A while ago, I wrote a post on the basics of Adding or Removing Links from Images. It’s a tool I took for granted and assumed most people used…until I got an email from someone who asked for details.

Since then, that post is one of my most-shared, and it was a reminder to me that this is what blogging is about. Figuring out how to do things on our own, sharing the knowledge when we have it, and asking for help when we don’t.

Now, another reader has a follow-up question, and I thought it was something others might be wondering about, too.

“I’ve just entered into a new project with BRAND X, and they’re offering me an affiliate code — for everyone who purchases using my link or code, I get a flat fee and the shopper gets $1 back. How can I offer the code as a graphic or link on my website?”

With more and more people understanding the power of affiliate programs and customer loyalty programs, I’m not surprised to get this one. And when it comes down to it, there are two answers.

1. Offer an affiliate link with the tracking code built into the URL.

This tends to be harder for the blogger and easier for the customer (which in my opinion is the better choice!) because it requires a bit of technical know-how. Basically, an affiliate link includes a short tag in the URL that lets the referrer (the blogger) alert the franchise (the company that actually completes the sale) know who to credit.

Some affiliate programs — Amazon, Commission Junction — have the affiliate code built into their system. For example, the company that I work for has an Amazon store. We make a small percentage on every book that is sold from our online store at http://store.growingbolder.com.

When we add items, the affiliate code is appended to the URL. So instead of this listing, which you’ll find if you go straight to Amazon:

• http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/034552392X/

You’ll find:

• http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/034552392X/?tag=growbold-20

See the /?tag=growbold-20? That means that while the price is the same for the shopper, we are paid a small amount for the total price of the item. (Another reason I love affiliate links? Often, you’ll get a cut of the TOTAL amount spent, even if it’s not an item in the store. In the above example, if someone buys the “My Parents Were Awesome” book with our link and in the same shopping trip, buys a $500 appliance, we get a commission on all items, even though they weren’t listed in our store!).

If the company you’re working with doesn’t have an automatic tracking code built in, you can still create one on your own, and ask them to look in their analytics to track how many visits came from your site…but to be honest, it’s a harder sell because it won’t automatically be counted for you, and you’re trusting them to accurately account for your referrals.

2. Offer a discount code for the customer to type in at checkout.

This tends to be easier for the blogger and harder for the customer, because you’re requiring them to take an action, rather than it just being done automatically in the background. But if you’re working with a smaller company or you’re not comfortable with tracking URLs, discount codes can be great.

The company should set it up as a coupon code that is exclusive to you — let’s say KATY20 gets you 20% off in the store (which, by the way, it does in the Growing Bolder store for t-shirts, tattoos and DVDs!).

Then, you should create a graphic for your sidebar that clearly lets your readers know how to use it and what they get. (Make sure you know your sidebar width before you make it!) You may want to offer several sizes if fellow bloggers would be interested in helping spread the word about your code — they can put it in their sidebar and send people to the store with your code!

Example:

(Graphic design is not my forte — if this were real, I’d hire someone to create my badge!)

Notice that if you click the badge above, I’ve use the URL trick I taught you in the first post to link to the Growing Bolder store. If this were an affiliate link, I’d use that link in the same way, but in this case, the best I can do is tell people what to type to get their discount.

What questions do YOU have about blogging? Let me know and I’ll answer them in an upcoming installment of “You Oughta Know!”

1. Hello in a Few Short Months (via It All Changes)

2. Running: What I’m Up To Now (via Chocolate and Wild Air)

3. Why Not Tri a Tri: Race Day Checklist (via Better With Veggies)

4. Remember That Un-Routine Thing? (via EatDrinkBreatheSweat)

5. I Used to Be Skinny: Part 13 (via Dawnie’s Life)

1.

Hey @kwidrick - I really like your new @bugchild blog! :) http://t.co/7nWo0aQM And I'm guessing boy!

May 15, 2012 6:17 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

@Bess_Auer

Bess Auer

2.

Just submitted a #fitblog moderator proposal! An idea came to me tonight and I'm pretty pumped about it :) (cc: @kwidrick)

May 14, 2012 10:19 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@KatieHeddleston

Katie Heddleston, RD

3.

