Why We Write For Tweak Your Biz

Tweak Your Biz » Global » Why We Write For Tweak Your Biz

Why We Write For Tweak Your Biz

by Sian Phillips on July 17th, 2012
59 Comments

Tweak Your Biz (formerly Bloggertone) is a business blogging community that has been online for three years. In those years it has grown into a recognised international online publication.

Having different contributors who are all experts in their field makes TYB a “go to” place for original, bona fide and relevant articles which are helpful to everyone. I thought I’d ask a few of the regular contributors what they see as the benefits for writing for Tweak Your Biz and here are their answers below:

Anton McCarthy

Community - it’s always about the people and this always has to come first – there is a real sense of community and this is driven by the community manager first and foremost.

Sharing – people are generally willing to share your content and help you get it out there for others to discover, comment on and share in turn. This helps to build your profile and make connections that you otherwise might never make.

Discovery – I’ve learned lots from reading some great articles on the site, it’s just a great place to learn and discover and get an insight into how other people see things and how they handle various aspects of business. It is somewhere that can always be relied upon to deliver in terms of tips, tricks and techniques you can implement and benefit from in your own work.

Lorna Sixsmith

Community aspect is good too – getting to know more bloggers/biz people and can further relationships in this group and on twitter etc. TweakYourBiz is a good source of knowledge for businesses.

Elaine Rogers

Interacting with like-minded people working in different industries. Members are über supportive of each other and proactively share posts outside of TYB. This is a culture created and empowered by the community manager. It all revolves around them. Keeps me writing

John Perrin

Broadcasting knowledge and experience we have all gained over time, helping others grow and have the chance to expand as the rich content gets added by everyone at TYB. The benefits have been that the circle of support via retweets, comments and likes has helped me to grow within the social media scene and with other communities.

Elish Bul-Godley

Writing for TweakYourBiz is good practice for writing copy and blogging in general as the more I do it the more it infects my content writing skills in other areas and it disciplines me. The network of writers and experts is in itself a draw as personally I can refer to, call upon and ask people I know about relevant topics I may be trying to grapple with personally or in my business.

It is a superior set up to other guest writing I have done because the community is proactive in Retweets and shares etc and builds momentum fast when spreading news related to the blog itself or other ideas I may bring to the group.

In short the Community is an added bonus I did not see at the start. It’s good for Crowdsourcing ideas and content too. Interviews and profiles inserted into blogs are great for generating or cementing relationships in my sector that I would like to propagate. TweakYourBiz provides a good profile in terms of your CV or establishing your product knowledge in the sector you work in. It also provides ready and useful content for newsletters and for sharing on my community pages.

Warren J. Rutherford

I was looking for a “management-related” blog focus and when I searched over the winter I found TweakYourBiz. I find the community resource is greater than an outlet for me to write, I have learned a ton from other well-informed female and male writers skilled in other aspects of social media.

Learning from others on how the writing will benefit my business more, beyond the awareness piece. I also think the relationship with Bizsugar is a huge component for us and another outlet.

Christina Giliberti

There are multiple reasons to write with TweakYourBiz. The simple joy of writing a challenging post, the responsive feedback, the support from others, application of posts and yes, the community of people that become more than fellow writers – they become friends.

Elli StGeorge-Godfrey

It’s hard to believe it’s been 2 years (I started with Bloggertone). The Benefits-> It’s an additional outlet where I can share my expertise and saying that I’m a regular contributor gives me some additional credibility. Creating high quality posts is a continuous goal of mine and knowing that TYB has both friends and a wide reach spurs me to do well.

However, I really enjoy the camaraderie and the ability to ask questions of other talented professionals. I appreciate the give and take of sharing others’ posts and seeing my posts shared as well. The comments after each post make me think and smile. It’s a warm, inspiring and energising community!

Gary Bembridge

So far, I have probably learnt more by following the posts and articles on TweakYourBiz / Bloggertone than writing for it. As by writing I have paid more attention and been a more “active” follower. The biggest benefit I have seen so far is getting my thoughts out to a wider audience and getting a more varied and diverse feedback and discussion than just through my blog alone. I have found more people that follow me and I follow on Twitter and blogs than would have found as a result.

Aoife Rigney

For me, TweakYourBiz provided the opportunity to network with the best in the industry, as well as access the experience, tips and advice of fantastic successful business people. Also, TYB helped me to blog better – both better content and structure.

I aim to produce high quality, helpful posts which are beneficial to businesses, and Tweak Your Biz encourages this. I also enjoy reading other peoples posts and being able to ask questions to those involved in TYB which I would never have been able to contact before.

