When it came time to choose a new email system, I didn’t want “adequate.” I required something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a years aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a device– I was hunting for an appropriate companion What Is embeds.beehiiv.com.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack alternative?” I believed that too at first. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a lot to state– both the victories and the odd quirks. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, settle in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that can really help expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was considering this through the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little deeper, and cracks start revealing. The largest one? You don’t really have your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting a target market you can never fully get to.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the place makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel terrific.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d think they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and zero platform fees (other than the usual Stripe cut). But guarantees are very easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new platform generally feels like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up types? No meltdowns. Linking my personalized domain? A couple of minor hiccups, however nothing that required swearing at the display.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their support content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like someone sat down and stated, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: What Is embeds.beehiiv.com
Now here’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, yet do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome series based upon just how someone joined.
I wound up going full investigator mode– tinkering with sectors, utilizing separate landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit threads– just to develop a few tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, format, preview– it seems like it was created by someone who’s actually written a newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message may get chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this by hand– after that dropped a bunny hole of testing devices to maximize HTML dimension and avoid that feared clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install examination emails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a manual process, but it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv about adding much better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction since switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new clients to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been also running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a lot simpler.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for a lot of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links designers with brands in a manner that does not feel disgusting or forced. It’s built-in revenue capacity, simple and simple What Is embeds.beehiiv.com.
And when I’m ready to introduce a premium membership? I understand precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your visitors right into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to be successful. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow when you struck a strange insect or need deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel too fundamental.
Email dimension tracking requires much better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re offering physical products or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a listing, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want full possession of your audience
You’re looking to expand fast without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels developed by makers, for makers
Will it address every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s aided me expand much faster, earn more, and anxiety less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and really scale your e-newsletter with genuine tools that value your job and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.