Comparison of Beehiiv and Substack for Freelance Writers to Build an Audience Quickly
These two newsletter options may look similar, but they are different tools for freelance writers, content entrepreneurs, and digital marketers. They can complement each other for synergistic outcomes. They are not competitors. I introduce both briefly to inform and inspire you.
As a seasoned content marketing strategist, my clients and proteges ask about the best platforms for building and monetizing newsletters. In this short story, I briefly share my personal perspective. The recent question was, "Is Beehiiv Better than Substack?"
As a writer and curator, my goal is to raise awareness, educate, and inspire writers striving to build their audience and monetize their content. Substack and Beehiiv are like apples and oranges. Both are fruits with different textures, tastes, and nutritional values.
I enjoy providing beginners with insights into both platforms, highlighting their strengths and unique features. I am a fan of Substack. My business partner, a digital marketing expert, advocates for Beehiiv and has achieved notable success with it, thanks to her global reach.
For beginners, I published a detailed article about it from my main account (Dr Mehmet Yildiz) on Medium.com. In this post, I will touch on high-level points to give you unique perspectives. I also wrote about it on Substack using my Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights newsletter, followed by 22K+ freelance writers.
Here is the link to the article.
Beehiiv vs. Substack: The Ultimate Newsletter Showdown for Creators Demystifying two prominent newsletter platforms for the uninitiated offering a comprehensive guide based on years of…open.substack.com
What is?Substack?
Substack was founded in 2017 and grew very quickly, having over 20000 paid newsletters. It has useful features for monetization and community engagement for collaboration. Substack allows writers to set up paid subscriptions with different tiers and pricing options. Substack’s established tools, including social media integration like Notes and podcast support, provide a competitive advantage for content marketers. Over the past three years, I’ve observed Substack’s consistent performance and reliability.
Substack offers clean newsletter layouts with basic customization options. Its goal is simplicity and ease of use. It is accessible to writers of all technical skill levels. Substack supports paid subscriptions by deducting a 10% cut of the subscription fee. It gives writers 90% of their income. Substack lacks an ad network unlike Beehiiv. It only covers subscription-based monetization.
Substack's analytics cover essential metrics like subscriber growth, open rates, and engagement. While it includes some growth tools like referral programs and basic sharing features, Beehiiv offers more robust options in this area.
Substack also supports reader comments and discussions for a sense of community around newsletters. However, its integrations are more limited than Beehiiv’s, though it works well with email and social media for promotion. Overall, Substack is suitable for those who choose a straightforward, clean design and focus mainly on subscription-based revenue.
If you are new to Substack, you can check my beginner's guide to Substack, which is linked below.
How to Start Substack Instantly & Own Your Content/Audience Effectively Expanding Horizons for Writers by Leveraging the Power of Both Medium and Substack with a Diversification Strategymedium.com
Some writers want to write on multiple platforms to build their audience quickly. I explained why every writer needs a newsletter for this purpose.
Every Writer Needs a Newsletter Why we created a new Substack publication on Medium and how we will support writers through extended collaborationmedium.com
I explained how I will support creators, freelance writers, and entrepreneurs on Substack.com through the ILLUMINATION-Connect global network. It has thousands of subscribers and financial supporters, like founding members, paying more than others. The goal is to make it a philantropic organization but also make it sustainable through financial support from volunteers who can afford it. I explained it in an article linked below.
How I Architected a Charity Organization & Why I Will Run It Like a Business Outline of my draft plan for creators, freelancers, and entrepreneurs empowered by the Substack networkmedium.com
Some freelance writers quit Substack very quickly as they get overwhelmed. If you tried Substack and feel like it does not work for you, please check out this story, which explains the reasons, provides practical tips, and a checklist. Some writers found this reference helpful and grew their subscribers. Please don’t give up quickly and contact me on Substack Notes when you need support. I will guide you.
Why Your Substack Isn’t Taking Off & How Medium Might Be Holding You Back Unintentionally Success Requires Open Mind, Strategy, Plan, and Effort: Why a New Mindset and Meaningful Engagement Matter on Substack…medium.com
My content strategy changed in 2024. I used to invest 95% of my time on Medium. But now I focus more on Substack, allocating my 80%. You can learn about the reasons why I focus on Substack more than other platforms.
Why My Wise Mentors Advised Me 80% Substack, 15% NewsBreak, 5% Medium for My Writing Effort I explain the insights and strategies behind my new content marketing approach based on data-driven observations and…medium.com
I also enjoy contributing to NewsBreak, which has over 45 million monthly readers in the United States. If you live in the US and want to become a contributor to NewsBreak you can apply via this application form.
Now, let me briefly introduce Beehiiv to those who are unfamiliar.
What is Beehiiv?
Beehiiv was established in 2021. It is easy to use. I like its flexibility and affiliate marketing tools. It offers excellent design and customization options for newsletters. It allows users to play around with custom fonts, colors, and layouts. Beehiiv’s templates can help freelance writers create unique and professional-looking newsletters.
Beehiiv provides different monetization features like paid subscriptions with different tiers and pricing, an ad network for targeted advertisements, and affiliate marketing for earning commissions by promoting products. These options give creators diverse avenues to generate income.
Beehiiv offers growth tools such as referral programs and detailed analytics that provide insights into subscriber behavior and engagement. These tools are helpful for refining content strategy and expanding the subscriber base.