John Twohig

TweakYourBiz gives me access to an online community, which allows me to receive feedback on my posts from people whose opinions I respect. Add to that a resource which educates me on the use of the online space for business, win/win.

Sian Phillips

And finally me. I have been writing for Bloggertone then TweakYourBiz from the beginning as a lot of us still involved have. I’ve watched it grow into an amazing portal of information for businesses who can tap into all the different resources available.

An important benefit to me is learning a huge amount about writing from the other members of TYB but most especially from our Community Manager Niall Devitt. Having stepped in for him now and then I realise the massive amount of time and energy that has to go into making TweakYourBiz what it is today.

It’s recent connection with Bizsugar via Anita Campbell becoming CEO has extended our reach even further. Bizsugar is a site that all SME’s should check out too for great business blogs.

And for me – apart from all the plus points mentioned by everyone else, I have gained new work from writing for TweakYourBiz, as far afield as Los Angeles and closer to home too. I’ve realised how much I enjoy interviewing people and I’m still learning every day. I have grown my network considerably and made some great friends via my peers here too. All in all it is a brilliant community to write for and be involved in.

So from the above you can see we’d all highly recommend writing for TweakYourBiz and you can find out more here – Become A Blogger at Tweak Your Biz

Did you like this article? Sign up for our RSS, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter

Category: Global Irish, International Marketing

Tags: bizsugar, Blog writing, business blogs, experts, online community, TweakYourBiz

The Author: Sian Phillips

Sian Phillips is the Managing Editor of TweakYourBiz.com, an Associate with The Ahain Group and a Moderator on Bizsugar.com. With over 20 years’ worth of experience in business and accounting Sian provides help to the SME sector. The other half of Sian’s day is spent working in the Social Media space; writing blog posts and conducting interviews for TweakYourBiz.com, plus writing for clients globally about Social Business and Accounting. She is a qualified Accountant with an Honours Diploma in Journalism too. http://www.sianphillips.ie

Add Your Comment

http://www.tweakyourbiz.com Niall Devitt

lol, this is great fun, really well written and comes with a serious message, great post! As someone who now has to spend a lot of time online, I couldn’t agree more with your fix num 2. Having a strategy is the first step in ensuring the 10 signs of burnout don’t take hold
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Hi Niall and thanks for your comments,nnSocial media is fun, so it makes sense to keep posts about it fun too. Something I’ve seen a great deal of of late is people losing the momentum after the initial jump into the social media world. It’s exciting to try something new, but when you become bored, or unsure, or even disappointed with the results, you can hit the wall. I’m sure commenters will have many pointers to kick-start a tired page, as an extention of my pointers above.
http://twitter.com/gianniponzi Gianni Ponzi

A lot of my Twitter stream is nonsense………uh oh!
http://twitter.com/xcelbusiness Helen Cousins

I sometimes find I miss the best parts of a TV show as I’m tweeting about the last partu00a0…n You can definitely have too much of a good thing. Pace is everything, so I guess that’s where strategy (your #2 cure above) comes in.u00a0NIce one Christina
http://www.garrendennylane.ie/blog Lorna

I have to admit I love social media and while I agree that keeping up face to face contact with friends over those coffee mornings is still really important, I’m finding I am making new and v good friends thru social media that I then go on to meet up with in person.nHave to admit though, bloggers block does hit in very occasionally and I’ve struggled a bit this summer, posting twice or 3 times a week compared to my normal 4 times but that’s just been with the kids off.nBut yes, having a strategy is important, my strategy for my summer posts was to deal with interiors related topics from A-Z rather than trying to keep up with my usual posts and trying to think of new topics and it kept me sane!nGreat post Christina
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

O’dear Gianni. It is wise to have a ‘real’ conversation and natter with online buddies. Shows your human side. But does the bulk of your tweets support your business aims? Do they convert? Are you monitoring and measuring?
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Thank you Helen, Real-time comms does seem to have that effect. What happened to those days when we would enjoy, savour and the write or chat about? lol nnPace and targets….everything has an end result. Be fin, be spontaneous, but be targeted. My wise words of the day..haha
http://www.encouragingexcellence.ie/ Mairu00e9ad Kelly

