When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t want “good enough.” I required something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a years aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a device– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Can You Blog on Beehiiv.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack alternative?” I believed that as well initially. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to claim– both the wins and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, work out in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that could in fact assist expand my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was considering this with the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little deeper, and splits start showing. The most significant one? You don’t actually have your followers.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally leasing an audience you can never fully reach.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights only switch on if the place determines to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing growth tools, and zero system charges (aside from the typical Stripe cut). However promises are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t sound like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system usually seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up types? No meltdowns. Connecting my customized domain? A couple of minor hiccups, but nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their assistance material– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Can You Blog on Beehiiv
Now here’s where points obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, however do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome series based upon how somebody registered.
I wound up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with segments, using separate landing pages, checking out unknown Reddit threads– just to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Terrific, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was developed by somebody who’s really created a newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message may get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this the hard way– after that went down a bunny hole of testing tools to enhance HTML size and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My best approach?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on procedure, but it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding including much better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference because changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just three months, I included over 160 new customers to a rather particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been also running paid ads.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal less complicated.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash since for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network links makers with brand names in such a way that does not really feel icky or required. It’s integrated earnings capacity, plain and simple Can You Blog on Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to release a premium membership? I know precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without hanging unpleasant swag or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you hit an unusual pest or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel too fundamental.
Email size monitoring requires much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a checklist, or just tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re looking to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that really feels developed by makers, for makers
Will it address every issue? No. But in three months, it’s helped me grow faster, gain a lot more, and anxiety much less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and actually scale your e-newsletter with genuine tools that value your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.