When it came time to pick a brand-new email system, I really did not want “sufficient.” I needed something better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a decade assisting others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t looking for just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Can You Have A Blog on Beehiiv.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I believed that also at first. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to state– both the wins and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the appropriate platform for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that could actually aid expand my checklist and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its benefits, yet I was taking a look at this via the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits start revealing. The greatest one? You don’t really possess your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re primarily leasing a target market you can never completely get to.
It’s like doing on a stage where the lights just activate if the location makes a decision to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel great.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist growth tools, and absolutely no system costs (other than the typical Stripe cut). But assurances are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not sound like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new platform usually seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No disasters. Linking my custom domain name? A few small missteps, yet nothing that called for swearing at the display.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their assistance web content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like someone took a seat and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Can You Have A Blog on Beehiiv
Currently here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome sequences based on just how a person signed up.
I ended up going full detective setting– tinkering with sections, utilizing different landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– simply to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or 2.
But default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your wonderfully crafted message might obtain cut in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this the hard way– after that dropped a rabbit opening of testing tools to enhance HTML dimension and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a hand-operated procedure, yet it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv concerning adding much better size cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction since switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal less complicated.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money due to the fact that for many makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
However there’s more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links creators with brand names in a manner that does not feel sickening or required. It’s built-in earnings possibility, ordinary and straightforward Can You Have A Blog on Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a premium registration? I know exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors right into supporters without hanging awkward boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to do well. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit a weird pest or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email size tracking needs far better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re offering physical products or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a checklist, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re wanting to expand fast without paying system tax
You desire something that feels developed by creators, for makers
Will it solve every problem? No. However in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, earn extra, and anxiety less about the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and actually range your newsletter with real tools that value your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.