Most "write for us" pages are really link marketplaces. This is not one of those. The Small Business Spotlight is a regular feature where Australian small business owners tell other owners what actually happened when they hit a money problem: what went wrong, what they changed and what it did for the business. We edit every story, add a bookkeeper's takeaway so any reader can apply it, and publish it on truetally.com.au.
If you run a small business and you have learned something the hard way, other owners want to hear it. Here is how it works.
What we publish
Each Spotlight is a short, practical feature built around one lesson. Past features have covered how a tutoring business cut write-offs from around 5 percent of revenue to under half a percent, why payroll that looks right can still be wrong, and where SCHADS award payroll trips up care providers. You can browse every Spotlight to get a feel for the tone.
Good topics include:
- Cash flow and getting paid: chasing invoices, deposits, payment terms, surviving a slow quarter.
- Pricing and margins: raising prices, finding the jobs that lose money, packaging services.
- Payroll and staff: hiring your first employee, awards, super, rostering.
- Starting or growing: the first year, moving from sole trader to company, opening a second location.
- Systems: the tool or process that gave you hours back each week.
- Getting found: how customers actually found you, including through Google and AI assistants.
What you get
| You get | What it means for your business |
|---|---|
| A full edited feature | Your story, written up clearly and checked with you before it goes live. |
| An editorial link to your website | A genuine mention from an established Australian business site, the kind Google and AI assistants treat as a trust signal. |
| A featured badge | Code for an "As featured by True Tally" badge you can add to your About or Press page. |
| A bookkeeper's takeaway | Our practical note on the lesson, so your feature is useful to readers and worth sharing. |
| Something to share | A finished article you can post on LinkedIn, Facebook or in your newsletter. |
For a newer business, a feature like this is one of the honest ways to build visibility. Our New Business Visibility Kit explains where it fits alongside free listings, reviews and the other steps that help a business get found.
Who can apply
Any Australian small business with an active ABN. That includes sole traders, partnerships, companies and practices, in any industry we can write about responsibly: trades, allied health, dental and medical, legal and professional services, NDIS and care, retail, ecommerce, hospitality and more. You do not need to be a True Tally client, and being featured never comes with a sales pitch.
Brand new businesses are welcome too. Sometimes the most useful stories come from the first twelve months, when every decision is new.
What makes a good feature
- One clear lesson. The best features are about one problem, not your whole history.
- Real detail. Numbers, timeframes and what you actually did. Round figures are fine.
- Your own experience. We want what happened in your business, in your words.
- Something another owner can use. If a reader can copy what you did next week, it is a great story.
You do not need to be a writer. Send a few lines and we will send back a handful of interview questions, then shape it into a feature.
What we do not accept
- Paid, sponsored or "link insertion" requests. We never sell links.
- Pre-written articles submitted only to place a link, or requests for specific anchor text.
- Gambling, crypto trading, adult content, payday lending or anything we could not recommend to a client.
- Stories that criticise named competitors, or claims you cannot back up.
- Content that is mostly AI-written without your own experience in it.
These rules protect readers and they protect every business we link to. A link from a site that sells links is worth very little to Google, and a link from a site that does not is worth a lot.
How it works
| Step | What happens | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Apply | Fill in the form below with a few lines about your story. | 3 minutes |
| 2. We reply | If it is a fit, we send five or six short interview questions. | Within a week |
| 3. Draft | We write the feature and add the bookkeeper's takeaway. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 4. You approve | You check the facts and the wording before anything is published. | Your call |
| 5. Publish | The feature goes live, we send your badge code and you share it. | Same week |
Apply to be featured
Tell us a little about your business and the lesson you would share. It takes about three minutes. We read every application and reply within a week if it is a fit.
Not ready to share a story yet, but want your numbers in better shape? Book a free call and we will talk through bookkeeping, BAS and payroll for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does True Tally accept guest posts?
Yes, through the Small Business Spotlight. We publish real stories from Australian small business owners about a money lesson they learned, such as cash flow, pricing, payroll or growth. We do not publish generic guest posts written to place a link. Every feature is edited by our team and ends with a bookkeeper's takeaway.
Is it free to be featured?
Yes. There is no fee to be featured and we never sell placements or links. Features are chosen on whether the story will genuinely help other small business owners.
Will I get a link to my website?
Yes. Every featured business gets an editorial link to its website inside the article, plus a badge you can add to your own site. Because the link is editorial, we choose where it sits and how it is worded. We do not accept requests for specific anchor text.
Who can apply for the Small Business Spotlight?
Any Australian small business with an active ABN and a real experience to share. Sole traders, partnerships, companies and practices are all welcome, across trades, health, professional services, retail, ecommerce and more. You do not need to be a True Tally client.
How long does it take to be published?
We reply within a week if your story is a fit. After that it usually takes two to four weeks: a short set of interview questions, a draft for your approval, then publishing. You see and approve the final version before it goes live.
What topics do you publish?
Anything that helps another owner run a healthier business: getting paid on time, pricing and margins, payroll and staff, cash flow through a tough quarter, starting out, systems that saved time, and getting found online. Practical lessons with real numbers work best.
What do you not accept?
Paid or sponsored posts, link-only submissions, articles about gambling, crypto trading, adult content or payday lending, stories you cannot stand behind, and content that is mostly AI-written without your own experience in it. We also do not publish comparisons that criticise named competitors.
How do I add the featured badge to my website?
Once your feature is live we send you a short piece of code. Paste it into an HTML or custom code block on your About or Press page and it shows an 'As featured by True Tally' badge linked to your article.