When it came time to choose a new e-mail system, I really did not want “adequate.” I required something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a years aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I had not been trying to find simply a tool– I was searching for a correct companion What Excites You The Most About Working at Beehiiv.
Which’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack choice?” I thought that as well at first. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to state– both the success and the strange quirks. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, settle in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that might actually aid expand my listing and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was looking at this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s preferred.
However dig a little much deeper, and fractures start showing. The most significant one? You do not in fact own your followers.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them straight. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting out a target market you can never completely get to.
It resembles doing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the venue decides to let the group see you. Doesn’t really feel wonderful.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist growth devices, and zero platform costs (apart from the usual Stripe cut). Yet promises are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t sound like bots 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 system generally feels like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Attaching my custom domain? A few small hiccups, yet nothing that required swearing at the display.
One thing I actually appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their assistance material– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like a person sat down and claimed, “Let’s not annoy the heck out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: What Excites You The Most About Working at Beehiiv
Now below’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it challenging to individualize welcome series based upon how a person joined.
I wound up going full detective setting– dabbling with sections, using different landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– just to construct a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, However Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, layout, preview– it seems like it was developed by somebody who’s in fact composed a newsletter or two.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message could get cut in half if you’re not careful. I learned this the hard way– then dropped a bunny opening of testing tools to enhance HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on procedure, yet it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning adding much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new customers to a pretty niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been also running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash because for many designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network links makers with brands in a way that doesn’t really feel nasty or compelled. It’s built-in revenue possibility, simple and easy What Excites You The Most About Working at Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to launch a premium subscription? I recognize exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development 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 sources. You can transform your readers right into supporters without dangling unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck an odd insect or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also standard.
Email size tracking requires much better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re aiming to expand fast without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels built by designers, for makers
Will it address every issue? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow faster, earn extra, and stress much less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop working out and in fact scale your newsletter with actual tools that respect your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.