When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail platform, I really did not want “adequate.” I needed something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a decade helping others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I had not been seeking simply a tool– I was searching for a correct partner Beehiiv Newsletter Design.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack option?” I believed that too initially. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a great deal to say– both the success and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, clear up in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that can really assist expand my listing and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing any longer.
So I started contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was looking at this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Until 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 splits begin showing. The largest one? You don’t really possess your followers.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re basically leasing a target market you can never totally get to.
It resembles doing on a phase where the lights only switch on if the venue decides to allow the group see you. Does not feel terrific.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth tools, and no platform fees (in addition to the common Stripe cut). However guarantees are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new system generally seems like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Linking my personalized domain? A few minor hiccups, however absolutely nothing that required swearing at the display.
Something I actually valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Also, their assistance content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person took a seat and stated, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our users today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Newsletter Design
Currently here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, but don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to personalize welcome sequences based upon how someone registered.
I ended up going full investigative mode– tinkering with sectors, making use of separate landing pages, reviewing obscure Reddit threads– simply to construct a few customized workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Wonderful, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, format, preview– it seems like it was made by a person who’s really written an e-newsletter or 2.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message might obtain chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this by hand– then dropped a bunny hole of testing tools to maximize HTML size and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated process, yet it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv concerning adding much better size warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction since switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 new customers to a rather specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches creators with brand names in such a way that does not feel nasty or compelled. It’s integrated income capacity, simple and simple Beehiiv Newsletter Design.
And when I’m ready to release a premium membership? I understand specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers into supporters without dangling uncomfortable swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit an unusual bug or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel too fundamental.
Email dimension monitoring requires far better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re looking to expand quickly without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by designers, for creators
Will it solve every problem? No. Yet in three months, it’s aided me expand quicker, make extra, and stress less regarding the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit clearing up and in fact range your newsletter with genuine tools that value your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.