So, you’ve been dabbling the concept of transforming your e-mail list into an income stream, yet you’re bewildered by all the options out there. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. If you’ve been making use of a fundamental email solution and damaging your head concerning sponsorships, ads, and paid subscriptions, it could be time to look into beehiiv. In this overview, I’ll stroll you via whatever you need to know about making use of beehiiv to transform your newsletter into cash money– all from my very own experience. Ready? Let’s dive in Jonathan Katz Beehiiv
Why You May be Stuck with Your Present Email System
You have actually possibly attempted the typical suspects: Mailchimp, ConvertKit (currently Kit), Substack, or something similar. And if you resemble the majority of small-scale material designers, here’s what likely happened:
- Limited Monetization Options
You have a handful of faithful customers– maybe 500 to 1,000 people– yet no very easy way to generate income. Sponsorships seem like a foreign language, and you’re not keen on cold-emailing brands monthly.
- Do It Yourself Automation Headaches
You want to trickle campaign new customers, send out a welcome collection, and section individuals for targeted e-mails … yet establishing those automations feels like you require a computer technology degree.
- Platform Fees Suck
Each time you think of paid memberships, the platform takes a huge chunk, and the settlement configuration is extra complex than it deserves.
- Development Stalls
Growth hacks appear to benefit everyone else– but not for you. You desire there was an easy way to find brand-new clients without by hand chasing them down.
I was in your footwear at the beginning of 2024. I ‘d been using Kit (previously ConvertKit), yet it seemed like a stumbling block for money making. Don’t get me wrong– Kit is great for constructing funnels and setting up standard automations. But when it came to making even a few hundred bucks a month from a tiny checklist, there wasn’t an apparent “on” switch.
Get in beehiiv.
My Switch to beehiiv: A Fact Examine
In January 2024, I finally shot and relocated my e-newsletter from Kit to beehiiv. Here’s the honest truth: I really did not have time to hunt down enrollers, negotiate prices, or develop difficult paid funnels. I run a SEO composing business permanent, so my e-newsletter was always going to be a side project. I needed something that almost ran itself.
The “Market Me” Minute
What offered me on beehiiv was simple:
- Built-In Monetization: Right from the start, beehiiv shouts, “Hey, you can earn money below!” It wasn’t an afterthought or a third-party add-on.
- Low-Effort Sponsorships: As opposed to me scouring LinkedIn for sponsors, beehiiv brings offers directly to my control panel. All I need to do is click “approve,” drop in the advertisement duplicate, and struck send out.
- Easy Earnings Boosts: By promoting other e-newsletters in my weekly e-mail, I gain $1–$ 3 per referred client. No heavy lifting, no complicated analytics– just constant, incremental revenue.
Looter alert: It repaid. In my first full year on beehiiv (2024 ), I pulled in $940 from ad sponsorships and boosts alone– on a listing that never ever covered 1,000 clients. I didn’t develop a paid program. I didn’t launch an item and I just let beehiiv do its thing.
My Partner Program Windfall
As if that had not been sufficient, I likewise signed up with the beehiiv Partner Program– basically an affiliate program. By covering beehiiv on my blog and sharing my experience with pals, I pocketed $5,108 in referral compensations with completion of 2024. Yep, you read that right: over 5 grand, just by speaking about the system.
So if you’re questioning whether beehiiv is worth it for little creators or newbies, take my word: It’s a game-changer. Yet, of course, it isn’t perfect. Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the awesome stuff you require to know.
The Upside of Using beehiiv
1. Monetization Made Ridiculously Easy
What I enjoy finest concerning beehiiv is just how easy it is to make money on auto-pilot. You don’t need a massive target market. Below’s just how it works:
- Advertisement Network Sponsorships: Once you strike simply 1,000 active subscribers, brand names begin lining up. You get 3– 6 advertisement demands monthly usually. You choose the ones you like, insert the duplicate, and you’re done. They pay per click or check out– no complicated invoicing. And because beehiiv matches you with appropriate brand names, your clients are more likely to click.
- Boosts Referral Earnings: Don’t have enrollers yet? Not a problem. Advertise other creator e-newsletters for $1–$ 3 per subscriber. It’s like Amazon’s affiliate program, but also for email listings. I made several hundred bucks this way without breaking a sweat.
- Paid Subscriptions (When You prepare): Down the line, if you decide to bill for premium web content, beehiiv takes a very little cost (2.9% + $0.30 per deal through Stripe). You can set up multiple pricing tiers, run cost-free tests, or even let clients “name their rate.”.
- Partner Program Payments: Not in it for the short haul? Sign up for the affiliate program. Make 60% commission on beehiiv’s monthly or yearly plans when a person join your code. It’s literally additional money for sharing something you already enjoy.
