I’m looking to get started with affiliate marketing, but I want to build my business on a platform I own, rather than relying on social media. I’m leaning towards starting a niche blog and focusing on SEO, but I’m curious about the initial ramp-up period. For those who have successfully built an affiliate income stream through blogging, what were the most critical first steps you took, and how long did it take before you started seeing consistent traffic and sales?