When it came time to choose a new email system, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I required something better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After almost a years helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I had not been trying to find simply a tool– I was hunting for a correct companion Beehiiv To WordPress.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack option?” I believed that too initially. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to state– both the success and the strange traits. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that can in fact help expand my listing and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing any longer.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, however I was taking a look at this via the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin revealing. The greatest one? You don’t really possess your followers.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re essentially leasing an audience you can never ever fully reach.
It resembles doing on a phase where the lights only activate if the location makes a decision to let the group see you. Does not feel terrific.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
Initially, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development devices, and no platform costs (in addition to the common Stripe cut). But promises are simple. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system usually feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No disasters. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A few minor missteps, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One thing I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Additionally, their support web content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv To WordPress
Now here’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, but do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each form can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome series based on how somebody subscribed.
I ended up going full investigator mode– dabbling with sections, using separate landing pages, checking out unknown Reddit strings– just to construct a couple of customized workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Wonderful, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, preview– it seems like it was made by somebody who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message might obtain cut in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this the hard way– after that dropped a rabbit opening of screening devices to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that feared clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a hand-operated process, but it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv about adding far better size warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction since switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a pretty specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money because for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches makers with brands in a way that doesn’t really feel disgusting or compelled. It’s integrated income capacity, ordinary and straightforward Beehiiv To WordPress.
And when I’m ready to release a costs subscription? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your visitors into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Assistance can be sluggish when you struck an unusual pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email dimension monitoring requires far better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re offering physical products or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a listing, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re looking to expand quick without paying system tax
You want something that really feels built by makers, for designers
Will it solve every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s assisted me grow faster, gain a lot more, and tension less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop working out and in fact range your newsletter with real devices that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.