Updated: Nov 25, 2024
Audio newsletter setup guide and FAQs
Transform your written content into an engaging audio experience for your readers by enabling the audio newsletter feature. With over a dozen unique voices to choose from, you can add a personal touch to each of your posts. Upon publishing, your subscribers can access an embedded audio player at the top of your web post, making it easier than ever for them to read, listen, and engage with your content on the go.
If you’re looking to feature audio files for your subscribers to listen to within your newsletter, refer to this article for detailed steps.
Watch and learn: How to Create an Audio Newsletter in beehiiv
How to enable the audio newsletter feature for a post
- From an open post, navigate to the Web page in the Post Builder. Toggle the Audio newsletter option on until it turns pink.
- Click into the Choose Voice options and select one of the names from the dropdown options. To hear a sample of a voice, click on the Volume icon next to the name.
- Once published to your website, your newsletter will feature a Listen Online option at the top of the post next to the Read Online option.
- When the Listen Online link is clicked, you’ll be taken to the web post with an audio file option at the top, found just underneath the author, date, and social icons.
Post editor blocks read or not read by the audio newsletter feature
When using the audio newsletter feature, not all options in the post editor will be read aloud. Refer to the tables below for which blocks are included or excluded.
Options under Basics
| Bulleted List | Read |
| Image | Read, if caption added |
| Blockquote | Read |
| Columns | Read |
| File Attachment | Not Read |
| Numbered List | Read |
| Code Block | Not Read |
| Content Break | Not Read |
| Subscriber Break | Subscriber must enter an email address in order to play audio/access post. |
| Button | Read |
| Table | Read |
| Section | Read |
| Table of Contents | Read |
Options under Headings
| H1 | Read |
| H2 | Read |
| H3 | Read |
| H4 | Read |
| H5 | Read |
| H6 | Read |
Options under Embeds
| Embed Link | Not Read |
| Tiktok | Not Read |
| Not Read | |
| Not Read | |
| YouTube | Not Read |
| Audio | Not Read |
Options under Dynamic Tags and Paid
| Footnotes | Read |
| Advertisement | Not Read |
| Referral Program | Not Read |
| HTML Snippet | Not Read |
| AI Writer | Not Read |
| Paywall Break | Subscriber must be logged into a paid account to access audio/content. |
| Recommendation | Read |
| AI Image | Read, if caption added |
| Poll | Not Read |
| Boosts | Read |
Frequently asked questions about audio newsletters
- Open the post you would like to edit.
- Access the post editor on the right and navigate to the Website tab.
- Toggle on the Audio Newsletter Setting and select a voice.
- After waiting for 5-10 minutes, visit the web post and play the audio.
My audio did not generate immediately. What can I do?
If your audio did not generate immediately, our system will automatically retry to generate your audio over the next several hours. If more than 3 hours have passed and your audio still has not been generated, please go to the Help page in your account for further assistance.
Is there a limit to how long my newsletter can be?
Our audio newsletter feature can be used on posts up to 10k characters long. Articles longer than 10k characters can still generate an audio newsletter, but your content will only generate the first 10k characters as audio. This is a hard limit that cannot be changed.
Can I enable the audio newsletter feature on previously published posts?
Yes, you can enable the audio newsletter feature on older posts. It may take between 5-10 minutes for the audio to load. Here's how:
Can I change the voice setting as a subscriber?
No, the voice setting is controlled by the publication.
Can I change the voice setting for my publication
Yes, you can change the voice setting for your post. Return to the post editor, select another voice, and allow 5-10 minutes for the updated selection to load.
Will the audio newsletter translate into a different language than what is in the post
No, the audio will playback in the same language as the post.
My post is in another language, not English, can I use the audio newsletter feature?
Yes, the audio will be in the language of the post. However, the voice may not match the voice selected in the editor.
Can a template be stored with the audio newsletter feature enabled, and will this create a new audio or use the old audio?
No, this is not possible at this time.
Can I use the audio newsletter feature on the mobile app?
Yes, you can playback the audio on the mobile app.
Can I use the audio newsletter feature for email-only posts?
No, the audio newsletter feature is only available for posts that are also sent to the website.
Can I download or embed the audio?
Yes, you can download the audio by clicking the three dots to the right of the player. However, you cannot embed the audio player directly into your post.
Can I play the audio directly in the email, or do I need to click a link?
You’ll need to click the Listen Online link found at the top of the email, which will take you to the post’s webpage where you can play the audio.
Can I add a thumbnail image for the audio newsletter, like with the audio embed feature?
No, the audio newsletter feature does not support thumbnail images.
Is there any retention data on time listened available?
No, not at this time.
Is the voice in the dropdown menu EJ from beehiiv? How can I record and use my own voice instead?
Yes, that’s EJ from beehiiv! At the moment, it’s not possible to customize this feature with your own voice. However, you can record an audio file and embed it directly into your post.
I set visibility settings on my post, but all of my audio played in the web version. Why did this happen?
When you apply visibility settings for free and paid subscribers to specific post blocks, the audio editor is not able to follow those restrictions. As a result, the entire post’s audio will be accessible to all subscribers on the web version.
I don’t want some of my content to be available in the audio version. What should I do?
To hide certain content from the audio web version, you can adjust the visibility settings for specific blocks. To do this, click on the 6-dots to the left of the block, select Visibility from the dropdown menu, and toggle off Show on Website. This will prevent the block from appearing on the website or in the audio, it will only be available to your email subscribers (if toggled on).
Can I share a whole post with audio for only my paid subscribers to hear?
Yes, in order to hide the audio for only your paid subscribers to access, you’ll want to add a Paywall Break to the top of the post (before you add any content). This will only be available to your paid subscriber’s when they log into their account.
Can I share a whole post with audio for only my logged in subscribers to be able to listen to?
Yes. In order to do this, you’ll want to add a Subscriber Break block to the top of your post. This will hide all of the content behind the break until the subscriber logs into their account.