The Bar School

Affiliate playbook

What to film, what to say, and how you get paid

Read this once before your first post. It takes about five minutes.

Before anything else

The four rules

  • Say it's an ad

    Start the caption with #ad or “I earn a commission if you buy through my link.”

  • Keep it honest

    Talk about what you learned. No promises about jobs or what anyone will earn.

  • Certificate, not license

    The course gives a certificate of completion. Never call it a license or certification.

  • No search ads on our name

    Don't bid on The Bar School or Bar Ready, and don't post ads that look like they're from us.

How to film

Your phone is enough

  • Shoot vertical

    Phone upright, 9:16, at eye level. Lean it on something steady or use a tripod.

  • Face the light

    Stand facing a window or a lamp, not with it behind you.

  • Keep it quiet

    A quiet room beats a fancy mic. If you have earbuds with a mic, use them.

  • 20 to 45 seconds

    Long enough to say one useful thing. Get to the point in the first 2 seconds.

  • Show something real

    Your practice setup, a drink you learned to make, or a lesson playing on your laptop.

  • Film a few takes

    Pick the one that sounds most like you talking to a friend.

What to say

Four ways to talk about it

Use your own words. These are starting points, not scripts to read.

My honest review

Hook
“I took an online bartending course. Here's what it's actually like.”
Middle
Two or three things it covers that surprised you or helped: the pours, the glassware, a drink you can make now.
Be straight
“It's online, so you still practice on your own. You get a certificate of completion, not a license.”
Close
“Link's in my bio if you want to look. I earn a commission if you buy.”

A drink I learned

Hook
“I couldn't make this a month ago.”
Middle
Make one drink from the course on camera and say each step out loud.
Be straight
“I learned this one in The Bar School's course.”
Close
“Link in my bio. Full disclosure, I earn a commission if you buy.”

Before your first shift

Hook
“Thinking about bartending? Three things I wish I knew first.”
Middle
Three quick tips from the lessons: the tools, how to pour, how to keep up when it's busy.
Be straight
“Check your state's rules too. Some states need a server permit.”
Close
“The course I took is linked in my bio. I earn a commission if you buy.”

From behind the bar

Hook
“People ask me how to get into bartending. Here's what I tell them.”
Middle
Two or three real tips from your own shifts: learn the classics, get fast, don't skip the barback job.
Be straight
“If you want the basics before you apply, this online course covers them. You get a certificate of completion, not a license.”
Close
“Link's in my bio. I earn a commission if you buy.”

Say this instead

“You'll make $300 a night.”

“Bartenders earn tips on top of their pay. It depends on where you work.”

“Get your bartending license.”

“Learn the job online. You get a certificate of completion.”

“This will get you hired.”

“It helped me feel ready to apply.”

“The #1 bartending school.”

“The course I took and liked.”

Captions and your link

Put the disclosure first

Start every caption with #ad, or say “I earn a commission if you buy through my link.” Where the app has a paid-partnership or branded-content switch, turn it on too.

#ad Thinking about bartending? The Bar School's online course covers the pours, the classics and how to get hired, at your own pace. Link in my bio (I earn a commission if you buy).

  • Instagram

    Link in your bio, plus a link sticker on stories.

  • TikTok

    Link in your bio if your account shows one; otherwise say “link in my bio on Instagram.”

  • YouTube

    Link in the description and a pinned comment.

  • Facebook

    Link in the post, and keep it to groups that allow it.

Want a shorter link? In your affiliate dashboard, open Codes, click Create Code and pick something short and personal, like your name plus a number. Then choose that code under Quick Links on your dashboard and copy the new link.

Payouts

How you get paid

Your link
50% commission on every Bar Ready purchase
Doesn't count
The recipe pack, the add-on, and promo codes (they can't be used with affiliate links)
When
Monthly, once a sale is 30 days old
How
PayPal, to the email you gave us
Refunds
A refunded or charged-back sale comes off a later payout
Taxes
W-9 once you've earned $1,500; a 1099-NEC if we pay you $2,000+ in a year

Your affiliate dashboard shows every click, sale and payout.

Apply now