When it came time to choose a new email system, I really did not desire “good enough.” I required something better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for just a tool– I was searching for a correct partner Kea Marketing LLC Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack alternative?” I believed that as well initially. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a great deal to claim– both the victories and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, resolve in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that might in fact assist expand my checklist and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin showing. The biggest one? You do not really own your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re essentially renting a target market you can never totally get to.
It’s like doing on a stage where the lights just activate if the location determines to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel terrific.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d think they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development devices, and zero platform costs (aside from the common Stripe cut). However pledges are very easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not sound like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new platform usually feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up forms? No crises. Attaching my customized domain name? A few small missteps, yet nothing that needed swearing at the display.
One point I actually valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their assistance material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like a person sat down and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Kea Marketing LLC Beehiiv
Now below’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, yet do not expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome sequences based on just how someone registered.
I ended up going full detective mode– playing with segments, utilizing separate landing pages, reading rare Reddit strings– just to build a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it feels like it was developed by somebody who’s really composed an e-newsletter or 2.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That suggests your magnificently crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– after that dropped a bunny opening of testing devices to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a hands-on process, however it works. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding adding far better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a rather specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
A lot of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your technique a whole lot simpler.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money since for the majority of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches creators with brand names in a way that doesn’t feel nasty or required. It’s integrated earnings capacity, plain and simple Kea Marketing LLC Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a premium registration? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your visitors right into advocates without dangling awkward swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to be successful. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a weird bug or need deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel as well standard.
Email size tracking needs much better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a checklist, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re looking to grow quickly without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that really feels developed by designers, for designers
Will it resolve every issue? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me expand quicker, make much more, and tension less concerning the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop resolving and in fact scale your newsletter with actual devices that respect your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.