When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I required something better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a decade assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been trying to find simply a tool– I was searching for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Shaan Puri.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack choice?” I believed that as well initially. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to claim– both the success and the weird traits. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, clear up in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that can in fact assist expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was taking a look at this through the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits start revealing. The most significant one? You do not in fact possess your followers.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can not export them. You’re generally renting out a target market you can never ever fully get to.
It resembles doing on a phase where the lights only switch on if the location chooses to allow the group see you. Does not really feel great.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It As well Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth devices, and absolutely no system costs (in addition to the usual Stripe cut). But pledges are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new system typically feels like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up forms? No meltdowns. Connecting my custom domain? A few small missteps, yet absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
Something I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Likewise, their assistance web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the heck out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Shaan Puri
Now below’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it challenging to customize welcome series based on exactly how somebody joined.
I ended up going full detective setting– tinkering with segments, making use of separate landing pages, checking out odd Reddit threads– simply to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Wonderful, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by somebody who’s really 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 get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That implies your beautifully crafted message might get chopped in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this the hard way– then dropped a bunny opening of screening devices to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email visitor
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hand-operated procedure, yet it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv concerning including far better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference because switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
The majority of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s working and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal less complicated.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for many makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network links makers with brand names in a manner that does not really feel disgusting or forced. It’s built-in revenue potential, ordinary and easy Beehiiv Shaan Puri.
And when I’m ready to release a costs registration? I know precisely what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers right into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to succeed. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Assistance can be sluggish when you struck an odd insect or require deep assistance.
Some automations still feel too fundamental.
Email dimension surveillance needs better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re offering physical items or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your audience
You’re seeking to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that feels constructed by designers, for developers
Will it fix every trouble? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me grow faster, make a lot more, and stress less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and actually range your e-newsletter with genuine tools that appreciate your job and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.