This post is your step-by-step playbook for maximizing revenue from both your newsletter and website. You’ll learn how to combine the strengths of platforms like beehiiv and Ezoic to create a seamless, scalable monetization strategy—no advanced tech skills required.
Beehiiv is a newsletter platform/email service provider designed to help creators grow, monetize and connect with their email audiences in a user friendly and effective way. Built by former Morning Brew employees, their newsletter platform is used by notable clients including The Milk Road and Cult of Mac.
Newsletters are important because it’s one of the last frontiers for creators to directly connect with their audience. It’s an audience that you own fully rather than renting from other 3rd party platforms like Google, Facebook, or TikTok which leaves you vulnerable to algorithm updates or platform bans. To help illustrate the importance of using newsletters as a traffic source - check out these stats from a study by Box Media and Two Cents Insights about how people find information online:
- 42% say Google is becoming less useful
- 66% think content quality is getting worse
- 61% of Gen Z + 53% of Millennials prefer AI tools over search engines
The takeaway? Direct audience connection matters more than ever. Begin building your newsletter audience today and future proof your business.
When it comes to running a successful online business, most newsletter and website owners fall into one of four categories:
1. Newsletter Only – You’re building an email list but don’t have a website to support content or monetization.
2. Website Only – You have a site with traffic, but you’re missing the opportunity to own your audience through email.
3. Newsletter + Website – A strong combo, but there’s still more you can do.
4. Newsletter + Website + 1st-Party Data – This is where the most advanced operators play. They collect and connect data from their email list and website to offer better value to advertisers and create smarter content strategies.
If you’re only operating in one or two of these areas, it might be time to blend your strategies. The top performers are integrating all four —and reaping the benefits. Keep reading to find out how you can get there too.
Newsletters and websites actually share many of the same monetization strategies—which is why combining both can be a powerful move. For example, both can be monetized with Direct Ad Sponsorships, Subscriptions, Affiliate Programs and selling your own product, course or service.
The real magic happens when you pair the two. A newsletter can drive engaged readers to your website, where you can promote even more of what you offer. Plus, websites open the door to programmatic display ads—a passive, scalable revenue stream that doesn’t require the effort of pitching sponsors. If you're only using one channel, consider how much more you could earn by using both together.
Most traditional monetization methods—like direct sponsorships, subscriptions, affiliate links, or selling a service—require ongoing effort. You have to manage partnerships, optimize funnels, and keep customers engaged. Programmatic display ads, on the other hand, are completely passive. Once they're set up, they run in the background and generate revenue every time someone visits your site.
While some businesses use programmatic ads as a side revenue stream, others rely on them entirely—and when done right, it can be incredibly lucrative. The key is balance. Smart business owners diversify their income so they’re not dependent on just one source. Programmatic ads are a great way to add reliable, low-effort revenue to that mix.
If you’re already running a newsletter, here’s an easy win: start sending some of your readers to a landing page or article on your website. Once they’re there, display ads can kick in and start generating passive income—no extra effort needed. It’s a simple way to boost your margins by making the most of traffic you’re already getting.
Building a newsletter list doesn’t just help you stay connected with your audience—it actually makes your website ads more valuable. That’s because email subscribers come with 1st-party data—information you’ve collected directly, like names, interests, and behaviors. Advertisers love this, especially as 3rd-party data is being phased out.
When someone clicks from your newsletter to your site, advertisers are often willing to pay more, since they’re reaching a known, high-quality user. At Ezoic, we’ve consistently seen higher RPMs (revenue per thousand visitors) for users identified through email lists compared to anonymous visitors from search engines.
In short: websites without a list are falling behind. But if you’re collecting 1st-party data, you’re already ahead—and advertisers are taking notice.
If you’re already building a newsletter list, you’re doing the hard part—collecting valuable 1st-party data. But here’s where it usually gets tricky: sharing that data with advertisers in a way that keeps your users anonymous and their privacy protected, while still making it useful for ad targeting.
That’s where Ezoic makes things simple. Our built-in identity solution handles this entire process for you—automating the secure sharing of data so advertisers can bid more, without you having to manage any of the technical complexity. It’s a win-win: better privacy for your audience and higher ad revenue for you.
The beehiiv and Ezoic integration makes it incredibly easy to connect your newsletter with your website monetization. All you need to do is generate an API key in beehiiv and enter it into your Ezoic settings. That’s it—your email list will automatically sync, allowing Ezoic to use your 1st-party data to help boost ad revenue with ad partners. It’s a simple setup that unlocks powerful results.
Now, let’s turn your newsletter and website into a revenue-generating machine! Here’s my playbook:
1. If you don’t have a newsletter yet, start one! Beehiiv makes it easy.
2. Build a website if you don’t have one yet (it’s a must for long-term growth).
3. Use your website to convert new users to subscribers
4. Drive traffic from your newsletter to your website by embedding strategic links in your emails.
5. Use Ezoic to monetize your site with ads and leverage your subscriber 1st-party data for maximum revenue.
6. Rinse and Repeat.
That’s the game plan—now it’s your turn to take action!
No worries, Ezoic has integrations with all the major providers including Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, MailerLite, Kit and more. Reach out if you need assistance setting up with your preferred email service provider.
Watch the Ezoic and beehiiv webinar replay on Youtube!
Written By: Gavin Bechtold
Gavin leads Enterprise Partnerships at Ezoic, where he works closely with top-tier publishers and brands to drive scalable growth and monetization strategies. With hands-on experience as a niche website and newsletter operator himself, Gavin brings a deep understanding of both the business and technical sides of digital publishing.
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