When it came time to pick a brand-new email system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After nearly a decade helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv UTM Parameters.
Which’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack choice?” I thought that as well initially. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to say– both the success and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, resolve in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a device that can in fact assist expand my checklist and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, however I was considering this with the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little much deeper, and splits start showing. The largest one? You do not actually possess your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can not export them. You’re essentially leasing a target market you can never totally get to.
It’s like executing on a phase where the lights just switch on if the place makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Does not really feel great.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly think they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing growth tools, and zero system charges (besides the usual Stripe cut). Yet guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new platform generally feels like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No meltdowns. Attaching my customized domain name? A couple of minor missteps, yet nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One point I actually valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their assistance content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like somebody sat down and said, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv UTM Parameters
Currently below’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome sequences based upon just how somebody subscribed.
I ended up going full investigator setting– playing with segments, making use of different landing pages, reading obscure Reddit threads– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Excellent, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by someone who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or two.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That implies your beautifully crafted message may get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this the hard way– then went down a bunny hole of testing devices to maximize HTML size and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My go-to technique?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hands-on procedure, however it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning including far better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference because changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a quite particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been also running paid ads.
Most of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects makers with brands in a way that doesn’t really feel icky or forced. It’s built-in income possibility, simple and basic Beehiiv UTM Parameters.
And when I prepare to launch a costs subscription? I recognize specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What really 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. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without hanging unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to succeed. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a strange pest or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also fundamental.
Email size monitoring needs better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to grow quick without paying system tax obligation
You want something that really feels built by makers, for creators
Will it fix every trouble? No. However in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow faster, earn extra, and anxiety much less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop clearing up and in fact scale your e-newsletter with genuine devices that value your job and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.