Welcome to the Random Brand Outreach Era

If you had told me when I started blogging that one day I’d be sorting through brand offers, I would’ve assumed they’d be for things that actually match my life — maybe a wooden spoon, a mixing bowl, a cat bed, or a nice camera strap. You know… the usual suspects for someone who writes about cooking, cozy home life, and the daily adventures of two cats who think they run the household.

Instead, I’ve apparently reached a new milestone in my blogging journey:

✨ The Random Brand Outreach Era ✨

This is the magical stage where companies who have clearly never read a single word I’ve written decide I’m the perfect spokesperson for whatever they’re selling. And this week’s standout example?

TideWe invited me to join their hunting apparel program.

Now, let me be clear: I used to be the outdoorsy type. I’ve spent hours sitting in a tree stand, quietly waiting for a deer to appear. But I wasn’t holding a bow or a rifle — I was holding a camera. My idea of a successful hunt was getting a crisp shot of a whitetail, not dragging one home.

So imagine my face when a company specializing in camouflage bibs and waterproof gear decided I was their ideal influencer. Me. The woman whose blog is 70% cooking, 20% cats, and 10% “my printer is misbehaving again.”

I laughed so hard Balboa came over to check on me. He reviewed the offer and declined on my behalf. He said the camo clashed with his fur.

Banner didn’t care. He would’ve just sat on the jacket and shed until it looked “natural.”

But this whole experience made me stop and think about what does make sense for my affiliate adventures. Because while I do love woodland creatures and photography, I post far more about baking cakes, stirring soups, and trying to keep Banner from unplugging the recliner again.

So here’s where I’ve landed:

Affiliate categories that actually fit my blog:

• Cooking & baking tools — wooden spoons, electric mixers, spatulas, pans
• Cat products — toys, beds, scratchers, treats
• Cozy home items — things that make daily life smoother
• Travel accessories — especially for gentle, scenic trips like Hawaii

Categories that… do not fit:

• Hunting camo
• Anything involving mud
• Gear meant for sitting in a swamp at 4 AM

Even if I have sat in a tree stand before, it was with a camera, not a weapon, and definitely not while wearing camouflage bib overalls.

But here’s the funny part: As mismatched as some of these offers are, they’re also a sign that my blog is growing. Brands — even wildly off‑target ones — are noticing. My little corner of the internet is getting traction, and that’s worth celebrating.

So consider this your official update on my affiliate marketing adventures: I’m still learning, still experimenting, still figuring out what fits my voice… and still deleting offers for hunting camo.

But if a wildlife photography brand ever reaches out? Oh, I’ll be ready.

Disclosure:

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, the AroundDustyRoads Team (Banner, Balboa, and their human) may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep the trail snacks stocked and the cats’ adventure fund alive.