The Stories Beehiiv – Launch, Scale & Monetize!

So, you have actually been toying with the idea of turning your e-mail listing into a revenue stream, but you’re overwhelmed by all the alternatives out there. Audio acquainted? You’re not alone. If you’ve been utilizing a standard e-mail service and scraping your head concerning sponsorships, advertisements, and paid subscriptions, it could be time to take a look at beehiiv. In this overview, I’ll stroll you through whatever you require to understand about making use of beehiiv to transform your e-newsletter right into cash– all from my own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in The Stories Beehiiv

Why You Could be Stuck with Your Existing Email System

You’ve probably attempted the usual suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (now Kit), Substack, or something comparable. And if you’re like the majority of small material makers, here’s what likely happened:

• Minimal Monetization Alternatives

You have a handful of faithful subscribers– possibly 500 to 1,000 people– but no simple means to generate income. Sponsorships feel like an international language, and you’re not keen on cold-emailing brands on a monthly basis.

• DIY Automation Headaches

You wish to leak campaign new customers, send out a welcome collection, and segment folks for targeted emails … however establishing those automations seems like you require a computer technology degree.

• System Costs Suck

Every time you consider paid registrations, the system takes a big piece, and the repayment setup is a lot more complex than it’s worth.

• Development Stalls

Growth hacks seem to benefit everybody else– yet not for you. You want there was an easy method to discover new customers without by hand chasing them down.

I remained in your shoes at the beginning of 2024. I ‘d been using Kit (previously ConvertKit), however it felt like a stumbling block for monetization. Do not get me wrong– Kit is excellent for developing funnels and establishing fundamental automations. However when it concerned making even a few hundred dollars a month from a small list, there wasn’t an obvious “on” button.

Go into beehiiv.

My Change to beehiiv: A Truth Inspect

In January 2024, I lastly pulled the trigger and relocated my newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Below’s the honest truth: I didn’t have time to hunt down sponsors, work out prices, or construct difficult paid funnels. I run a SEO writing company full-time, so my e-newsletter was always mosting likely to be a side project. I required something that almost ran itself.

The “Market Me” Moment

What offered me on beehiiv was straightforward:

• Integrated Monetization: Right from the beginning, beehiiv yells, “Hey, you can earn money right here!” It had not been an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
• Low-Effort Sponsorships: Instead of me searching LinkedIn for sponsors, beehiiv brings deals straight to my control panel. All I have to do is click “accept,” decrease in the advertisement copy, and hit send out.
• Easy Revenue Boosts: By promoting various other newsletters in my weekly e-mail, I make $1–$ 3 per referred subscriber. No hefty lifting, no complex analytics– just consistent, incremental revenue.

Spoiler alert: It repaid. In my very first complete year on beehiiv (2024 ), I pulled in $940 from advertisement sponsorships and boosts alone– on a checklist that never ever topped 1,000 subscribers. I didn’t develop a paid training course. I didn’t introduce an item and I simply let beehiiv do its point.

My Partner Program Windfall

As if that wasn’t enough, I also signed up with the beehiiv Partner Program– essentially an affiliate program. By blogging about beehiiv on my blog site and sharing my experience with pals, I filched $5,108 in referral commissions through completion of 2024. Yep, you check out that right: over 5 grand, just by discussing the platform.

So if you’re wondering whether beehiiv is worth it for small designers or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. Yet, obviously, it isn’t perfect. Let’s break down the great, the poor, and the great things you require to know.

The Advantage of Using beehiiv

1. Money Making Made Extremely Straightforward

What I love best about beehiiv is exactly how easy it is to make money on autopilot. You do not need a substantial target market. Right here’s just how it works:

• Ad Network Sponsorships: Once you strike just 1,000 energetic customers, brands start lining up. You get 3– 6 advertisement demands per month usually. You select the ones you like, insert the duplicate, and you’re done. They pay per click or view– no complex invoicing. And since beehiiv matches you with relevant brand names, your subscribers are most likely to click.
• Boosts Referral Income: Do not have sponsors yet? No worry. Advertise other developer e-newsletters for $1–$ 3 per client. It’s like Amazon’s affiliate program, but also for email checklists. I made numerous hundred dollars by doing this without breaking a sweat.
• Paid Subscriptions (When You’re Ready): Down the line, if you choose to charge for superior material, beehiiv takes a very little fee (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction through Stripe). You can establish multiple pricing rates, run free tests, or perhaps let customers “call their cost.”.
• Partner Program Payments: Not in it for the short haul? Enroll in the affiliate program. Earn 60% compensation on beehiiv’s monthly or yearly plans when somebody signs up with your code. It’s literally added cash money for sharing something you currently like.

