When it came time to choose a brand-new email system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for just a tool– I was searching for an appropriate partner Beehiiv NFT.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack option?” I thought that as well at first. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to claim– both the success and the unusual quirks. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, work out in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a device that could actually aid grow my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its perks, but I was checking out this via the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits start revealing. The largest one? You do not actually own your followers.
That “adhere to” button 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 straight. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting out a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like doing on a stage where the lights just activate if the location decides to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel fantastic.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list development devices, and zero platform fees (besides the common Stripe cut). But guarantees are easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like crawlers or brand name 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 system typically feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No crises. Connecting my personalized domain? A few minor hiccups, however nothing that required swearing at the screen.
Something I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their assistance material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv NFT
Currently right here’s where things got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each kind can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome sequences based on just how somebody joined.
I ended up going full investigator setting– dabbling with sectors, making use of separate landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit threads– just to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s really written a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message might get cut in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– then decreased a rabbit hole of screening devices to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My go-to method?
- 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 structure
Little a hand-operated procedure, yet it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning including better dimension cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference since changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a rather particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
Most of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a lot easier.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash since for the majority of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links creators with brand names in a manner that doesn’t really feel sickening or compelled. It’s built-in earnings capacity, ordinary and basic Beehiiv NFT.
And when I prepare to release a premium registration? I understand exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers right into supporters without hanging unpleasant swag or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you hit an odd pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel too basic.
Email dimension tracking requires much better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your target market
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels constructed by makers, for creators
Will it solve every issue? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow faster, earn much more, and stress much less concerning the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop working out and in fact range your newsletter with real tools that respect your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.