How To Become An Affiliate With Chess.com
How do I become an Affiliate for Chess.com?
Affiliates must be approved by Chess.com's Chief Marketing Officer, Brenan Klain. Prospective affiliates must complete the application below, including the reasons they'd like to work with Chess.com to help grow the game of chess on the web.
Once Chess.com has verified your fulfillment of all affiliate requirements, you will be approved and notified by a staff member. At that time you'll also receive a congratulatory message/email as well as directions on how to get started.
Apply to become an affiliate by clicking here!
Why become a Chess.com Affiliate?
Affiliates receive a cash revenue share for any and all premium members they send to Chess.com. It takes minimal setup work, and can yield passive income to you or your organization for doing nothing more than suggesting a service you fully believe in and enjoy yourself: a Chess.com premium membership!
Some of our most active affiliates earn hundreds (on occasion, even thousands) of dollars per month. They do this by attaching their unique affiliate id to any link that leads to Chess.com, and if/when a visitor becomes a new member and eventually upgrades to a premium membership, affiliates get paid.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What's the percentage/kickback an affiliate receives?
The standard/starting percentage is 15% of any premium upgrade to the affiliate.
How can I receive payment?
Affiliates will need a PayPal account in order to receive payments.
When can I expect to see a payment?
Payments are typically sent between 35 to 45 days after the end of each month. For example, January’s affiliate commissions will be sent out between March 5 and March 15.
Am I credited on renewals or only new signups?
You are credited for any and all "new premium members" you bring to Chess.com. If and when those members that you brought to Chess.com renew their memberships, you are credited your affiliate earnings for the duration of those members' continuous memberships. Meaning, every renewal of a new member earns you 15% of the renewal/upgrade fee forever.
Can I use my Affiliate ID to get credit for already existing Chess.com Members?
Existing (or previously) premium members who upgrade through your referral id# will provide upgrade credit, but only if they upgrade within 24 hours.
Is there a chance to earn more than 15% revenue on premium upgrades?
Chess.com offers a "Partner Level" affiliate status that includes a special landing page, automatic "fan club" signup functionality, and in some cases, an increased revenue percentage. Partner deals are negotiated privately and are not available for application.
How does linking to chess.com work?
You can make any banner hyperlinked (or even just provide a simple URL with your reference id included). Example, www.chess.com/membership?ref_id=[your-affiliate-id-goes-here-without-the-brackets]
Do you have any tips on the best way to market and get new premium upgrades?
Yes, we do! Often, the most effective endorsement is a personal one. Recommend a particular video (in an email blast to your students!) or tell people to check out a recent news article (on a GM Magnus Carlsen victory). Simply add your reference id to the end of ANY URL to Chess.com, and new premium members will be tracked and rewarding to you!
I have no design experience and I'm not sure what banners to use. Does Chess.com provide me with some easy templates and steps?
Yes, we do! We have all the assets you need and will provide those to you via email upon approval of your affiliate status. In fact, here's a public Google Drive link with some of our readily available banners for commonly needed sizes.
Won't these banners be ugly, and feel like "ads," intruding on the experience of my website's/blog's visitors?
No. In most cases, affiliates choose non-intrusive sizes like 200x200 (the size of a thumbnail picture). Yes, we have banners as big as you want them, including "headline/homepage" style banners to grab the attention of your visitors, but you can use the images and banners you're comfortable with.
Do I have to use a banner?
No. The affiliate process automatically tracks the new user and gives you credit as long as they came from your unique id#. This id# can simply be attached to any URL on Chess.com and can be shared just as it is.
Do I need to disclose my affiliate status?
Yes. Anytime or anywhere you share an affiliate link, it's important you disclose that to your audience. To comply with FTC regulations your disclosure must be clear and conspicuous. If you're a streamer, this can be as simple as adding "#ad" or "(paid link)" when your link is posted in chat. Social media posts and websites can follow the same guidance by adding this to your posts or as a statement alongside your banners.
