When it came time to select a new email system, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I required something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After almost a decade helping others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Newsletter Tutorial.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I thought that as well initially. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a whole lot to say– both the victories and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, settle in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a device that can really help grow my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was looking at this via the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little deeper, and cracks start revealing. The biggest one? You don’t really possess your fans.
That “comply with” 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 not export them. You’re essentially renting a target market you can never completely get to.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights just activate if the venue makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Does not really feel fantastic.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d think they were running a club, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
Initially, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list development devices, and zero system fees (other than the usual Stripe cut). Yet pledges are easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system normally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No meltdowns. Attaching my custom-made domain? A couple of small missteps, yet absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
Something I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their assistance web content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like somebody sat down and said, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Newsletter Tutorial
Now below’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, however don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome sequences based on how someone subscribed.
I wound up going full detective mode– playing with sections, using separate landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit threads– just to develop a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Great, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was made by someone who’s really created a newsletter or two.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That implies your perfectly crafted message could get sliced in half if you’re not careful. I learned this the hard way– after that decreased a bunny opening of testing devices to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email audience
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a manual procedure, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv concerning including better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference because switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 new clients to a quite particular niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
A lot of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money due to the fact that for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network links makers with brand names in a way that does not really feel disgusting or required. It’s built-in income possibility, plain and simple Beehiiv Newsletter Tutorial.
And when I prepare to launch a premium membership? I understand precisely what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your visitors right into supporters without hanging uncomfortable swag or single tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck an unusual insect or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email size tracking needs much better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a checklist, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your target market
You’re wanting to grow quickly without paying system tax obligation
You want something that really feels built by designers, for creators
Will it solve every trouble? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me expand quicker, make more, and stress and anxiety less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and actually range your e-newsletter with genuine devices that respect your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.