AdSense first or affiliate first needs page-intent context

A practical question about matching site monetization path to page intent instead of choosing by platform preference.

When people ask whether a new site should start with AdSense or affiliate links, the missing detail is usually page intent. A broad explainer library and a comparison-heavy buyer guide are not the same business, even if both are “blogs.” For a small site, AdSense first can be cleaner when traffic is mostly informational and the creator still needs to learn which pages hold attention. Affiliate first can be stronger when the site already has decision pages where readers compare products, tools, or setups. What would you check first: approval/policy hygiene for display ads, or whether the existing pages actually contain affiliate intent?