i get this question asked so many times by students on my whatsapp group. so i decide to share this as a public anwser 

Affiliate marketing is a way to earn commission by promoting a business to potential customers. The more visitors you drive to the business through your unique referral link, the more commission you can earn. To be successful in affiliate marketing, it is important to have a steady source of traffic and to focus on creating high-quality content that can increase conversion rates. 

SEO and paid advertising can be effective ways to generate traffic and promote your affiliate links. i will advise strongly if you do not have traffic source, then do both