10 years later- what college taught me! Great lessons @kwidrick - I'm almost inspired to write my own. Wish I'd learned these 10 yrs ago

May 14, 2012 8:12 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@ClickTheGoodNew

Amanda

4.

@kwidrick Thanks Katy! You's the jam :) — Tom A

May 11, 2012 9:15 am via EchofonReplyRetweetFavorite

@bufferapp

Buffer

5.

YOU! I pick from my favorite tweets every week, so @ me and maybe you’ll make the list

Click over to see!

Did you hear the story about the guy in New York that is SUING his ex-girlfriend for custody…of their dog? He’s racked up $60K so far (and is asking for donations from the public) because he says she kidnapped “Knuckles” and took him to California. Listen, Lucas and I love our dogs like they are children, but this is insane.

We are the owners of two shelter rescues, and we could not love them any more. Their adoption fees were about $250 each. Had we not adopted them, they’d be dead. Do I think shelter pets are best for everyone? Absolutely not. And this is not some kind of end-all be-all rule that I’m trying to throw down.

But my heart broke this weekend at a special beer-and-puppies event (gosh, my husband has an awesome job) where I got to hold some truly Pitiful Pups and thank goodness for people that devoted their lives to taking care of these guys. And now, your gratuitous puppy shots.

I am a numbers nerd. You know this. And it doesn’t get any nerdier — or cooler — than analytics.

(You can catch up on all of my recommendations in my Blog Homework series.)

When it comes to tracking traffic, I love two tools.

1. Google Analytics (the big kahuna and the one I use for page views, unique visitors, etc.)

2. Clicky (the plugin that I use for real-time traffic, referral links, search terms, etc.)

My hat is tipped to the one and only Theodora of Losing Weight in the City, who insisted that I try this tool many months ago. She’s right. It’s awesome.

(That spike came the day I announced that I’m eating for two.)

In particular, I love Clicky because it helps me track down the source of traffic spikes in real time. If a post is getting a lot of love in the middle of the afternoon, I can see which source is sending visitors my way.

(Jeepers, Meghann!)

I also find the search terms tool much easier to use than GA:

You can look at a given time period — say, the last day, the last week or the last month — and even (with premium plans) set up alerts and other automatic updates for specific criteria that you set.

This is a plugin, so to use it, you need to be self-hosted and on a platform that Clicky supports. And I still would rely on GA when doing formal reports to sponsors or ad networks.

Overall, I highly recommend adding Clicky to your toolkit!

This weekend marked more than Mother’s Day — it signified a pretty important milestone in my adult life.

10 years ago yesterday, I graduated from Syracuse University, the proud owner of a dual major (Broadcast Journalism and Policy Studies). My parents, brother, grandparents and boyfriend stood watch in the crowd as I listened to commencement speaker Rudy Giuliani talk about the months since the 9/11 attacks and to my professors talk about how much they enjoyed all of us over the previous four years.

College was about preparing me for a career, but I also learned 5 important life lessons that hold true today.

More is Not More

I chose to attend Syracuse because of the strength of its journalism program. I knew that I wanted to make a career in that industry, and that the extremely expensive tuition was an investment. I don’t regret my choice (even when I am looking at a loooong stretch of time before my student loans are paid off) but I think in general, more is not more when it comes to college.

Studying liberal arts or nursing at SU may not have been the same smart investment. I think that for many people, going to a community college or a junior college for preparation can be a really smart move — after all, so many people start with one major and move to another. (Have you heard this story on NPR? Eye opening.)

Sure, telling people in my business that I went to Syracuse University is a great start to the conversation but quickly, things like my experience, awards, references and credentials become more important than the campus I called home for four years. And above all of that, how hard I work and what I’m able to get done make or break my progress.

Experience Trumps Education (Sort Of)

Parents everywhere would kill me if I said that college is not about education — but just like in life, it’s about immersion in a community. I learned so much about myself from 1998-2002. I discovered how well (or not!) I handle stress and deadlines, what personalities I mesh and clash with, what really ignites my passion, what it means to budget and more.