In other words, beehiiv transforms monetization into an integrated feature, rather than a task you fear.

2. Analytics That Do Not Make Your Head Explode

If you’ve ever looked at a control panel thinking, “What does any one of this actually mean?”, you’ll appreciate beehiiv’s strategy:.

• Clear Client Growth Charts: See precisely the number of new individuals joined, the amount of dropped off, and why your list shrank (a lot more on that particular in a sec).
• Open and Click Prices: Beehiiv breaks down performance over the last one month, so you can identify trends as soon as possible. As an example, I kept an eye on my open rate (floating around 64%– tolerable) and my click-through (around 3.5%). If either metric dips, I tweak my subject lines or calls-to-action.
• Money making Dashboards: Sponsorship earnings, boosts revenue, partner referral profits– you understand. Revenue streams are nicely divided so nothing gets shed in the shuffle.

It’s like having a sidekick who tells you, “Hey, your January email killed it– below’s why,” or “Uh oh, your February open rates are tanking– let’s fix this.”.

3. Expanding Your List Without Offering Your Soul

A lot of e-newsletter systems will certainly bill you for every extra customer after a limit. Not so with beehiiv– for approximately 2,500 customers, it’s complimentary. You obtain:.

• Limitless email sends.
• Accessibility to the boosts network (grow your audience by advertising your newsletter on various other beehiiv newsletters).
• Standard analytics and types.

If you’re a beginner or have a small target market, this is huge. You can try out subject lines, send out regularity, and different lead magnets without stressing over striking a paywall.

4. Integrated Web Site & Personalized Pages

Picture dropping WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace altogether because your e-newsletter platform doubles as a website builder. That’s beehiiv in a nutshell:.

• E-newsletter Archive Pages: All your past e-mails reside on a blog-like web page that’s instantly SEO-optimized.
• Custom Landing Pages: Need a lead magnet page? A thank-you page? A web page to market an item? You can construct it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
• Mobile-Friendly Templates: Every little thing looks wonderful on phones– critical because a ton of folks read emails on mobile.

Certain, you will not get every elegant drag-and-drop that a committed website builder uses, however, for a lot of developers, it’s ample.

5. Referral Program to Supercharge Development

Beehiiv’s referral program is amazing if you want to tap into a community of similar creators. When your subscriber clicks “Recommend This E-newsletter” and joins, both you and the referring creator get credit report. It’s a wise way to grow your list without spamming.

The Downsides: What to Look out for

No item is excellent– and beehiiv has its hiccups. Prior to you dive in, here’s what could trip you up:.

Feature Overload in the beginning

When you visit, there are many options– Forms, Boosts, Advertisements, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can really feel frustrating. If you’ve just used a simple service that sends one-off e-mails, you could require a couple of days to get comfy.

Irrelevant Advertisement Requests

In some cases the sponsors beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your specific niche. A gaming e-newsletter may obtain offered a code-review tool for designers. Make sure to decline anything that doesn’t jive with your audience, or you’ll storage tank your click-throughs.

No Time Zone– Based Sends Out

If your listing is international, you can’t immediately set up emails based on each client’s time zone. All sends out head out at once, so you might get up to reduced open rates if half your checklist is asleep.

Personalized Page Builder Isn’t Extremely User-friendly

Creating a landing page is possible, however the UI could be smoother. I invested a couple of hours (and a practical chat with support) obtaining a giveaway opt-in page just right. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you may discover it cumbersome.

Restricted Integrations

If you make use of Gumroad to market products, you run out luck– no direct integration yet. You’ll have to make use of embed codes or a Zapier workaround.

All that claimed, beehiiv’s team is regularly rolling out updates– and those cons are slowly yet undoubtedly being resolved.

Who Should Think about beehiiv?

Not every person needs a fully included newsletter platform. Yet if any of the complying with describes you, beehiiv may be a match made in paradise:.

1. Absolute Beginners: You’ve never sent out an email blast, you don’t intend to invest cash upfront, and you require a free, easy method to experiment. Beehiiv allows you start free of charge, send out limitless e-mails to as much as 2,500 subscribers, and grow naturally with the boosts network.
2. Small-List Creators: If you currently have a few hundred or a couple thousand clients yet no hint how to transform that into revenue, beehiiv’s ad and boost programs are tailor-made for you. In my first ten months, I was making concerning $92/month with a ~ 1k list. Not bad for coffee money, right?
3. Creators Who Despise “Salesy” Things: You don’t want to pitch products continuously or sling digital training courses. You ‘d rather share value, construct count on, and let the money come in on auto-pilot. Beehiiv’s ad network and boosts let you earn without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
4. Switchers Who Don’t Intend To Rebuild Whatever: Maybe you’re on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your e-mail automations are a tangled mess. Beehiiv guarantees a smooth movement from those platforms. And also, if you have a big checklist (say 10k+), you can get aid from beehiiv’s assistance team to relocate everything over without losing your automations.

