When it came time to choose a brand-new email platform, I really did not desire “adequate.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a decade helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been trying to find simply a device– I was searching for an appropriate partner Beehiiv Build A Media Brand.
And that’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack option?” I believed that as well initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to say– both the victories and the odd quirks. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, resolve in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that can in fact assist expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little deeper, and splits start revealing. The most significant one? You don’t actually own your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally renting an audience you can never totally get to.
It’s like carrying out on a phase where the lights only activate if the location determines to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and no system charges (apart from the common Stripe cut). But pledges are very easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new system usually feels like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No crises. Linking my customized domain? A couple of minor hiccups, however absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Likewise, their support content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and stated, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Build A Media Brand
Currently below’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it challenging to personalize welcome sequences based on just how a person subscribed.
I wound up going complete detective setting– dabbling with sections, using different landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– simply to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was made by somebody who’s really created a newsletter or 2.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That suggests your magnificently crafted message might obtain sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– then dropped a bunny opening of testing tools to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that feared clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hand-operated process, but it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning adding much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference since switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just three months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid ads.
The majority of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash due to the fact that for a lot of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brands in a manner that does not feel nasty or required. It’s integrated revenue potential, plain and straightforward Beehiiv Build A Media Brand.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs membership? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers right into advocates without dangling awkward boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit a weird insect or require deep help.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email dimension surveillance requires better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical products 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 checklist, or simply tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your target market
You’re wanting to grow quick without paying system tax
You want something that feels developed by creators, for developers
Will it solve every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s helped me expand much faster, earn much more, and stress much less concerning the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop resolving and in fact scale your e-newsletter with real tools that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.