I could have gone to any school and had a fulfilling experience. And that’s because I jumped into the culture — playing sports, taking varied classes, traveling and more.

It Matters Who You Surround Yourself With

My maid of honor was the girl who lived across the hall in my freshman dorm (and went on to be one of my BFFs). The girl next to me in broadcast journalism class is, to this day, one of my best confidantes and friends. The kid down the hall of my sophomore dorm is now my husband.

There were lots of people that touched my life in my college years — roommates, classmates, professors and more. Not all are still a part of my life. But I think that making smart choices about the people you share secrets with, lean on in tough times, study with and more will lead to longer, happier and more fulfilling relationships for life.

It’s OK to Play the Field

While I think this statement actually does hold true with relationships, I actually mean that it’s OK to play the field with learning. Some of the best classes I took in college were far from my major — golf, yoga, Shakespeare in Film, wine appreciation — and it helped me discover some hobbies and passions that I still enjoy today.

Honestly, had I not taken part in a policy studies challenge the summer before college, I might not have taken any of those classes my freshman year. I was so fascinated by statistics, sociology and policy that I ended up graduating with two majors.

There is No “Too Late”

This is something that my current career helps me understand even more than I did as a 22-year-old. It is NEVER too late to make a change, whether it’s to a new job or industry, or in a relationship, or in health and wellness. There’s no need to be unhappy or unfulfilled…because there’s always a way out.

What did you learn in college that holds true today?

1. on my mind (via the daily crumb)

2. Ironman Australia Race Report (via Hillary Biscay)

3. Breastfeeding and Why I’m Mad at Whoopi (via Sleepy Maman)

4. If Women Ruled the World (via MomJovi)

5. My Shame (via Young House Love)

1.

Why are fashion bloggers always looking down at their outfits as if something changed in the time between getting dressed & taking the pic?

May 9, 2012 10:05 pm via Twitter for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

@roadagainmegan

Megan A.

2.

True dat, baby. RT @EdenEspinosa: Like I said the other day #cancersucks

May 8, 2012 9:42 pm via EchofonReplyRetweetFavorite

@cheyennejackson

Cheyenne Jackson

3.

(Was @Merreberruns, but her Twitter account is protected, so you’ll have to send a request!)

4.

How @Subway, @Ford and other big brands are using @Facebook's new ad tools - http://t.co/KQxp8PUB

May 4, 2012 4:05 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

@mashable

Pete Cashmore

5.

Fav this! #HowTo see your last 3200 tweets on one page: http://t.co/xLAGiBsd

May 5, 2012 6:01 am via SocialOomphReplyRetweetFavorite

@TweetSmarter

TweetSmarter

We have a fantastic opportunity for two winners who will each win one full access ticket to Fitbloggin ’12, the amazing health and social media conference happening September 20-23 in Baltimore!

Note: winners will be randomly selected but have multiple ways to enter and increase chances of winning. The prize is for the ticket only and all travel, lodging and other expenses must be covered by the winner. The cash value for each ticket is approximately $268. If a winner has already purchased a ticket to Fitbloggin’, this prize may not be used to replace it (previously purchased tickets are not refundable). If you have any questions, please contact Katy Widrick at kwidrick@gmail.com.

ENTER BELOW!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I LOVED my wedding. Truly, truly, I did. All of the stress melted away around lunchtime (after a few bridezilla moments in the morning) and I enjoyed everything from the moment I first saw Lucas:

to the moment I fell asleep, still covered in makeup with pins in my hair.

There was a lot I did right. We had a relatively small budget ($12,000) and a short guest list (90). We had no major, can’t-believe-this-happened-to-me moments. But in hindsight, six years later, there are a few things that I would do differently.

1. Splurge on the hairdresser and wear a veil.

I had huge plans for my hair — I’d say it was as important to me as the dress. So why, of all things to scrimp on, did I choose my stylist based on the awesome coupon I found for buy 3-get-1-free? It’s beyond me. Despite a lukewarm hair trial, I stuck with my plans and wound up with bridesmaids who hated their hair (the guy actually cut bangs for my poor maid of honor) and a ‘do that looked nothing like my dreams.