Getting going: A Detailed Walkthrough

Join and Explore the Control panel

As soon as you produce an account, beehiiv drops you right into a dashboard where you see your customer count, open rates, click-through rates, and any pending ad offers. Think about it as your mission control– whatever you need is simply a click away.

Develop Your Very First Subscribe Kind

Browse to Audience �’ Subscribe Types �’ Develop Brand-new Kind. You’ll require:

• A heading that hooks site visitors
• A brief blurb explaining what your e-newsletter has to do with
• A call-to-action switch (e.g., “Join My E-newsletter”)
• Your logo or a pertinent picture
• A post-subscribe message or redirect (e.g., “Many thanks for joining! Examine your inbox in a sec.”)

You can choose from different type designs: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (simply the e-mail area), or progressed (with tracking codes). The customization options are fundamental– shades for switches and background pictures– however it’s surprisingly efficient for recording emails.

Establish Your Website and Personalized Pages

If you want greater than just a form, jump right into Design �’ Website Builder �’ Personalized Pages �’ Internal Web Page. Use this to:

Host your newsletter archive (all previous issues, searchable and SEO-friendly).

Create a landing page for a freebie (e.g., “Download my SEO rip off sheet”).

Develop a thank-you page that goes online after someone subscribes.

I spent a couple of hours tweaking my initial landing page, once I mastered it, I recognized just how effective it is to have every little thing under one roof covering. Instead of managing Leadpages, WordPress, and Mailchimp, beehiiv does it all.

Draft Your First E-newsletter

Click the huge “Begin Creating” switch in the top-right corner. You’ll see a clean, distraction-free editor where you can:

• Write your email copy The Stories Beehiiv
• Insert photos, headers, and custom HTML blocks
• Preview how it’ll search in inboxes and on your web site
• Arrange or send quickly

One catch: Customization is restricted. Every client sees “Hello there” rather than “Hello there [Given name]” If you require hyper-personalization, you might miss out on that. However, for a lot of individuals, a pleasant, conversational introduction suffices.

Turn On Money making

As soon as you hit 1,000 active customers, beehiiv will invite you to:.

• Join the Ad Network: Immediately get sponsorship requests that match your particular niche. Pick which ones to accept, place the advertisement copy right into your newsletter, and earn money per click/view.
• Set Up Boosts: Relate to advertise other e-newsletters. If someone signs up with via your web link, you gain $1–$ 3 per client.

For paid e-newsletters, navigate to Monetization �’ Paid Memberships. You’ll connect your Stripe account (beehiiv does not bill added fees past Stripe’s handling), establish your pricing plans (monthly, annual, or “Call Your Rate”), and choose what material goes behind the paywall.

Screen and Maximize

Check your analytics weekly. If open rates go down listed below 40%, reconsider your subject lines. If a sponsorship obtains zero clicks, it could be unimportant to your audience– decline similar future ads. When a boost converts well, submit even more boost demands or modify your deal.

It might feel like a lot at first, yet I promise you’ll get the hang of it within a couple of days. And the benefits– both economic and in terms of your target market’s growth– are worth the preliminary curve.

Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Monetization Options

If you’re serious about transforming your newsletter right into a lucrative device, let’s break down each income stream carefully.

1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Revenues)

Think about this as beehiiv’s affiliate program. Right here’s the lowdown:.

• How It Functions: You sign up for the Partner Program, order your one-of-a-kind referral link, and share it on your blog site, Twitter, LinkedIn, wherever. When a person clicks, enroll in a paid plan (Scale or Max), you earn a compensation.
• Compensation Fees: Approximately 60% of their first-year settlement. If they pay $100, you might see $60. Cha-ching.
• Payment: Beehiiv pays regular monthly through PayPal. No minimum threshold, no hoops to jump with.

In my instance, I published a Medium blog post strolling individuals with my beehiiv experience (spoiler: this overview right here becomes part of that effort). With a combination of blog web traffic and word-of-mouth, I transformed $5,000 in affiliate payments by December 2024. All I did was share my genuine experience.