I’ve been on Facebook since 2007 and I find it ebbs and flows.u00a0 Usually during school holidays, August specially, for the last 2 years on Facebook has been quieter than any other month on my wall.u00a0 It’s also the month when I really feel like “sod it, I can’t be bothered with it all”.u00a0 I know that when the kids go back to school in September and the normal routine settles back in I’ll get my mojo back.nnDespite the advice to keep at it from many experts I think when something gets to that point it is time to step back and take a break, even if only for a week, so that you come back with fresh eyes and hopefully renewed vigour.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Like me Lorna… ; 0 ) nI second your comment, you can make some excellent friends on social media channels. nnGlad to hear that you are proof that strategy works….keeping you sane is a reason to use one for sure. So many good reasons, pity businesses are not using them….but, arhh well, we all find our way eventually.u00a0 Topics are good. I’ve written topic lists for the year for some clients. Trending topics and current events are also great to slot in there.nnThanks for your comments!
http://beyondbreastcancer.wordpress.com/ Marie

I suggest inviting guest writers on your blog. They can fill the gap and give you some breathing space while you are dealing with blog burn outu00a0 and often they can inject a new lease of life into your blog and maybe help shift your writers block.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

O’ absolutely….and give a different angle and voice.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Hi Mairead,nnIt does doesn’t it and mood makes a difference too (point 3). I wonder if businesses are scared to take that logical step back ?? Its best in the long run.nnHere’s to your ‘mojo’!
Anonymous

As a cure I’d add go offline for a bit. u00a0Take a walk or go do something totally non work related for a bit. u00a0If you can empty your mind of work you’ll often find that the ideas start flowing again.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Similar vein to Mairead’s comment of ‘time to step back and take a break’. Too much of anyting in one go isn’t a good thing – everything in moderation!nnThanks for adding!
http://www.managementdirect.com Management Direct

I like the formula, plan, speak when you have something to say, don’t force. Like proper social reaction I guess. I am always more comfortable with social media the more truly sociable the interaction is. Thanks for some really useful thoughts. Brian
http://www.perfectplansforlife.com Breda Stackpool

Oh Christina.. I absolutely agree with everything you have said..love the post by the way!nnI think social burnout has very similar symptoms to ..”New user on Social Media” or “No idea where to start/how to useu00a0social media”. nnYour tips to put you back in the Social GamePlanu00a0will offer a helpful solution to all these aliments!nnI’m not too proud to admitu00a0that I suffered from these problems myself once, but a plan, strategy and direction helped me get back on track. nnAnd the great thing is this advice can be used to jazz up your social media activity regardless of what kind of business you are in! Sometimes a little “thinking outside the box” is needed, but it is possible.nnMy added tip would be if you are really stuck or don’t know how (or maybe why) you should implement these tips then ask for some help..Its amazing what a fresh set of eyes or a sounding board can help you achieve.nn
Leslie

The irony of living the Social life is that you are sitting at a table tweeting strangers and ignoring the people at your table, that have real skin. Balance, anyone?
Debbie Bruce

Very relevant topic, great article.u00a0 I do think social media is here to stay, but agree that people are becoming exhausted with the maintenance.u00a0 Innovation and fresh ideas are always the answer to keeping the public’s interest, despite the platform.u00a0 Thanks for the tips.u00a0
http://www.uprinting.com/business-cards.html business cards online

This is a very timely post. I guess social networking sites has been really rampant and has caused a lot of changes in the market and even to ourselves. I have experienced a couple of times the feeling of social burnout. I had to deactivate my online profiles for a couple of weeks and really get back to the “old and traditional life”. It felt good and you know, going out and doing a lot of activities just to make myself busy.
http://www.jexaa.co.uk/ Android Tablet

Well written article.I appreciate your writing skills.Its great.I have experienced a couple of times the feeling of social burnout.Your tips to put you back in the Social GamePlanu00a0will offer a helpful solution to all these aliments!
Anonymous

Great post Christina. u00a0I agree that strategy and objectives are vital. u00a0I also think you’ve got to be realistic as to what you can and can’t achieve. u00a0If you an only afford 30 minutes a day on Social sites, you better have a plan on how you are going to invest those 30 minutes.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Hi Android,nnCheers. I think we all have at times…we really push ourselves to write and at times, doesn’t comes to mind. Finding inspiration in the things you most passonate about and giving them a business/marketing/tech twist will enrich them. Try it!nnGlad you enjoyed.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Excellent Frank! Being efficient online is definately important. Time can run away with you. Be strict with your time…because time is money.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Hi there,nThe mix of online and offline is ideal. I don’t think we should lock ourselves up in our houses and just communicate via the internet; we should get out and about and network in the real world too. Use the strengths of each to our advantage.nnThanks for commenting. Very interesting to note what works for businesses.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