Simply put, beehiiv turns money making into a built-in feature, rather than a job you dread.
2. Analytics That Do Not Make Your Head Explode
If you’ve ever before stared at a control panel thinking, “What does any of this actually imply?”, you’ll value beehiiv’s method:.
- Clear Client Development Charts: See specifically how many new people joined, the amount of dropped off, and why your listing shrank (extra on that particular in a sec).
- Open and Click Rates: Beehiiv breaks down efficiency over the last 1 month, so you can identify fads right now. For example, I watched on my open rate (floating around 64%– tolerable) and my click-through (around 3.5%). If either statistics dips, I fine-tune my subject lines or calls-to-action.
- Monetization Dashboards: Sponsorship profits, boosts earnings, partner referral incomes– you get the picture. Profits streams are nicely separated so absolutely nothing obtains lost in the shuffle.
It’s like having a partner who informs you, “Hey, your January email killed it– below’s why,” or “Uh oh, your February open rates are tanking– let’s fix this.”.
3. Growing Your List Without Selling Your Soul
Many e-newsletter platforms will charge you for each additional client after a limit. Not so with beehiiv– for approximately 2,500 subscribers, it’s cost-free. You obtain:.
- Limitless e-mail sends out.
- Access to the boosts network (grow your target market by advertising your e-newsletter on various other beehiiv newsletters).
- Standard analytics and kinds.
If you’re a beginner or have a small target market, this is substantial. You can experiment with subject lines, send out regularity, and different lead magnets without bothering with striking a paywall.
4. Built-In Website & Personalized Pages
Think of dumping WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace entirely since your newsletter platform functions as a website builder. That’s beehiiv basically:.
- E-newsletter Archive Pages: All your past emails live on a blog-like page that’s automatically SEO-optimized.
- Personalized Landing Pages: Need a lead magnet web page? A thank-you web page? A page to market an item? You can build it right in beehiiv’s website builder.
- Mobile-Friendly Templates: Whatever looks great on phones– critical because a lots of people review e-mails on mobile.
Sure, you will not obtain every fancy drag-and-drop that a committed website builder provides, but also for many makers, it’s ample.
5. Referral Program to Turbo Charge Growth
Beehiiv’s referral program is amazing if you want to take advantage of a community of like-minded makers. When your customer clicks “Recommend This E-newsletter” and signs up with, both you and the referring maker obtain debt. It’s a clever means to expand your list without spamming.
The Downsides: What to Watch Out For
No item is excellent– and beehiiv has its hiccups. Prior to you dive in, here’s what may journey you up:.
Feature Overload at First
When you log in, there are so many choices– Types, Boosts, Advertisements, Partner Program, Analytics, Website Builder– that it can really feel overwhelming. If you’ve only utilized a straightforward service that sends one-off emails, you may require a number of days to get comfortable.
Irrelevant Ad Requests
In some cases the enrollers beehiiv matches you with have nothing to do with your specific niche. A gaming e-newsletter may obtain used a code-review device for designers. Make certain to decrease anything that doesn’t jive with your target market, or you’ll storage tank your click-throughs.
No Time Area– Based Sends Out
If your list is international, you can not automatically schedule e-mails based on each customer’s time zone. All sends out go out at the same time, so you may wake up to reduced open prices if half your list is asleep.
Customized Page Builder Isn’t Very Instinctive
Developing a landing page is possible, however the UI could be smoother. I invested a couple of hours (and a useful conversation with support) obtaining a free offer opt-in web page just right. If you’re impatient or design-averse, you may locate it confusing.
Limited Integrations
If you use Gumroad to market items, you’re out of good 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 constantly presenting updates– and those cons are slowly yet surely being dealt with.
Who Should Consider beehiiv?
Not everyone requires a totally featured newsletter platform. But if any of the following defines you, beehiiv may be a match made in heaven:.
- Outright Beginners: You’ve never ever sent an email blast, you don’t intend to spend money in advance, and you require a totally free, easy means to experiment. Beehiiv lets you start totally free, send out unrestricted e-mails to up to 2,500 customers, and expand naturally with the boosts network.
- Small-List Creators: If you already have a couple of hundred or a couple thousand clients however no hint just how to turn that right into revenue, beehiiv’s ad and boost programs are custom-made for you. In my very first 10 months, I was making concerning $92/month with a ~ 1k checklist. Tolerable for coffee cash, right?
- Makers Who Dislike “Salesy” Things: You do not want to pitch items nonstop or sling digital courses. You ‘d rather share worth, construct trust fund, and let the cash been available in on auto-pilot. Beehiiv’s ad network and boosts let you gain without crafting a four-part sales funnel.
