Cloudflare and beehiiv give publishers new AI crawler controls. Published: June 23, 2026 at 1:04 pm Read Time: 3 minutes A new dashboard shows which AI bots hit newsletters, what got blocked and whether any of that crawling sends readers back. Cloudflare and beehiiv added AI crawl controls to beehiiv's platform. This gives newsletter publishers a way to see, allow, or block AI bots from their dashboard as AI search becomes a new discovery path for web content. The integration, announced Tuesday, embeds Cloudflare's Crawl Control technology into beehiiv. It lets publishers manage how AI search engines and agents access their content, either by allowing crawlers for broader discovery or blocking scraping to protect archives for future licensing and monetization. AI bot data comes to the dashboard. beehiiv publishers will get an on-platform dashboard showing which AI crawlers tried to access their content, which were blocked, and how much referral traffic those crawlers sent back. The dashboard gives publishers a side-by-side view of crawler activity, blocking decisions and referral traffic from AI services. Publishers get simpler controls. The companies said publishers will be able to allow or block specific AI models with one-click permissions. Cloudflare will also update the system as new AI crawlers appear, reducing the need for publishers to manage robots.txt files, firewalls, or code changes themselves. What they're saying. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince said the partnership gives newsletter operators "transparency and control" as the internet changes; beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk said publishers need "real leverage" as AI changes how people find and consume content. From Cloudflare's announcement: * "As AI models evolve to offer new forms of search and discovery, independent creators are looking for flexible ways to understand and manage how their content is accessed. This integration simplifies the process by letting beehiiv users manage their digital footprint through two clear choices: publishers can either opt-in to maximum discovery to allow AI search engines and agents to crawl their work freely for broader distribution, or choose content protection, blocking AI scraping to preserve their archives for future monetization and licensing opportunities." Why Search Engine Land care. The key question is whether publishers will actually use these controls once they are available. AI crawling has outpaced many creators' ability to manage it, and adoption will show whether simple dashboard controls are enough to change publisher behavior. Rollout starts now. The new controls are rolling out through beehiiv's standard dashboard settings. All beehiiv users will get beta access to AI Crawl Control for visibility into AI crawler activity and traffic. beehiiv Max customers will also be able to block AI crawlers. Topics on this page. Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. Search Engine Land remain committed to providing high-quality coverage of marketing topics. Unless otherwise noted, this page's content was written by either an employee or a paid contractor of Semrush Inc. Danny Goodwin is Editorial Director of Search Engine Land & Search Marketing Expo - SMX. He joined Search Engine Land in 2022 as Senior Editor. In addition to reporting on the latest search marketing news, he manages Search Engine Land's SME (Subject Matter Expert) program. He also helps... [Read more]

BeeDirectory vs Paved vs Beehiiv Network: which is Best for newsletter sponsorships? Comparing the three main ways to find and buy Beehiiv newsletter sponsorships - BeeDirectory, Paved, and the Beehiiv Ad Network. Costs, features, and which is right for your budget. If you want to sponsor a Beehiiv newsletter, you have three main options: use a self-serve directory like BeeDirectory, work through an ad marketplace like Paved, or use Beehiiv's own ad network. Each works differently, costs differently, and suits different types of advertisers. This is an honest breakdown of all three - including where each one falls short. Quick summary. BeeDirectory | Paved | Beehiiv Ad Network | -|-|-|- | Cost to start | Free | Commission-based | Managed minimum | Self-serve | Yes | Partial | No | Direct contact with newsletters | Yes | No | No | Beehiiv-only | Yes | Multi-platform | Beehiiv only | AI matching | Yes | No | No | Minimum spend | None | ~$500 | $2,000+ | Commission/markup | None | 20-30% | Built-in markup | BeeDirectory. BeeDirectory is a self-serve directory of 1,000+ Beehiiv newsletters. Advertisers search by niche, audience size, sponsorship price, and language - then contact newsletter operators directly. How it works: * Search and filter the directory * Find newsletters that match your campaign * Get the operator's direct contact info (email, Twitter, LinkedIn) * Negotiate and buy directly - no middleman Pricing: Free to browse. $39 one-time payment for full access (direct contact info, AI matching, CSV export, outreach templates). Strengths: * No commissions - you pay the newsletter directly, not a platform fee on top * Full transparency on who you're buying from before you commit * AI matching helps you describe your campaign in plain English and get recommendations * Works for any budget, including very small tests ($100-$500) * Direct relationships with newsletter operators = more flexibility for custom deals Weaknesses: * Requires more manual work than a managed marketplace * You handle the outreach and negotiation yourself * Not all newsletters in the directory are actively seeking sponsors right now Best for: Advertisers who want to move fast, test multiple newsletters with small budgets, and negotiate directly. Ideal for bootstrapped startups, agencies, and growth teams doing their own media buying. Paved. Paved is a newsletter advertising marketplace that connects advertisers with newsletters across multiple platforms - Beehiiv, Substack, Mailchimp, and others. It operates more like a managed marketplace. How it works: * Create a campaign brief and budget * Paved matches you with available newsletters * Approve placements, Paved handles the logistics * Pay Paved, they pay the newsletters Pricing: Paved charges advertisers a commission on top of the newsletter's rate - typically 20-30%. A $1,000 newsletter placement may cost you $1,200-$1,300 through Paved. Minimum campaigns generally start around $500. Strengths: * Managed workflow - less manual work for the buyer * Multi-platform access (not just Beehiiv) * Some quality curation - newsletters apply to be listed * Campaign reporting dashboard included Weaknesses: * Commission significantly inflates your CPM * Less transparency on pricing before you commit * You can't contact newsletters directly - all communication goes through Paved * Less flexibility for custom deals or relationships * Harder to test with very small budgets Best for: Advertisers with larger budgets ($2,000+/month) who want a managed buying experience and don't mind paying a premium for less manual work. Beehiiv Ad Network. The Beehiiv Ad Network is Beehiiv's own programmatic-style ad product. Advertisers submit creatives, set targeting parameters, and Beehiiv distributes ads across newsletters in its network automatically. How it works: * Set up a campaign in the Beehiiv Ads dashboard * Define targeting (niche, geography, audience size) * Beehiiv places your ad across matching newsletters * You pay a CPM rate set by Beehiiv Pricing: Beehiiv charges a platform CPM with a built-in markup. Minimum campaign budgets are typically $2,000+. The effective CPM after markup is higher than direct newsletter deals. Strengths: * Scale - reach many newsletters with a single campaign setup * No outreach or negotiation required * Works like programmatic display ads (familiar to digital marketing teams) * Good for broad brand awareness campaigns Weaknesses: * No direct relationships with newsletter operators * No control over exactly which newsletters run your ad * CPM markup reduces ROI vs. direct deals * Less flexibility - you can't negotiate custom placements or exclusivity * Newsletter operators earn less, which can affect how much they promote your offer Best for: Brands with established creative assets, larger budgets, and awareness goals who want scale without manual outreach. Not ideal for performance marketing or tight CAC targets. Side-by-Side: which to choose? If you have a small budget ($200-$2,000). Use BeeDirectory. You can find and contact newsletters directly, test multiple small placements, and measure ROI without paying commissions on top of placement costs. If you have a medium budget ($2,000-$10,000/month) and want a managed process. Use Paved alongside BeeDirectory. Run managed campaigns through Paved for efficiency, and use BeeDirectory to find direct deals with newsletters you want to build long-term relationships with. If you have a large budget ($10,000+/month) and want scale. Use Beehiiv Ad Network for broad reach and brand awareness, and BeeDirectory for high-value direct placements in specific newsletters that matter most to your campaign. The hidden cost of managed marketplaces. Here's an illustration of how commission structures affect your real CPM: | Platform | You pay | Newsletter receives | Platform fee | -|-|-|- | Direct via BeeDirectory | $80 | $80 | $0 | Paved (25% commission) | $100 | $80 | $20 | Beehiiv Network (markup) | ~$110-130 | ~$60-70 | $40-60 | Over a $5,000 campaign, that difference compounds quickly. Final recommendation. For most advertisers, BeeDirectory is the right starting point. The $39 one-time fee pays for itself in the first negotiated deal - by going direct, you'll often save 20-30% versus marketplace rates while also building real relationships with newsletter operators. Use marketplaces when you need scale and have a budget to absorb the premium. Use BeeDirectory when you want to move fast, test cheaply, and own your media relationships. Start finding newsletters today. Browse 1,000+ Beehiiv newsletters filtered by niche, size, and budget.