their assistance material– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Automation Templates
Currently here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, but don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can just be attached to a single automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome series based upon exactly how someone joined.
I wound up going full detective setting– tinkering with sections, utilizing different landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit threads– just to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Absolutely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was developed by somebody who’s in fact created a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message might get sliced in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– then dropped a bunny hole of screening devices to enhance HTML dimension and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading and install examination emails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a manual process, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding including much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference because switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new customers to a quite particular niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your technique a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money since for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches developers with brand names in a manner that doesn’t really feel icky or required. It’s integrated income possibility, simple and basic Beehiiv Automation Templates.
And when I’m ready to release a costs membership? I know precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers into supporters without hanging awkward boodle or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to do well. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you hit a weird bug or need deep help.
Some automations still feel too standard.
Email dimension tracking requires better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Conclusion
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re aiming to grow quick without paying platform tax obligation
You desire something that really feels built by makers, for makers
Will it solve every issue? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, make more, and tension less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and in fact range your newsletter with genuine tools that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.