Community building is easy with Beehiiv, which features reader comments and discussions right within the newsletter and integrates with social media platforms to help engage the audience. The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to create and manage newsletters. It even provides tools to help users migrate from other platforms, like Substack.
Beehiiv has different plans, such as a free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers. My business partner uses the enterprise plan to accommodate her extensive subscriber base of over 3 million.
Beehiiv offers a partner program similar to Medium’s, providing more flexibility and earning opportunities for business-minded people.
Bottom Line
Both platforms support paid subscriptions. Beehiiv includes an ad network and affiliate marketing options, offering better monetization avenues than Substack. Beehiiv’s design flexibility and advanced growth tools make it a better choice for creators who want extensive customization and diverse income streams.
Substack’s simplicity and focus on subscription-based monetization make it excellent for freelance writers who prefer a simple approach. Substack’s established community features and reliable performance provide a stable foundation for building and engaging with a global audience. Substack and Beehiiv have their unique strengths and can help writers diversify their content strategy and reach a broader audience.
As a writer and content curator, I like Medium but I also contribute to other platforms like Substack, Beehiiv, NewsBreak, Quora, Medium, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X Premium. These platforms complement each other. They don't compete with Medium. They provide opportunities for freelance writers and content entrepreneurs to grow their audience. They are also good for digital marketers.
As a contented strategist and digital marketer, my goal is to build a bridge between Medium, Substack, Beehiiv, and other large platforms, creating a synergistic effect for freelance writers and entrepreneurs. To achieve this, my senior editors and I have launched a new publication on Medium titled Substack Mastery using ILLUMINATION’s global network. I invite every authentic writer to join this initiative, aiming to empower freelance writers and content entrepreneurs on both Medium and Substack.
Now I give you some examples of stories submitted to our publication previously known Substack on ILLUMINATION and now we call it Substack Mastery as our aim is to make every writer skilled in growing their newsletter on Substack using ILLUMINATION’S massive community on Substack. I will guide writers to make Substack as a passive or active income stream using my newsletter Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights on Substack.
领英推荐
Introductions Sample Stories Written by Substack?Writers on Medium
The following article links are published in our new publication Substack Mastery on Medium. If you are a freelance writer, content entrepreneur, or a digital marketer on Substack are you welcome to introduce your newsletters and give teasers of your posts in multiple stories. We will publish and promote them.
We will promote them because our goal is to support freelance writers, content developers, and digital marketers to grow their audience with community collaboration. Please check out our initial submission guidelines posted by ILLUMINATION-Curators who manage this special publication on Medium and link it to our Substack network.
As a freelance writer, content entrepreneur, or digital marketer, you can learn from the introductions, engage in them, and share them on your socials for collaboration. We are a collaborative, supportive, and joyful community both on Medium.com and Substack.com. Our editorial and curation team will publish your stories and promote your newsletters through our vast network.
Here are sample stories starting with my introduction. I hope you learn from these stories and connect with the authors.
Transitioning to a Focus on Newsletter Growth: My Shift from Five Years of Medium Publishing to… Lawson Wallace
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a content strategist, I wrote several stories like this for writers and readers you can find some of them in my list titled Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategies. I also distill them on my Substack newsletter Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights.
If you are a new reader, you may check out some of my topics, including the brain, mental health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, including 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years.
I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA and share distilled versions on SUBSTACK. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 31K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. You can contact me via my website. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories. Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium. You can read this story on Substack too.
Get an email whenever Dr Mehmet Yildiz publishes. He is a top writer and editor on Medium. dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
You are welcome to join the ILLUMINATION Community on Medium and Substack.
I have three newsletters on Substack to support different groups of writers and readers. They cover health, technology, and content strategy.
Health and Wellness by Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack Articles about health, well-being, fitness, self-improvement, personal/professional development, longevity and disease…dryildiz.substack.com
Technology Excellence and Leadership | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack My Professional Leadership Substack for Technology Leaders. Click to read Technology Excellence and Leadership, by Dr…dryildiztechnology.substack.com
Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack I share my experience in content development & marketing strategy. I am the founder of the ILLUMINATION publications on…drmehmetyildiz.substack.com
I look forward to subscribing and promoting your newsletters through my professional and social networks. You can connect with me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X Premium, where I promote Substack newsletters. It is faster to connect with me on Substack Notes or through my website, which has a contact option in the main menu.
Executive Technology & Science Consultant
2 个月Mr. Partnerships ?? | growing the world's best partner program @beehiiv and sharing insights along the way. ??
2 个月Let’s go! thanks for the love!? did you know you could get paid (a lot) for posts like this? I run the partner program at @beehiiv and would love to help you start earning https://www.beehiiv.com/partners
English teacher, writer, editor, and private tutor
2 个月Very informative- thank you so much for your insight! And for all you do to support writers!
Content Creator || Founder || Writer || Researcher || Podcaster
2 个月I absolutely learnt alot from this! Thanks for the guidance.
Helping Founder & CEO businesses attract their dream client -web design l Web developer l Personal Branding.
2 个月Thank you for introducing Beehiive and Substack. As a freelance writer, I appreciate learning about new tools that can enhance my work. It's great to know that they can complement each other for even better results. Your post was informative and inspiring. Thank you for sharing!