2. Boosts: Gain by Aiding Others Expand

Boosts are generally funded promotions– beehiiv’s spin on a “send for pay” model. Here’s the scoop:.

• Come To Be a Boost Sponsor: If you assume your newsletter can help others grow, use in the Boosts control panel. You’ll describe why your target market is an excellent fit and established a rate you ‘d spend for a brand-new subscriber.
• Put on Boost Others: If you want fast customers, you can pay to boost your newsletter on various other makers’ listings. However what the majority of small developers love is the reverse: you apply to be a boost companion for various other e-newsletters. When someone join with your boost, you obtain $1–$ 3
• Restrictions:
  • You can send up to 25 boost offers monthly, yet beehiiv only surfaces 3 offers at once to prospective partners.
  • If a boost is doing well, other designers will certainly select it up promptly.

Below’s a fast example: In October 2024, I promoted a fellow SEO developer’s newsletter for $1.75 per customer. Over two weeks, I produced 200 brand-new subscribers for them– and earned regarding $350 at the same time. Win-win.

3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Ads)

This is where the huge dollars can be available in, even if your list is “small.” Right here’s how it goes:

• Eligibility: You require a minimum of 1,000 energetic clients and a consistent send out routine (at the very least one email each month, though regular is excellent).
• Automation: When approved, you’ll begin receiving 3– 5 sponsorship requests monthly. Beehiiv matches you with brand names based upon your audience’s passions– so a marketing SaaS company could come close to an SEO-focused e-newsletter, for instance.
• Settlement Version:
  • Price Per Click (CPC): You generate income each time a person clicks the ad in your email.
  • Expense Per Mille (CPM): You earn based upon a thousand impacts.
• Relieve of Use: You can accept or decline each offer right from your control panel. Beehiiv takes care of all the invoicing. All you do is copy-paste the advertisement right into your e-newsletter.

In 2024, I ran 37 sponsored ads, including a few prominent brands like HubSpot. I made $632 from ads alone, with my leading campaign creating $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Keep in mind: relevance is king. Unnecessary advertisements storage tank click-through rates, so be careful.

4. Paid Subscriptions (” Premium Content”)

If you produce genuinely distinct material– deep dive reports, special tutorials, or insider evaluations– you may think about a paid rate. Here’s the 101:

• Setup: Most Likely To Monetization �’ Paid Registrations, connect Stripe, and select your pricing:
  • Regular monthly
  • Annual (normally discounted)
  • One-time payment (for a single overview or program)
  • Call Your Price (your customers choose what they can afford)
• Revenue Split: Beehiiv does not bill you a system cost; they only pass Stripe’s processing cost (2.9% + $0.30) on you.
• Examples: If you have 100 clients paying $7/month, that’s $700/month = $8,400/ year (minus Stripe charges). Okay, appropriate? Certainly, getting to 100 paid subscribers means you require a dedicated, involved base.

Now, be practical: Paid subscriptions are a work. You require constant, high-value web content that makes people comfortable pulling out their pocketbooks. If you’re simply beginning, the advertisement network and boosts might be quicker victories.

Pricing Plans: What You’ll Pay (and Get)

I recognize pricing is a huge question mark when you’re thinking of switching over systems. Below’s the malfunction as of mid-2025:.

• Free Plan (as much as 2,500 subscribers): Great for pet projects or if you’re testing the waters. You still get boosts for checklist growth, fundamental analytics, and unrestricted sends– simply no advertisement network or paid subscriptions yet.
• Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Ideal if you’re serious about monetizing. You obtain advertisement network access, boosts, paid memberships, and the AI Composing Aide to accelerate your e-newsletter production.
• Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI devices (picture generation, grammar repairing, translation) issue to you, and you desire top priority support, this is the wonderful spot. Plus, you can launch a mobile app for your subscribers.
• Enterprise (100k+ clients): For brand names and mega-creators who require personalized migrations, service-level contracts, and advanced protection. Few small creators require this.

My referral? Begin on the Free plan. Get a feel for the control panel, grow your list to 1,000, then update to Scale as soon as you understand you classifieds income and boosts.

One-of-a-kind Features The Stories Beehiiv

You may be assuming, “Okay, advertisements and boosts are amazing. Yet what else can beehiiv do that others can’t?” Let me highlight a few standout features:.

1. Sound Newsletters

Ever before thought about transforming your email right into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s integrated sound e-newsletter feature automatically converts your e-mails right into spoken-word audio. No additional editing software, no outsourcing to Fiverr– just toggle it on, and your subscribers can listen on the move. For busy audiences who drive or exercise, this is a convenient method to remain linked.

