You should do keyword research and check the overall engagement. If it's a YMYL niche like health or finance, then it's better to take social media route as it'll be difficult for parasites to rank. If it's a low-competition niche, then parasites will give you quick traffic.
In both cases, it's better to have a landing page instead of sending traffic directly to the affiliate link. You can find free options to create a landing page and capture leads.