- Switchers Who Do Not Intend To Reconstruct Everything: Perhaps you get on Substack, Ghost, or Mailchimp, and your e-mail automations are a twisted mess. Beehiiv guarantees a smooth migration from those systems. Plus, if you have a huge checklist (claim 10k+), you can get assist from beehiiv’s assistance group to relocate whatever over without losing your automations.
Beginning: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Join and Check Out the Dashboard
Once you produce an account, beehiiv drops you right into a control panel where you see your customer matter, open prices, click-through prices, and any pending advertisement offers. Think about it as your mission control– every little thing you need is just a click away.
Develop Your First Subscribe Form
Browse to Audience ’ Subscribe Forms ’ Create Brand-new Kind. You’ll require:
- A heading that hooks visitors
- A short blurb discussing what your e-newsletter has to do with
- A call-to-action switch (e.g., “Join My E-newsletter”)
- Your logo design or an appropriate image
- A post-subscribe message or redirect (e.g., “Thanks for joining! Examine your inbox in a sec.”)
You can pick from various type styles: full-width, fixed-width, slim embed (simply the e-mail area), or advanced (with tracking codes). The personalization alternatives are fundamental– shades for buttons and history images– but it’s surprisingly efficient for capturing e-mails.
Establish Your Website and Custom-made Pages
If you desire more than just a type, hop right into Layout ’ Website Builder ’ Personalized Pages ’ Internal Web Page. Use this to:
Host your e-newsletter archive (all past problems, searchable and SEO-friendly).
Create a landing page for a giveaway (e.g., “Download my SEO cheat sheet”).
Construct a thank-you page that goes live after a person subscribes.
I invested a couple of hours tweaking my initial landing page, once I mastered it, I understood how effective it is to have every little thing under one roof covering. As opposed to juggling Leadpages, WordPress, and Mailchimp, beehiiv does it all.
Draft Your Initial Newsletter
Click the large “Begin Writing” switch in the top-right edge. You’ll see a tidy, distraction-free editor where you can:
- Write your email copy Jonathan Katz Beehiiv
- Insert images, headers, and custom-made HTML obstructs
- Preview how it’ll look in inboxes and on your website
- Arrange or send out right away
One catch: Customization is restricted. Every subscriber sees “Hi there” rather than “Hi there [First Name]” If you need hyper-personalization, you could miss out on that. But also for most individuals, a pleasant, conversational introduction is enough.
Switch on Monetization
When you strike 1,000 energetic clients, beehiiv will certainly welcome you to:.
- Join the Ad Network: Instantly receive sponsorship requests that match your particular niche. Select which ones to approve, put the ad copy into your newsletter, and make money per click/view.
- Establish Boosts: Apply to promote various other newsletters. If a person signs up with using your web link, you make $1–$ 3 per subscriber.
For paid e-newsletters, navigate to Money making ’ Paid Memberships. You’ll link your Stripe account (beehiiv does not bill extra fees beyond Stripe’s handling), set your pricing plans (monthly, yearly, or “Call Your Rate”), and determine what web content goes behind the paywall.
Monitor and Maximize
Check your analytics weekly. If open prices go down below 40%, reconsider your subject lines. If a sponsorship obtains absolutely no clicks, it may be pointless to your target market– decline comparable future ads. When a boost converts well, submit more boost requests or tweak your deal.
It could feel like a whole lot at first, however I promise you’ll get the hang of it within a couple of days. And the benefits– both monetary and in terms of your target market’s development– deserve the first contour.
Deep Dive: beehiiv’s Monetization Options
If you’re serious about transforming your e-newsletter right into a lucrative equipment, let’s break down each earnings stream in detail.
1. beehiiv Partner Program (Affiliate Incomes)
Think about this as beehiiv’s affiliate program. Below’s the lowdown:.
- How It Works: You sign up for the Partner Program, grab your unique referral link, and share it on your blog site, Twitter, LinkedIn, anywhere. When somebody clicks, signs up for a paid plan (Scale or Max), you gain a payment.
- Payment Rates: As Much As 60% of their first-year repayment. If they pay $100, you may see $60. Cha-ching.
- Payment: Beehiiv pays month-to-month using PayPal. No minimum threshold, no hoops to jump with.
In my instance, I published a Medium blog post strolling people through my beehiiv experience (looter: this overview right here is part of that effort). Via a combination of blog web traffic and word-of-mouth, I transformed $5,000 in associate compensations by December 2024. All I did was share my genuine experience.