2. Custom-made Mobile Apps for Visitors

The majority of platforms offer you a “mobile-optimized site.” Beehiiv goes one action further: you can launch a customized mobile application for your subscribers. Once they include it to their home screen, your e-newsletter becomes a one-tap experience– no inbox mess. Imagine getting up and seeing application notices when you go down a new concern. Speak about involvement.

3. “Call Your Price” Subscriptions

Instead of compeling everybody into $5 or $7 rates, let your most dedicated followers choose what to pay. It’s a trust-building step and can lead to higher lifetime value. I haven’t examined this feature personally yet, however, for developers who really feel a little bit anxious regarding price points, it’s a wonderful option to explore.

4. beehiiv AI Collection

For those on Scale and Max plans, beehiiv’s AI devices are a blessing:

• AI Creating Aide: Produce e-newsletter drafts based on bullet factors or subjects. For days when you’re looking at a blank web page, this boosts your imagination.
• AI Text Tool: Grammar, punctuation, tone checks– no need for Grammarly. You get a clean, refined draft that really feels human The Stories Beehiiv.
• AI Image Device: Create customized header images or pictures without acquiring stock images. Just type a punctual, and voila.
• AI Translator: Want to send your newsletter in several languages? Translate your content into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese promptly.

These features can shave hours off material development and aid you try out new styles.

Pro Tips For Prospering on beehiiv

Since you understand what beehiiv can do, below are some expert hacks to take advantage of it:

Clean Your Listing for Better Efficiency

In August 2024, I cut my subscriber matter in half (from concerning 2,400 down to 1,200) by removing inactive e-mails– individuals who hadn’t opened up anything in six months. My open prices leapt from ~ 45% to over 60%, which indicated advertisers paid more per click. It harmed to shed subscribers, but a lean, involved list is worth greater than a bloated, passive one.

Trying Out Topic Lines Like a Pro

Subject lines make or burst rates. Do A/B tests on little segments prior to sending out to your entire listing. Short, punchy, question-based topics (” Ready to double your website traffic?”) commonly outperform common ones (” April Newsletter”).

Be Pickier with Advertisement Offers

If an advertisement does not resonate with your specific niche, say no. Pointless ads annoy visitors and tank click metrics. Gradually, beehiiv’s formula will certainly learn what fits your target market– decrease enough off-topic offers, and they’ll quit sending them.

Use Boosts to Check New Audiences

Obtained a brand-new category you wish to explore? Try increasing your e-newsletter in an associated niche. The price per client averages $1.63– however if those customers stick around, it’s worth it. I as soon as enhanced a search engine optimization e-newsletter in a digital marketing target market and got a surprising uptick in retention.

Leverage AI for Faster Production

On evenings when I’m stressed out, I ask the AI Creating Assistant to compose a rough outline: intro, three bottom lines, final thought. Then I flesh it out with my own anecdotes and design tweaks. It’s not excellent, however it’s a solid foundation that conserves me 30– 45 minutes per e-mail.

Make use of the Mobile App

Urge customers to mount your newsletter’s mobile application. In your next e-mail, compose a quick “How to Include Our Newsletter to Your Home Display” tutorial. More application mounts indicate more exposure, and press alerts beat inbox noise.

Deal Periodic Paid-Only Web Content

Rather than making every issue cost-free, tease a “benefit report” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Promote it greatly to your list. Even if you just offer 20 copies, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your monthly beehiiv expense.

Completing: Is beehiiv Right for You?

If you have actually stuck to me this much, you probably come under among these camps:

• You have actually never ever sent a newsletter, yet you’re itching to start– beehiiv’s free plan and user-friendly devices are ideal for learning the ropes.
• You have a small listing (< 2,500) and intend to generate income from without migraines-- beehiiv's advertisement network and boosts pay you for doing nearly absolutely nothing additional.
• You’re a mid-sized creator (1k+ customers) wanting to range– beehiiv’s analytics, AI devices, and referral program assist you expand quicker and earn much more.
• You despise complex e-mail platforms– beehiiv strikes a balance between powerful features and straightforward design.

Certain, the feature collection can feel daunting in the beginning, and you may obtain a couple of unimportant advertisement requests. Yet consider this: in under a year, I made nearly $1,000 on a small checklist and over $5,000 in associate commissions just by sharing my experience. I’ve seen enough to recognize that if you spend a bit of time learning the platform, the returns can be considerable.

So, what are you waiting on? Enroll in beehiiv, explore the control panel, and let the money making engines transform. Your future self will certainly thanks when the checks roll in.