Running a profitable newsletter doesn’t have to be your full-time job. I’m living proof of it! 

I work as an SEO specialist and content writer, so most of my time is spent on client projects and managing my website. However, even with a tight schedule, I still find one to two hours a week to grow and manage my newsletter on beehiiv.

Honestly, I’ve never treated it like a full-time job. It was rather a newsletter side project that I was always eager to do. 

Over time, I’ve realized that it’s not about how many hours you put in. Instead, it’s about having a system that works. It should help you attract new subscribers, keep them engaged, and turn their attention into income consistently.

In this post, I’ll walk you through what I call the “Creator Funnel.” I’ll show you how I grow my email list, connect with my readers, and monetize it with one weekly newsletter.

I believe it’s so simple that anyone can do it as a side hustle next to their full-time jobs.

Let’s dive in.

Why Trust Me?

I’m an SEO specialist and content creator who’s growing and making money from my newsletter on beehiiv. I only spend one to two hours a week on this side hustle, so I know how to make it work in a short amount of time.

When I first started my newsletter in 2020, I had no strategy to follow. I tried using different newsletter platforms, pivoted my newsletter twice, and kept changing my approach in search of what worked. 

Even though I started with a small email list of roughly 1,000 subscribers, I wanted to figure out how to send valuable content to my readers and monetize my efforts without burning out.

I remember staring at a blank email editor for hours every week, trying to come up with something worth sending. 

It used to take me three to four hours to write just one newsletter. This newsletter content workflow wasn’t sustainable; and, honestly, it was a waste of time.

So I decided to simplify.

Now, I follow a few key principles that cut my newsletter time in half and keep me sane:

That’s it!

Looking back, I wish someone had shared this approach with me earlier. It would’ve saved me countless hours writing newsletters that no one read or remembered.

Now that my side hustle is running smoothly, I’ll walk you through my Creator Funnel, starting with the first step: Attraction.

The first step in my creator funnel is attracting new subscribers. Ideally, it’s done on autopilot, so that you don’t have to spend your time on this task at all. 

In my case, I’ve built an automated system that keeps bringing in new subscribers, so I can focus on writing and creating instead of constantly promoting.

Here’s exactly what I’ve set up:

To be honest, beehiiv’s built-in growth features and monetization tools are a big reason I’ve never looked for another platform. 

Where else can you have all the toolkits and a great publishers’ community with various types of newsletters that can help you grow fast?

If you use all these tools, you’ll be able to accelerate your growth without too much effort. You can spend all the time you’re saving on creating helpful content for your audience. 

Let's talk more about it in my next step. 

Once people join your email list, the next challenge is keeping them engaged! That’s where having a simple, repeatable system helps a lot.

For my Contentpreneur Corner newsletter, which I send out once a week, I stick to a clear format. I’ve created templates for my recurring emails like Monthly Recaps and Affiliate Reports, and I reuse them all the time.

A go-to structure saves tons of time. I don’t have to stare at a blank page and wonder, “What do I write this week?” No writer’s block. I just write the content, make a few edits, and I’m good to go.

I also finish every newsletter edition with a quick poll: “How did you like today’s edition?” This one simple question gives me ongoing feedback from my audience, so I know what works and what doesn’t. 

If I see a drop in responses or low scores, it’s a sign to improve my content next time.

There’s beehiiv’s 3D Analytics, which is honestly one of my favorite features. It can show you where your subscribers come from and which newsletter editions perform best. 

Here’s a quick summary of the data you can measure, track, and analyze with beehiiv 3D Analytics:

I turn my engaged audience into income with my weekly newsletter using beehiiv’s powerful monetization features:

One of the easiest ways to earn with a newsletter is with sponsored ads. With beehiiv, you don’t have to pitch brands or search for sponsors. It has a built-in network of sponsors with some notable brands like HubSpot, Netflix, and Monday.com, to name a few. 

Here’s one interesting number that beehiiv makes public for their audience: in July 2025, all the creators using beehiiv made over $1 million from the Ad Network!

No matter your email list size, you can start monetizing your newsletter with beehiiv at any time. You’ll start getting ad offers automatically if you’re on the beehiiv Scale plan or above.

I typically get around five to seven ad suggestions each month. You’ve probably seen some of them in my weekly emails, like this sponsored ad from HubSpot. 

I don’t accept every ad proposal. I try to keep them relevant to my readers, so they feel natural, not like a sales pitch. 

beehiiv pays for verified clicks. So the bigger your audience is, the more you can potentially earn. For example, one of my newsletters made $112 from a single ad! Not bad for just one shot!

Another way I monetize my newsletter is through beehiiv Boosts. This feature lets you promote other newsletters and earn $1–$3 per verified subscriber. It’s basically passive income because you set it and forget it. 

Some creators, like Matt Navarra, have made over $18,000 through Boosts alone (over $25,000 total with beehiiv). 

Here’s what Navarra says about this monetization opportunity:

And finally, there are paid subscriptions. 

I used to think you had to offer something exclusive to make people subscribe. Honestly, you just need to get started! If people like your content, they’ll pay to support you. 

I now charge $7 for Contentpreneur Corner Premium, which includes two monthly editions, where I go deeper into my strategies and behind-the-scenes updates.

So, yes, it’s pretty much possible to monetize a weekly newsletter. With the right setup, you can turn your newsletter into a revenue stream without burning out.

Over the past years of growing my online business, I’ve learned that sustainable growth doesn’t come from doing more. Instead, it comes from doing what matters most.

If you are like me, running a newsletter solo, you probably don’t have endless hours each week to spend on it. 

Here’s my profitable newsletter side hustle strategy to maximize my newsletter revenue with minimal effort:

I like to keep things simple.

More tools usually mean potentially more things to break, more time troubleshooting, and more distractions from what really matters: creating content that connects with readers.

Right now, I run my newsletter with just a few key tools, and it works well:

That’s it!

In my experience, fewer tools = better focus and better results. So if you’re starting out or feeling overwhelmed, pick the best tools for newsletter automation and monetization and don’t overcomplicate it.

Anyone can build and grow a profitable newsletter with the right approach and tools. 

For my creator journey, I use beehiiv. 

beehiiv is not just a simple newsletter workflow tool. It’s a growth platform with built-in tools for attracting subscribers, monetizing your content, and tracking what works (and what doesn’t).

beehiiv has a bunch of creator spotlight stories that share how publishers use it to build solid online businesses. Others, like me, use it to power side projects without stress and big time commitment.

If you’ve been thinking about starting your own newsletter business or want to take your current one to the next level, give beehiiv a try completely free for 30 days. Who knows, maybe a few hours each week is all you need to turn your content into something truly rewarding.