When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “good enough.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a decade assisting others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a device– I was searching for an appropriate companion Jake Hurd Beehiiv.
Which’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack choice?” I believed that as well at first. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a lot to say– both the victories and the unusual traits. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, work out in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that can really help grow my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I began contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was considering this via the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
Yet dig a little deeper, and fractures start showing. The most significant one? You don’t actually have your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re primarily leasing an audience you can never fully get to.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights only switch on if the venue determines to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel terrific.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth devices, and zero system costs (aside from the typical Stripe cut). Yet assurances are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new platform normally feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Connecting my custom-made domain? A few small hiccups, yet nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One thing I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their support content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like someone sat down and stated, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Jake Hurd Beehiiv
Currently here’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, but don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome series based upon exactly how a person subscribed.
I ended up going complete investigative setting– playing with segments, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– simply to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Terrific, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, preview– it feels like it was designed by a person who’s really created a newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message could obtain sliced in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a rabbit opening of testing devices to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading and install examination emails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hands-on procedure, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding including better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference since switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just three months, I added over 160 new customers to a quite niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been also running paid ads.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s functioning and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash because for a lot of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects developers with brand names in such a way that does not really feel nasty or required. It’s built-in earnings possibility, plain and basic Jake Hurd Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to launch a premium subscription? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers into advocates without hanging uncomfortable boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you hit a strange bug or need deep help.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email size monitoring needs much better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or just tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to grow fast without paying system tax
You want something that feels constructed by developers, for designers
Will it address every problem? No. However in 3 months, it’s aided me expand faster, gain more, and anxiety less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit clearing up and actually range your newsletter with genuine tools that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.