When it came time to pick a new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I needed something better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After almost a years assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my very own newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a device– I was hunting for a correct companion Beehiiv Embed A Name.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack choice?” I assumed that also at first. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a great deal to claim– both the success and the unusual quirks. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a device that can in fact aid grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was taking a look at this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The most significant one? You don’t really own your fans.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can’t email them straight. Can not export them. You’re basically leasing a target market you can never completely reach.
It’s like carrying out on a phase where the lights only turn on if the venue chooses to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel terrific.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a club, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist development tools, and zero platform costs (in addition to the normal Stripe cut). But assurances are simple. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a new system typically feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No meltdowns. Linking my personalized domain? A few small missteps, yet absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
Something I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their support web content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like somebody sat down and claimed, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Embed A Name
Currently right here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, yet don’t expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can only be connected to a single automation. That makes it challenging to customize welcome series based on just how somebody subscribed.
I wound up going complete detective setting– tinkering with segments, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Definitely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Terrific, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by a person who’s really created a newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That suggests your beautifully crafted message may get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this the hard way– then dropped a rabbit hole of testing tools to enhance HTML size and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a manual procedure, yet it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding including better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference since switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a pretty particular niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid ads.
The majority of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a lot less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash since for many creators, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects developers with brands in such a way that does not really feel icky or required. It’s built-in income capacity, ordinary and basic Beehiiv Embed A Name.
And when I’m ready to introduce a premium membership? I know exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers into supporters without dangling unpleasant swag or single tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck a weird bug or require deep assistance.
Some automations still feel too standard.
Email size tracking requires far better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your target market
You’re wanting to grow fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that feels built by designers, for designers
Will it fix every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s assisted me expand faster, make much more, and anxiety much less regarding the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit clearing up and really range your e-newsletter with actual devices that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.