I’d brought in several inspiration photos, and the guy seemed confused at anything other than a standard curled hair look. Where I asked for body and a half-updo, I got poofy bangs (think Bumpit) and a twisted ponytail.

Because I thought my hair was going to be amazing, I opted for a small headpiece instead of a veil, and I really wish I had chosen the veil instead. My wedding had a quick, outdoor ceremony, and we went directly to the reception. I think the veil would have helped make the ceremony feel a little more special, and would have given me more looks for my photos.

2. Better plan the first look.

Lucas and I decided that we wanted to do all of the family photos before the ceremony, so we could go straight from the vows to the cocktails. A wise decision (that and the open bar may have been our best) but it meant that we would be seeing each other before I walked down the aisle.

The photographer hastily organized a sort-of “first look” but it was pretty unplanned, and I only have two or three photographs of what turned out to be the most breathtaking moment of the day for us both. I hadn’t expected to get so emotional — it was the only time I cried all day — and I think we could have made it more special by planning a more formal first look for the cameras.

3. Change into a reception dress.

I really did get my dream dress, after a lot of searching — and the shocker is that it only cost me $500! I had my heart set on a Maggie Sottero that was way out of my budget. My mom found an online store that sold knockoffs, using high quality material. I took a risk and ended up with an amazing garment that was even better than the real thing (I was able to customize some of the elements). But it was strapless, had a big, poofy bustle, and turned out to be quite heavy and difficult to dance in.

And dance, this bride did.

The bustle broke on the dress after just a few songs, and I found myself pretty uncomfortable…pulling up the bodice all night and pushing people off of the skirt. I wish that I had kept the formal dress on through dinner and toasts, and changed into something more party-friendly for the rest of the reception. Plus, it would have given me more looks for the photos!

4. Pick a different cake vendor.

We splurged on the cake, picking the hottest vendor in town. And yes, we enjoyed it.

But if we came close to a wedding day disaster, this was it. The cake was smaller than what we’d ordered, had the wrong color and design, and because it showed up two hours before it was scheduled, there was no room in the venue’s fridge and the frosting oozed and melted by the time it came to cut. It really bummed me out, especially because I’d spent a lot of money on it. (And neither Lucas nor I are even cake people!).

I wish I’d spent the money on the hairdresser, and opted for a grocery store cake (delicious) or something more creative like cupcakes or a candy bar.

5. Spend more time working out.

DON’T hate me. I’m not talking about starving myself to fit into my dress, or spending every waking moment in the gym to tone my arms. But back in my wedding planning days, I was working an overnight shift, buying a house and trying to organize all of the party details. I had good reasons for not making my health and fitness a bigger priority, but I wish I’d recognized them as excuses. I spent very little time in the gym and I put on about 8-10 pounds between my engagement and my wedding day.

I can see that I was not at my happiest weight for the wedding, and since these are the pictures that memorialized one of the most important days in my life, I wish I didn’t have the instinct to cringe when looking at some of them. My face is happy, and I felt beautiful…I just think that with a little more effort, I could have felt better in my own skin.

I love looking back on this amazing day, and I’d still give the entire event an A-/B+. Do you have any regrets/changes you’d make to your wedding?

When I found out I was pregnant, a few thoughts raced through my mind:

• OMG, seriously?
• How am I going to tell Lucas?
• How am I going to tell my parents?
• How am I going to be able to tell the blog?

I had fun with ALL of the announcements I made, but I really loved building the infographic that eventually did break the baby news here. (Refresher in this post.)

And I did it through a very cool new tool — Piktochart.com. I used the free version, but there is also a pro version starting at $14.99 a month. Obviously if you’re a designer by trade, you’d design your own templates anyway, but if you’re like me and you have lots of info to share and terrible design/graphic sense, it can be a great resource.

Piktochart offers:

• Design tools
• Built in graphics
• Easy-to-edit text fields
• Different templates, colors, etc.
• The ability to export to multiple formats

I also really dig the blog from the Piktochart team, which has some helpful hints about building infographics, etc.

I know some people think that this trend has passed, but I LOVE infographics — those that are done well, anyway.