When it came time to pick a new e-mail system, I didn’t want “adequate.” I needed something much better– something developed for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a decade helping others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been searching for just a tool– I was hunting for a proper partner How Does Beehiiv Make Money.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I assumed that also at first. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to say– both the victories and the weird peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, work out in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that might really help grow my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its benefits, yet I was taking a look at this through the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin showing. The biggest one? You don’t actually have your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can not export them. You’re generally renting out a target market you can never fully reach.
It’s like doing on a stage where the lights just turn on if the venue chooses to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel great.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a club, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist development devices, and zero system fees (besides the typical Stripe cut). However promises are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand 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 normally seems like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up types? No crises. Connecting my customized domain name? A few minor hiccups, however nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like someone sat down and said, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: How Does Beehiiv Make Money
Currently below’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome series based on how a person signed up.
I wound up going complete detective mode– tinkering with sections, using separate landing pages, reading obscure Reddit threads– just to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Fantastic, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by someone who’s really created an e-newsletter or two.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That implies your beautifully crafted message may obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that went down a bunny hole of screening tools to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on procedure, yet it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv concerning including better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a rather niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t even 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 actually track what’s functioning and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your technique a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money since for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network links designers with brands in a way that doesn’t feel nasty or compelled. It’s integrated earnings potential, ordinary and simple How Does Beehiiv Make Money.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs subscription? I understand precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you hit an odd bug or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel too basic.
Email dimension tracking needs better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete possession of your audience
You’re seeking to expand quickly without paying system tax
You want something that feels developed by designers, for creators
Will it solve every problem? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me expand faster, earn a lot more, and stress much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and really range your newsletter with genuine tools that value your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.