Influencer marketing is still a relatively new area for many marketing managers in the Balkans. They know they should test it, but they don't know where to start, what exactly to do, and how to know if the campaign was successful.
This guide goes through every step of the first campaign: from defining the goal to analyzing the results. No improvisation, no theory, just concrete steps.
Step 1: Define one clear goal
One goal, one campaign
The most common mistake in the first campaign is setting too many goals at once: increase brand awareness, generate sales, increase profile followers and get UGC content. For the first campaign, choose one goal and subordinate everything else to it.
- Brand awareness: measures reach and impressions
- Sales generation: measures conversions through a promo code or UTM link
- Follower growth: measures the change on the profile during the campaign period
- UGC content: measures the number of content delivered and the right of usage
Step 2: Determine the budget and number of influencers
Conservative for the first campaign
For the first campaign, we recommend a budget between 300 and 1,000 euros and cooperation with one to three micro-influencers. The goal of the first campaign is not profitability, but learning: what works for your brand, what type of content the audience responds to and which influencer brings results.
Micro-influencers with 5,000 to 50,000 followers have a high engagement rate and lower prices than mega-influencers, which makes them ideal for low-risk testing.
Step 3: Define the profile of the ideal influencer
Relevance above all
Before searching for influencers, define the selection criteria:
- Niche: fitness, beauty, food, tech, parenting, lifestyle or something more specific
- Platform: Instagram, TikTok or YouTube, depending on your target group
- Geography: BiH, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro or all regions together
- Profile size: nano (1k-10k), micro (10k-100k), macro (100k-1M)
- Minimum engagement rate: for Instagram 2.5%, for TikTok 4%
Ask yourself: would my ideal customer follow this profile? If the answer is yes, the influencer passes the first filter.
Step 4: Find influencers and check statistics
Search with verified data
On Influexus, all creators have verified profiles with publicly available statistics: engagement rate, follower demographics, content category and price list. You don't need to manually search Instagram or wait for screenshots of statistics.
Filter by niche and platform, view profiles and make a shortlist of 5 to 8 candidates. Then choose 1 to 3 that best match the defined profile.
Step 5: Write a creative brief
Clear, but not too detailed
Brief is a document that gives the influencer all the information needed to create content, without killing creativity. A good brief has the following structure:
Creative Brief Template
Brand and Product: A brief description of the brand and the specific product or service being promoted.
Campaign objective: What we want to achieve with this announcement (eg increase sales of new product X in May).
Key message: One sentence that must be clear to the audience after viewing the content.
Mandatory elements: Hashtag, link in bio, promo code, sponsor disclosure, product display.
Restrictions: What may not be shown or said (competition, controversial content, etc.).
Format: Story / Reels / Post, minimum video length, publication deadline.
Freedom of influencers: They choose the tone, approach, creative solution according to their own style.
Step 6: Set up a measurement system
Without measurement there is no learning
Set up at least one of the following mechanisms before the campaign starts:
- Unique promo code per influencer (eg IME10) to track sales
- UTM link in bio or story link that follows origin of visits in Google Analytics
- Tracking orders during the campaign period while recording the referral source
Without one of these systems, the only thing you can measure is reach and likes, which is not enough to assess profitability.
Step 7: Pay securely and track delivery
Escrow protection, always
On Influexus, the brand deposits funds into a platform that holds them in escrow. The influencer receives payment only when the delivered content is approved by the brand. This eliminates the risk of payment without delivery and protects both parties.
Follow the delivery deadline: if the influencer is late, contact him in a timely manner. Content previews before going live, if agreed in the brief.
Step 8: Analyze the results and draw conclusions
One week after publication
Wait at least seven days after publication before analysis. Collect data and answer the following questions:
- How many promo codes have been used? What was the average order value?
- How many clicks did the UTM link generate? What was the bounce rate?
- Which influencer brought more results compared to cost?
- How did the audience react to the content? Which comments are repeated?
These answers are the basis for the next campaign, which must be better and more informed than the first.
Checklist for the first campaign
Check each step before launch:
- One clear goal of the campaign defined
- Budget and number of influencers determined
- Profile of the ideal influencer with selection criteria written
- Influencers selected with verified statistics
- Creative brief written according to the template
- Delivery deadline and publication format agreed
- Posted promo code or UTM link
- Payment secured through escrow
- Reviewed content before publication (if agreed)
- Scheduled analysis one week after publication
Key message: The first campaign is an experiment. The goal is not perfect ROI, but learning what works for your brand. Brands that consistently test, measure and adjust are the ones that turn influencer marketing into a reliable growth channel.
