When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After virtually a decade aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for just a tool– I was searching for a correct partner Beehiiv Weekly Wisdom.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack option?” I assumed that as well initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a lot to say– both the victories and the strange quirks. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that could really help expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its advantages, however I was taking a look at this with the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits begin revealing. The greatest one? You don’t really own your followers.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting a target market you can never ever totally get to.
It resembles performing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the venue decides to let the group see you. Doesn’t feel wonderful.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly think they were running a club, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth devices, and no system costs (in addition to the typical Stripe cut). But guarantees are simple. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new platform generally feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up types? No crises. Linking my custom-made domain name? A few minor hiccups, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One thing I truly valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their support material– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person sat down and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Weekly Wisdom
Now right here’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome series based upon exactly how somebody joined.
I wound up going full detective setting– tinkering with segments, utilizing different landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit strings– simply to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Great, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was developed by somebody who’s really written a newsletter or two.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message might get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– then went down a bunny hole of testing devices to enhance HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hand-operated procedure, but it works. I even connected to Beehiiv about adding much better size cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Really Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new customers to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid ads.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money due to the fact that for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
However there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links developers with brands in a way that doesn’t really feel icky or required. It’s built-in revenue potential, simple and simple Beehiiv Weekly Wisdom.
And when I prepare to launch a premium subscription? I know exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers right into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to succeed. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow when you struck a strange bug or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel too basic.
Email dimension surveillance requires much better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete possession of your audience
You’re aiming to grow quick without paying system tax
You desire something that really feels built by developers, for creators
Will it resolve every issue? No. But in three months, it’s aided me expand much faster, gain more, and stress and anxiety much less about the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and in fact scale your e-newsletter with actual devices that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.