You’re welcome Debbie.nThe nature of the game is ‘keep it fresh’ and these days we have to constantly think and innovate. Sometimes you do want to switch off…..but thats a good thing. Do whats right for you and that works.nEach platform will change over time and new apps etc will come into play which will dictate many ideas for us.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Great line Leslie,nFrom my studies of behaviours, the mindset is that chatting to people online allows you to be more open and friendy. Face to face chats require more effort…I know that sounds wierd, but online is ‘easier’ in a sense to communicate. Your voice and looks are not barriors…and I know that that sounds awful, but we do make judgement calls based on looks – its one of the resons that most don’t like sending a photo with a CV or making a video CV. Less barriers. nArhh, my thought anyway ; 0 )nnNice insight, thought-provoking and true – thanks!
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Hi Brian,nnI guess its logical. But logic can escape us because social media is real time. We just find ourselves typing for the sake of it….to be part of it.nnBe inspired, then type. Plan a brilliant campaign, then type a message and share with this in mind. And always keep breathing!! lolnn’The only pressure, is the pressure you place on yourself.’nnGlad the blog post is of use to you. My job is doneu00a0 ; 0 )
http://www.smartsolutions.ie/blog/ Elaine Rogers

I spent the majority of 2009-2010 actually signing up and completing profiles on social media and social networking sites, platforms and forums. God was it tiring. So it’s been curtailed down to a chosen few, mostly based on what is being used here in Ireland.nnArrg, I have a total block these days, blogging, tweeting FB – am allergic, only nip in now and then to read fantastic posts like this one. Perhaps like some of the others, it’s summer related :-/nnThanks Tina, great revelations and great tips to counteract. Strategy is key, or at least a planner for blogs and possible scheduling tweets, but easier said sometimes!nnGreat post – loved it! Thank you.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Wonderful comment Breda! nnNew users do have similar issues and many are floundering because (from my research) they keep giving the responsibility to their teen children or friend down the road. Social media is a marketing tool. No doubt about it. So, the person or people managing it must understand how to market…in a social way. Thats not natural for some….its a mindest and a learning experience. nnHopefully my tips will give a bit of direction, there’s plenty of info out their from those in the trade that you an learn.nnI’ve found that because social media is easy to set up and free, they wonder why they need to pay someone to manage it or give direction. Why spend money when they can type away themselves? We all need a bit of help at times with areas that we are unsure of. The return on investment is higher, because those who have studied it know all the tricks and techniques.nnThanks so much for your comment, and the support. You’re proof that a plan and strategy works….!
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Arhhh, you have a knack for it Elaine, don’t be so modest!nnThere are certainly a surplus of options out there. Each one you feel you have to sign up for because it could be the next Facebook or Twitter….but current stats and surveys will always highlight the best of the bunch and which people personally/businesses prefer. These are the one to condense down to, because they work for your setup. When I customise strategies, I actually say, ‘this platform and this platform we’ll run with, the others, we drop.’ The shocked faces are a picture……! You use what works for your service and geographical location, not what doesn’t. Simple logic!nnIt’s startegy all the way girl!!!!nnThanks for your honest and lovely words.
http://www.DIYMarketers.com Ivana Taylor

Hi Christina – brilliant post. I’m glad you also included strategies on how to overcome burnout. Do you think that having so many social media channels to manage contributes to the overwhelm?
http://www.smartsolutions.ie/blog/ Elaine Rogers

Actually – there is a Freudian typo there Tina – startegy!! A new word – a strategy to get started love it!!
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

What would I do without teacher Elaine! Fail English I reckon……lol
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Hi Ivana,nnYes indeed-d! Its overwealming for businesses with no prior experience or knowledge of current stats and usage. We are all inundated with promo messages, urging us to sign up to the new ‘big’ thing. It’s hard for businesses, because they have to try and predict or just sign up to everything in the hope something takes off. But this is inefficient and time-consuming. Most forget what they’ve signed up to, let alone passwords. And then when should they follow up? What activity should they do? When do they fit it in? nnA strategy and clear plan will ease the stresses and help businesses focus. They can experiment, but measure it too.nnThanks for commenting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3Niq91bXqs Susan

I love your suggested burnout fixes. I’ve had to implement #3 in my own writing and posting because there have been some days when I just couldn’t muster up the energy to organize and share my ideas. I’ve concluded that it’s due to the pressure to update every single day so you don’t lose your audience.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

I agree Susan. Its best to leave it a day, then resume or if you have a few ideas one day, spread them across the week.
http://www.handles4doors.co.uk/ Door Handles

