Ultimate Black Friday Influencer Campaign Checklist
Black Friday is not just another sales day—it’s the most competitive, noise-heavy, conversion-driven period of the year. Influencer campaigns during Black Friday succeed or fail based on planning, timing, offer clarity, creator alignment, and execution discipline.
This checklist breaks down everything you must do—before, during, and after Black Friday—to run a high-performing influencer campaign that drives real revenue, not just views and likes.
SECTION 1: STRATEGY & GOAL SETTING (6–8 Weeks Before)
✅ Define Clear Campaign Objectives
Tick what applies:
⬜ Direct sales / revenue
⬜ New customer acquisition
⬜ App installs
⬜ Email/SMS list growth
⬜ Product launch or clearance
⬜ Retargeting warm audiences
👉 Black Friday influencer campaigns should be conversion-first, not awareness-first.
✅ Set Non-Negotiable KPIs
Decide upfront:
⬜ Target revenue
⬜ ROAS / ROI
⬜ Cost per sale (CPS)
⬜ Average order value (AOV)
⬜ Conversion rate
⬜ Influencer-wise performance benchmarks
✅ Lock Budget & Payout Model
Choose the model:
⬜ Flat fee
⬜ Affiliate / commission-based
⬜ Hybrid (base + commission)
⬜ Performance bonuses for top creators
💡 Black Friday Tip:
Hybrid or affiliate-heavy models reduce risk and push creators harder.
SECTION 2: INFLUENCER SELECTION & OUTREACH (5–6 Weeks Before)
✅ Choose the Right Influencer Mix
Don’t over-index on follower count.
⬜ Nano & Micro (high trust, high conversion)
⬜ Mid-tier (balanced reach + sales)
⬜ Macro (selective, only if audience matches)
⬜ Past customers turned creators (goldmine)
✅ Vet Influencers Thoroughly
Checklist:
⬜ Audience relevance
⬜ Engagement quality (not just %)
⬜ Past Black Friday performance
⬜ Content quality under urgency
⬜ History of sales-driven campaigns
⬜ No fake followers or engagement pods
✅ Outreach & Contracting
⬜ Outreach done early (creators get booked fast)
⬜ Clear campaign brief shared
⬜ Deliverables defined (reels, stories, lives, posts)
⬜ Usage rights clarified (ads, website, email)
⬜ Deadlines locked
⬜ FTC / ASCI disclosure clause included
SECTION 3: OFFER, DISCOUNTS & TRACKING (4–5 Weeks Before)
✅ Build a Black Friday–Only Offer
Ask yourself:
⬜ Is the offer clearly better than regular pricing?
⬜ Is it easy to explain in 5 seconds?
⬜ Does it have urgency?
Examples:
Flat % off (e.g., 40% OFF)
Buy 1 Get 1
Free gift with purchase
Bundle-only deals
Limited stock drops
✅ Influencer-Specific Incentives
⬜ Unique coupon codes per influencer
⬜ Personalized affiliate links
⬜ Extra commission tiers for top performers
⬜ Leaderboard or cash bonus incentives
✅ Tracking & Attribution Setup
⬜ Affiliate platform tested
⬜ Coupon codes working
⬜ UTMs in place
⬜ Mobile & desktop tracking verified
⬜ Last-click vs assisted conversions understood
⚠️ Never go live without testing links.
SECTION 4: CONTENT PLANNING & CREATIVE DIRECTION (3–4 Weeks Before)
✅ Content Format Planning
Plan multiple touchpoints:
⬜ Reels / short-form videos
⬜ Stories with links
⬜ YouTube integration
⬜ Live shopping sessions
⬜ Static posts for reminders
⬜ Community posts / broadcasts
✅ Messaging Framework for Creators
Ensure influencers cover:
⬜ Problem or need
⬜ Why this product
⬜ Personal experience
⬜ Clear offer & deadline
⬜ Strong CTA (“Black Friday ends tonight”)
Avoid:
❌ Generic brand scripts
❌ Over-polished ads
❌ Confusing offers
✅ Content Calendar Finalization
⬜ Teaser content (pre-Black Friday)
⬜ Launch-day content
⬜ Peak-day reminders
⬜ Last-day urgency posts
⬜ Post-sale recap or restock push
SECTION 5: PRE-LAUNCH READINESS CHECK (7–10 Days Before)
✅ Website & Funnel Check
⬜ Website speed optimized
⬜ Landing pages tested
⬜ Mobile UX flawless
⬜ Checkout friction removed
⬜ Cart abandonment flows live
⬜ Inventory aligned with campaign scale
✅ Influencer Dry Run
⬜ Content previews approved (if required)
⬜ Posting times aligned with audience activity
⬜ Story links tested
⬜ Coupon codes double-checked
⬜ Influencers reminded of timelines
SECTION 6: BLACK FRIDAY LIVE EXECUTION (Launch to Deadline)
✅ Day-of Execution Checklist
⬜ Influencers post on time
⬜ Stories go live with links
⬜ Lives hosted (if planned)
⬜ Comments monitored & answered
⬜ DMs handled quickly
⬜ Stock levels tracked hourly
✅ Performance Monitoring (Hourly/Daily)
Track:
⬜ Sales per influencer
⬜ Coupon usage
⬜ Click-through rate
⬜ Conversion rate
⬜ Drop-offs in funnel
💡 Scale winners fast:
Boost top-performing influencer content via ads if allowed.
✅ Urgency Amplification
⬜ “Last 24 hours” reminders
⬜ “Almost sold out” stories
⬜ Bonus gift announcements
⬜ Countdown timers shared by creators
SECTION 7: POST-BLACK FRIDAY FOLLOW-UP (After Sale Ends)
✅ Influencer Wrap-Up
⬜ Thank creators personally
⬜ Share performance highlights
⬜ Pay commissions on time
⬜ Identify long-term partners
✅ Performance Analysis
Review:
⬜ Revenue per influencer
⬜ ROI by creator tier
⬜ Best content formats
⬜ Best messaging angles
⬜ AOV impact
⬜ New vs returning customers
✅ Retention & Remarketing
⬜ Retarget Black Friday buyers
⬜ Upsell complementary products
⬜ Add buyers to email/SMS flows
⬜ Invite top influencers for evergreen partnerships
COMMON BLACK FRIDAY INFLUENCER MISTAKES TO AVOID
❌ Reaching out too late
❌ Choosing reach over relevance
❌ Weak or confusing offers
❌ No affiliate tracking
❌ Poor website experience
❌ Treating influencers as “post machines” instead of partners
FINAL TAKEAWAY
A successful Black Friday influencer campaign is not about:
More influencers
Bigger discounts
Louder content
It’s about:
Preparation
Performance tracking
Creator alignment
Urgency-driven storytelling
Flawless execution
Brands that treat Black Friday influencers as revenue partners, not just promoters, consistently win the biggest sales days of the year.
