When it came time to choose a brand-new email system, I really did not desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After almost a decade aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find simply a device– I was hunting for a correct partner Vegan Tech Nomad Beehiiv.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack alternative?” I assumed that too at first. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to say– both the success and the odd traits. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that could actually aid expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, however I was considering this with the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little much deeper, and splits begin revealing. The largest one? You don’t in fact have your fans.
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 straight. Can not export them. You’re primarily renting an audience you can never fully reach.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights only activate if the venue makes a decision to allow the group see you. Does not really feel terrific.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and absolutely no system costs (apart from the normal Stripe cut). But guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound 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 inform you– moving to a new platform usually seems like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Linking my custom-made domain name? A few small hiccups, but nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
One thing I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their support content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Vegan Tech Nomad Beehiiv
Now right here’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however do not expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can just be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to personalize welcome series based upon how a person joined.
I ended up going full investigative mode– playing with sectors, utilizing different landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit threads– just to construct a couple of customized workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, However Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was made by somebody who’s in fact created an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That means your magnificently crafted message could obtain cut in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this the hard way– then decreased a rabbit hole of testing tools to enhance HTML dimension and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My best approach?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated procedure, yet it works. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding including better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Really Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just three months, I added over 160 brand-new clients to a quite particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid ads.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot simpler.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for many creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects creators with brands in such a way that does not feel icky or compelled. It’s built-in revenue potential, simple and basic Vegan Tech Nomad Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to release a premium subscription? I know precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a strange pest or require deep help.
Some automations still feel too standard.
Email size monitoring requires much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical items or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re looking to grow quickly without paying system tax
You desire something that feels developed by developers, for creators
Will it resolve every problem? No. But in 3 months, it’s helped me expand quicker, earn a lot more, and stress less concerning the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and in fact range your e-newsletter with real tools that value your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.