A common way of being able to spot social media burn out is when you see someone not keeping up with their linkedin, facebook, twitter etc!… so often people spread themselves way too thinly.. Make sure you have a balance and also that these channels are all integrated.
http://www.smartsolutions.ie/blog/ Elaine Rogers

This was such a fun crowd sourced post to follow as the comments came in Sian. Well done in highlighting the amazing benefits of being part of this community When I said “them” of course I meant the great Niall Devitt
http://twitter.com/xcelbusiness Helen Cousins

Hi Sian”Community” is a recurring theme for the writers, and like the other writers, I didn’t forsee this benefit when I first started to write here. I didn’t make a contribution in time for your post here, but would add that I am currently writing a series on articles on blogging for Accountancy Ireland, (the journal for Chartered Accountants Ireland), as a direct result of another post on here. The editor was searching for a particular type of content and found it in a post of mine on here, (this sites ranks well .
An interesting read, thanks Sian,~Helen
http://www.sianphillips.ie/ Sian Phillips

Thanks Helen – community certainly is key here I think. We all learn from each other and help each other. And have made good friends too.
http://www.sianphillips.ie/ Sian Phillips

Thanks Elaine – it was fun to follow wasn’t it. I wish I could have kept it going for longer but hopefully those that missed out will add in the comments anyhow
http://www.bloggertone.com Niall Devitt

Hi Sian, thanks for putting this post together and managing the TYB ship in my absence. For me, TYB is proof that working together is better than working alone. The members that benefit the most are also those who put the most in. I think it’s fair to say that many of us have now made some great friends too
http://twitter.com/ElishBulGodley Elish Bul-Godley

Ditto On Niall’s Comments. Engaging with a Business Community takes the ” Rat ” out of the Ratrace and makes doing business a much healthier, more enjoyable sport. And good Karma too
Christina Giliberti

Wow, there’s plenty of excellent reasons above to join TYB and interestingly, many are about the team as opposed to posts.
http://www.denisefay.com/ Denise Fay

I’m sorry that My computer failed and I couldn’t participate. Loved the article and the insights. Love the community spirit that has grown from among the writers. It keeps you going, doesn’t it?
Pingback: Help Please! Pick A Picture For Me
Pingback: Self Improvement and Your Online Business – The Last Place People Ever Look | thepenaltyisaids.com
http://billionsuccess.com/ Herby Fabius

Great post Tim, and it’s like you said you can only learn so much by reading the real learning starts when do things, make mistakes and learn from them. Good read thanks.
http://www.biz2credit.com/ william james

Simply best post Timharwood!!! I really like the all of your points.Starting a business is always a critical thing to do. But as you mention some of great tips here. That is definitely helping business owners
Tim Harwood

Thanks William – Glad you enjoyed the post!
Tim Harwood

Thanks Herby – I really believe you only learn when you are ‘doing’
http://about.me/Lindeskog lyceum1776

The main reason to use an accounting software shouldn’t be the improvement of the so-called “carbon footprint”.
http://www.callboxinc.com/ Julie Dawn Harris

You were right Richard, there is no exact answer in computer troubleshooting. Everything is just an educated guess. This is where the quote ‘try and try until you succeed’ should be applied. I have used some of the tips above on my own and these are just simple tips that even a newbie can do. Google really helps. Great post Richard, this is a quite a wakening call for those who have computer phobia.
http://twitter.com/FurnFairIRL Furniture Fair IRL

one word : priceless common sense in a nutshell
ObjectOriented

Everything is provided in the Internet. There is no problem that cannot be fixed unless it’s component is damaged/useless.
http://www.callbox.com.sg/ Jayden Chu

Cool. I never knew that ultrabook used Intel Ivy bridge processor. It’s portability and functionality makes it perfect for internet purposes.
flor nike

I agree, Ultrabook is an amazing option when it comes to designing and functionality. http://www.gadgetgain.com/internet/10-useful-chrome-extensions/
Bradley Derringer

Hi, Elish, and thanks for the welcome! As far as I know, the devices are still referred to as tablet-laptop hybrids, but I’m sure someone will coin a cool, new term soon enough.
Bradley Derringer

Hi Jayden. Thanks for commenting! It’s always fun teaching people about the technology around us. Intel continues to amaze me with what it produces, and the use of the Ivy Bridge processor in the ultrabook is simply genius. Glad my article was informative.

Bloggertone

Tweak Your Biz » Global » Why We Write For Tweak Your Biz