It’s that time of year again! Black Friday—the busiest shopping weekend of the year—is right around the corner.
Do you have everything you need set up to run successful Black Friday campaigns? Whether you’re putting the finishing touches on your planning or you’re just getting started, this blog has the inspiration you need to make this your best holiday season yet.
Let’s go over the five things every brand needs to make their Black Friday marketing campaigns a huge hit.
1. Clear Black Friday campaign goals
Setting clear goals for your Black Friday marketing campaigns is the foundation for success—especially when influencers are involved.
You might be tempted to jump right in and start the planning process, but stop, take a beat, and think about exactly what you hope to accomplish.
Start with the big picture: What’s your endgame?
Are you trying to drive sales? Build brand awareness? Maybe you’re going for a big engagement bump during the holiday season?
Whatever the case may be, pick a precise goal. Don’t just say, “I want to drive sales.” Instead, say, “I want to drive X amount of sales by this specific end date.” If you need a refresher on goal-setting, feel free to check out our SMART Goals Worksheet.
Establish your KPIs early.
Here’s where you can get super granular. For influencer-driven Black Friday marketing campaigns, you’ll want to decide which KPIs will prove you’re on the fast track to reach your overall goals.
Some common influencer marketing KPIs include:
- Sales conversions: Track how many purchases were made using influencer-specific discount codes or links.
- Engagement: Measure the number of likes, comments, shares, and other interactions on influencer posts.
- Reach and impressions: How many people saw your product or brand via the influencer’s platform?
- Follower growth: Track how your brand’s social following grows during the campaign, especially if you’re targeting brand awareness.
By setting specific, measurable goals ahead of time, you’ll know exactly what to focus on—and you can avoid wasting time and budget on efforts that don’t directly support your objectives.
2. Black Friday influencers: choosing the right partners
Choosing the right creators can make or break your Black Friday marketing campaigns. The key is finding those who not only align with your brand but also have the right audience and approach for driving results during the busiest shopping weekend of the year.
Here are some tips to consider:
Prioritize brand-aligned influencers.
Start by making sure the creators you work with share your brand values and aesthetic. If you’re a sustainable fashion brand, you’ll want to collab with creators who regularly promote eco-friendly products. Authenticity is key, and the partnership should feel like a natural fit.
Consider the audience and reach.
Bigger isn’t always better! Sure, macro and celebrity influencers can get your brand in front of a ton of eyeballs, but let’s be honest—most of us don’t have the budget for that.
Instead, focus on multiple paid partnerships with micro and nano creators (these creators tend to have better engagement rates and a stronger connection with their audience anyway).
Pair your paid partnerships with an affiliate strategy that only requires you to pay creators when they make a conversion and you’re well on your way to cleaning up this holiday season.
Match the right creator with the right offer.
For Black Friday, you’re probably offering deals, bundles, or exclusive promotions. Make sure the creator you choose can promote these offers in a way that resonates with their audience.
For example, an influencer known for product reviews and deal sharing will be perfect for driving conversions on a limited-time sale.
3. Creating enticing Black Friday offers
Everyone and their mother runs a promotion on Black Friday, so it can be pretty easy to get lost in the noise if you’re not careful.
That’s why it’s critical to release enticing Black Friday offers that stand out and feel exclusive.
For example:
Time-sensitive offers
Black Friday is all about urgency. It’s just one day! You have to be quick! This deal ends soon! Get it before time runs out!
You get the idea.
Limited-time deals or flash sales that are only available for a few hours or one day (Black Friday) create FOMO that drives quick decisions. Consider running promotions that are only valid within a certain window and lean on your influencers to generate buzz for the sale.
Exclusive discounts
One of the best ways to entice shoppers is to give them deals they can’t get any other time of the year. That’s how Black Friday got started in the first place.
Whether it’s a 30% off sitewide sale or buy-one-get-one-free, make sure discounts are significant enough to feel like a once-per-year opportunity.
And don’t forget to have your creators amplify these offers by sharing them with their followers!
Bundled products and special editions
There are a lot of lazy shoppers out there who will appreciate a gift bundle they can buy to knock out multiple names or items on their holiday list with one transaction.
Plus, consumers love the idea of getting more value, so bundling bestsellers or launching a new product as part of a Black Friday deal can be very effective.
Influencers can help showcase the value of these bundles by highlighting how perfect they are for gifting or self-treating.
Free gifts with purchase
Everyone loves getting a little gift over the holidays. Make your customers feel special by giving them one, too.
Offering a gift with a purchase over a certain amount is a great way to increase cart sizes. Make sure the gift feels valuable and exclusive to the Black Friday season, and encourage your creators to promote the deal by showing off their bonus product on social.
4. Tracking and measuring the success of your Black Friday campaigns
Giving your creators affiliate links and discount codes is the best way to track the success of your Black Friday marketing campaigns. Plus, it sweetens the deal even further for your target audience.
Let’s elaborate a bit.
Affiliate links
By assigning a unique link to each influencer, you can see exactly who’s driving traffic to your site and generating sales.
This granular tracking allows you to:
- Measure traffic: Track how many visitors came to your site through the influencer’s link.
- Monitor conversions: See how many of those visitors made a purchase (this also gives you a direct way to measure each creator’s impact).
- Calculate affiliate payouts: If you’re running an affiliate program, these links will automatically track commissions, making it easy to pay influencers based on actual sales.
Discount codes
Discount codes are another powerful tool for tracking the effectiveness of your Black Friday marketing campaigns.
- Track sales: Just like affiliate links, you can track how many sales were generated through each discount code for a clear view of who drove the most conversions.
- Create a sense of exclusivity: Creators can promote these discount codes only to their followers, i.e., “I have a special discount code just for you guys.”
- Boost engagement: Encourage influencers to incorporate their discount codes into their content creatively, whether it’s through tutorials, product reviews, or “shop with me” videos.
5. Plenty of creative Black Friday campaign ideas
Need a little inspiration for your Black Friday marketing campaigns? Here are a few brands that absolutely nailed it.
Fashion Nova
Fashion Nova’s Black Friday campaign used influencers to promote exclusive discounts and giveaways across Instagram and TikTok. Creators showcased their favorite items and offered discount codes, driving urgency around the limited-time deals. The creators made the discounts feel personal and accessible—the perfect combination for a successful Black Friday campaign.
Sephora
Sephora’s Black Friday campaign, offering 50% off select products, was a hit thanks to its creator program. Influencers drew attention to the huge discount by showcasing must-have items in their beauty routines, making it clear the deal was too good to miss.
Samsung
Samsung’s Black Friday campaigns often feature creators showcasing how the brand’s products fit into their daily lives. In the example above, we have a creator who bought a new television. Not only does he show himself unboxing the new TV, he also gives a quick demonstration for how to mount it successfully—something I’m sure many of us have struggled with.
Boohoo
Boohoo often runs Black Friday marketing campaigns that combine styling videos with limited-time offers. The brand’s creators show the trendiest ways to wear Boohoo items and make the products feel aspirational yet accessible.
Key takeaway: The most successful Black Friday campaigns are centered around authentic creator content.
Many creators today have built a unique connection with their audience. Their followers trust them wholeheartedly when it comes to product recommendations, which makes these creators valuable assets to your Black Friday campaigns. Focus on collecting authentic creator content, and your brand is sure to get everything it wants this holiday season.
Learn more about influencer marketing: Influencer Marketing 101