2. Boosts: Gain by Assisting Others Grow
Boosts are generally funded promotions– beehiiv’s spin on a “send for pay” version. Right here’s the scoop:.
- Become a Boost Sponsor: If you assume your newsletter can assist others grow, use in the Boosts control panel. You’ll describe why your target market is a good fit and set a cost you would certainly spend for a brand-new client.
- Put on Boost Others: If you want quick subscribers, you can pay to boost your e-newsletter on other developers’ lists. But what many tiny creators love is the reverse: you put on be a boost companion for various other e-newsletters. When someone signs up through your boost, you obtain $1–$ 3
- Limitations:
- You can send up to 25 boost offers monthly, yet beehiiv only surface areas three deals at once to prospective partners.
- If a boost is executing well, various other designers will certainly select it up rapidly.
Here’s a fast instance: In October 2024, I promoted a fellow search engine optimization designer’s e-newsletter for $1.75 per subscriber. Over 2 weeks, I generated 200 brand-new customers for them– and gained regarding $350 in the process. Win-win.
3. beehiiv Ad Network (Sponsored Ads)
This is where the big bucks can can be found in, even if your list is “tiny.” Right here’s how it goes:
- Eligibility: You need at least 1,000 energetic clients and a consistent send timetable (a minimum of one e-mail monthly, though once a week is suitable).
- Automation: Once authorized, you’ll start obtaining 3– 5 sponsorship demands monthly. Beehiiv matches you with brand names based upon your audience’s interests– so a marketing SaaS company might come close to an SEO-focused newsletter, for example.
- Repayment Version:
- Price Per Click (CPC): You earn money every time a person clicks the ad in your email.
- Price Per Mille (CPM): You make based on a thousand impacts.
- Alleviate of Use: You can approve or decline each offer right from your dashboard. Beehiiv handles all the invoicing. All you do is copy-paste the advertisement right into your newsletter.
In 2024, I ran 37 funded advertisements, consisting of a couple of prominent brands like HubSpot. I made $632 from advertisements alone, with my top campaign producing $112 from 35 clicks (4.5% click-through). Keep in mind: importance is king. Pointless ads tank click-through prices, so be selective.
4. Paid Subscriptions (” Costs Web Content”)
If you develop truly unique content– deep dive records, special tutorials, or expert evaluations– you may consider a paid rate. Right here’s the 101:
- Setup: Most Likely To Monetization ’ Paid Registrations, link Stripe, and select your pricing:
- Regular monthly
- Annual (usually marked down)
- Single settlement (for a single guide or course)
- Name Your Rate (your subscribers choose what they can manage)
- Income Split: Beehiiv does not bill you a system cost; they only pass Stripe’s processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) on to you.
- Instances: If you have 100 clients paying $7/month, that’s $700/month = $8,400/ year (minus Stripe charges). Not bad, ideal? Certainly, getting to 100 paid clients means you need a dedicated, engaged base.
Currently, be sensible: Paid memberships are a work. You need constant, high-value material that makes people comfortable taking out their pocketbooks. If you’re simply starting, the ad network and boosts might be quicker wins.
Pricing Plans: What You’ll Pay (and Get)
I know pricing is a large enigma when you’re considering switching systems. Below’s the break down since mid-2025:.
- Free Plan (as much as 2,500 customers): Great for pet projects or if you’re checking the waters. You still get boosts for list development, basic analytics, and endless sends– simply no advertisement network or paid subscriptions yet.
- Scale ($ 39.20/ month): Ideal if you’re serious about monetizing. You get ad network gain access to, boosts, paid registrations, and the AI Writing Aide to speed up your newsletter development.
- Max ($ 87.29/ month): If AI tools (image generation, grammar taking care of, translation) matter to you, and you want top priority support, this is the sweet area. And also, you can introduce a mobile app for your subscribers.
- Enterprise (100k+ clients): For brand names and mega-creators who require personalized movements, service-level contracts, and progressed safety. Very few little creators require this.
My suggestion? Beginning on the Free plan. Obtain a feel for the control panel, grow your list to 1,000, after that update to Scale as soon as you know you classifieds profits and boosts.
Special Features Jonathan Katz Beehiiv
You may be assuming, “Okay, ads and boosts are amazing. However what else can beehiiv do that can not?” Let me highlight a few standout features:.
1. Sound Newsletters
Ever before thought about transforming your e-mail into a podcast-like experience? Beehiiv’s built-in sound e-newsletter feature automatically converts your emails right into spoken-word audio. No additional editing and enhancing software, no outsourcing to Fiverr– just toggle it on, and your subscribers can pay attention on the go. For active audiences who drive or work out, this is a helpful means to remain linked.
