When it came time to choose a brand-new email system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a years helping others with email marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been trying to find simply a device– I was searching for an appropriate partner Digital Surfer Beehiiv.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well initially. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to state– both the victories and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could in fact assist grow my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I began contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its perks, but I was checking out this with the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little deeper, and fractures begin revealing. The greatest one? You don’t actually possess your followers.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers 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 essentially renting an audience you can never totally get to.
It’s like executing on a stage where the lights just activate if the venue makes a decision to let the group see you. Does not really feel wonderful.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It As well Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and no system charges (apart from the common Stripe cut). Yet pledges are easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a new platform typically feels like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Connecting my custom domain name? A few minor missteps, yet absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
Something I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their support web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Digital Surfer Beehiiv
Currently right here’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, yet do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each kind can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it challenging to customize welcome series based upon how a person registered.
I ended up going complete investigative mode– dabbling with sections, making use of separate landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– just to construct a couple of customized workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Wonderful, However Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it feels like it was developed by someone who’s actually written an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That suggests your magnificently crafted message could get sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– then went down a bunny opening of testing devices to enhance HTML dimension and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My best approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hands-on procedure, but it works. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning including much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new clients to a rather specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid ads.
The majority of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s functioning and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money due to the fact that for the majority of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
But there’s more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects creators with brands in a way that does not really feel icky or compelled. It’s integrated revenue capacity, simple and basic Digital Surfer Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to release a premium registration? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers into supporters without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit an unusual bug or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel as well fundamental.
Email dimension monitoring needs far better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical items or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to expand fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels developed by makers, for creators
Will it solve every issue? No. However in three months, it’s helped me grow faster, earn much more, and stress and anxiety less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and in fact range your newsletter with actual devices that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.