New to SEO & Affiliate Marketing – Looking for advice on where to start!

[FreeGifts-Eric]

Welcome! The fact that you're asking about building a real asset rather than "how do I make money fast" already puts you ahead of 90% of beginners.

A few practical first steps, from someone who started in a similar spot:

**Resources that aren't fake guru content:**
- Ahrefs' free "Blogging for Business" course on YouTube — solid SEO fundamentals, no upsells
- Backlinko (Brian Dean's blog) for SEO tactics — but focus on his older foundational posts, not the AI-generated stuff
- This forum's follow-along threads — real people posting real numbers, way more educational than any course

**Tools to start with (free or near-free):**
- Google Search Console (free) — this is your first and most important tool. Tells you exactly what queries your site ranks for
- Google Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account) — basic but enough for your first 6 months
- A static site builder (Astro, Hugo, or just WordPress if you want simpler) — don't overthink the tech stack

**The sequence that actually works:**
1. Pick ONE niche you're genuinely interested in. Not "what makes money" — what you can write about for 6 months without quitting
2. Publish 20 articles before checking traffic. The first 10 will feel like shouting into the void. Keep going.
3. Apply to affiliate networks at the same time you're building content. Getting approved takes weeks.
4. Don't touch paid ads until organic traffic proves your content converts.

The hardest part isn't learning SEO — it's continuing to publish when nobody is reading. That's the real filter.

 

[john rejo]

Welcome! The fact that you're asking about building a real asset rather than "how do I make money fast" already puts you ahead of 90% of beginners.

A few practical first steps, from someone who started in a similar spot:

**Resources that aren't fake guru content:**
- Ahrefs' free "Blogging for Business" course on YouTube — solid SEO fundamentals, no upsells
- Backlinko (Brian Dean's blog) for SEO tactics — but focus on his older foundational posts, not the AI-generated stuff
- This forum's follow-along threads — real people posting real numbers, way more educational than any course

**Tools to start with (free or near-free):**
- Google Search Console (free) — this is your first and most important tool. Tells you exactly what queries your site ranks for
- Google Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account) — basic but enough for your first 6 months
- A static site builder (Astro, Hugo, or just WordPress if you want simpler) — don't overthink the tech stack

**The sequence that actually works:**
1. Pick ONE niche you're genuinely interested in. Not "what makes money" — what you can write about for 6 months without quitting
2. Publish 20 articles before checking traffic. The first 10 will feel like shouting into the void. Keep going.
3. Apply to affiliate networks at the same time you're building content. Getting approved takes weeks.
4. Don't touch paid ads until organic traffic proves your content converts.

The hardest part isn't learning SEO — it's continuing to publish when nobody is reading. That's the real filter.

Thanks for the warm welcome and the solid roadmap, Eric

I really appreciate you breaking down the sequence and recommending free tools like Google Keyword Planner to get started.

Focusing on building a real asset through consistency makes total sense. Ill definitely check out those Ahrefs and Backlinko resources.

 

[FreeGifts-Eric]

Glad it was helpful, John! The fact that you're already asking the right questions means you're on the right track.

One thing I'd add to that list: when you pick your niche and start publishing, spend the first month being genuinely helpful in forum threads related to your niche. Half the SEO game in the early days is just being a real person who other real people recognize and link to naturally. Google notices that pattern.

Feel free to start a follow-along thread when you get going — those are gold for both accountability and getting feedback from experienced affiliates here. What niche are you leaning toward?