2. Custom-made Mobile Apps for Visitors
Many platforms provide you a “mobile-optimized internet site.” Beehiiv goes one action additionally: you can introduce a custom mobile application for your clients. Once they include it to their home display, your e-newsletter ends up being a one-tap experience– no inbox mess. Think of awakening and seeing application notifications when you drop a new concern. Speak about engagement.
3. “Call Your Rate” Memberships
As opposed to compeling every person right into $5 or $7 tiers, let your most devoted fans determine what to pay. It’s a trust-building step and can lead to higher life time value. I haven’t examined this feature personally yet, but also for designers who feel a bit anxious about rate factors, it’s a wonderful option to trying out.
4. beehiiv AI Suite
For those on Scale and Max plans, beehiiv’s AI devices are a godsend:
- AI Writing Aide: Create e-newsletter drafts based on bullet points or topics. For days when you’re looking at an empty web page, this jumpstarts your creative thinking.
- AI Text Device: Grammar, spelling, tone checks– no need for Grammarly. You obtain a clean, polished draft that really feels human Jonathan Katz Beehiiv.
- AI Picture Device: Create custom-made header images or pictures without purchasing stock pictures. Just type a punctual, and voila.
- AI Translator: Intend to send your e-newsletter in several languages? Equate your content into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese instantly.
These features can shave hours off material development and aid you experiment with brand-new styles.
Pro Tips For Doing well on beehiiv
Now that you understand what beehiiv can do, below are some insider hacks to maximize it:
Tidy Your Checklist for Better Efficiency
In August 2024, I cut my subscriber count in half (from regarding 2,400 down to 1,200) by eliminating inactive e-mails– people who had not opened up anything in six months. My open rates jumped from ~ 45% to over 60%, which suggested marketers paid more per click. It hurt to lose clients, but a lean, involved checklist deserves more than a bloated, easy one.
Trying Out Subject Lines Like a Pro
Subject lines make or break open prices. Do A/B examinations on tiny sectors before sending to your entire listing. Brief, punchy, question-based subjects (” Ready to double your web traffic?”) commonly outperform generic ones (” April E-newsletter”).
Be Pickier with Ad Offers
If an ad doesn’t reverberate with your particular niche, say no. Unimportant ads irritate readers and container click metrics. In time, beehiiv’s algorithm will certainly learn what fits your audience– decrease sufficient off-topic deals, and they’ll quit sending them.
Use Boosts to Test New Audiences
Obtained a brand-new classification you intend to explore? Try improving your newsletter in a related particular niche. The expense per subscriber averages $1.63– yet if those customers linger, it deserves it. I when increased a search engine optimization e-newsletter in a digital marketing audience and obtained an unexpected uptick in retention.
Utilize AI for Faster Production
On nights when I’m stressed out, I ask the AI Composing Assistant to prepare a rough outline: intro, three bottom lines, verdict. Then I flesh it out with my own anecdotes and style tweaks. It’s not ideal, however it’s a solid foundation that saves me 30– 45 mins per e-mail.
Take Advantage of the Mobile App
Urge customers to install your newsletter’s mobile app. In your next email, compose a fast “Just how to Include Our Newsletter to Your Home Screen” tutorial. Even more application mounts indicate more presence, and push notifications defeat inbox noise.
Deal Periodic Paid-Only Material
As opposed to making every problem free, tease a “bonus offer report” once a quarter behind a paywall ($ 5–$ 7). Advertise it heavily to your list. Even if you only market 20 duplicates, that’s $100–$ 140 that offsets your regular monthly beehiiv bill.
Finishing up: Is beehiiv Right for You?
If you’ve stuck to me this much, you most likely come under one of these camps:
- You have actually never sent an e-newsletter, but you’re itching to begin– beehiiv’s free plan and intuitive tools are excellent for learning the ropes.
- You have a tiny listing (< 2,500) and intend to monetize without headaches-- beehiiv's advertisement network and boosts pay you for doing almost nothing additional.
- You’re a mid-sized developer (1k+ subscribers) aiming to scale– beehiiv’s analytics, AI devices, and referral program aid you expand much faster and earn extra.
- You despise complicated email systems– beehiiv strikes an equilibrium in between powerful features and easy to use style.
Sure, the feature collection can feel intimidating in the beginning, and you might get a few unimportant advertisement requests. Yet consider this: in under a year, I made practically $1,000 on a tiny listing and over $5,000 in affiliate payments just by sharing my experience. I have actually seen enough to know that if you spend a little time learning the system, the returns can be considerable.
So, what are you waiting on? Sign up for beehiiv, discover the control panel, and let the money making engines transform. Your future self will thanks when the checks roll in.