How to Run a Twitter/X Influencer Marketing Campaign?

Twitter is one of the most powerful social media platforms for marketing.

If you’ve been using Twitter as part of your marketing strategy for a while now but are still struggling to pump up the number of generated and converted leads, it could be that you need some Twitter influencers in your corner. 

Easier said than done, right?!

This article explains in detail on how to run a Twitter influencer marketing to start raking in those conversions.

What is a Twitter Influencer Marketing Campaign?

If you’re active on Twitter/X (or even any other social media) user, you must no doubt have seen popular Twitter accounts sharing certain types of tweets advertising a product, service, or brand in general, often using tools like an Online Twitter Viewer to analyze engagement and reach.

These aren’t retweets of advertisements; they’re organic tweets from the account holder (or their marketing team), usually singing the praises of a product or service they’ve recently used. 

These aren’t just gestures of appreciation - they’re affiliated ads approved via Twitter, where a brand will approach Twitter users/ influencers with a big following (either a celebrity or a social media influencer) and ask them to promote something without sounding too salesy - to make it look organic; like the influencer can’t get enough of so-and-so’s new line of knitwear, for example.

It is a more powerful and authentic type of advertising than just any old retweet.

What are Twitter Influencers?

Twitter influencers are social media influencers with a Twitter account with a significant follower count on this particular platform who will typically collaborate with brands, designers, and other influencers to endorse a product or service (or themselves).

They will be paid by this brand for their promotion, but more likely, they will be given, for example, a year’s supply of a particular product or free access to services this brand may provide. 

Here's an example of a Twitter creator promoting stainless steel cookware:

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What Are The Benefits of Twitter Influencers for Brands?

Partnering with Twitter influencers can be a game-changer for your brand. Here's why:

1. Targeted Influence:

Influencers typically have followers who are like-minded and trust their opinions. When an influencer promotes a product they genuinely like, their audience is more likely to pay attention and consider purchasing it.

Here's an example of a Twitter influencer promoting a new show:

‍2. Relevant & Authentic Endorsements:

Good influencers don’t promote just anything. They choose products and services that align with their personal brand and audience’s interests — making their promotions feel more like recommendations than ads.

3. Cost-Effective Campaigns:

You don’t always need to pay influencers upfront. Many will collaborate in exchange for free products, vouchers, or temporary access to your services. This keeps costs low, especially for small and mid-sized brands.

‍4. Increased Brand Awareness:

Every tweet or retweet from an influencer gets your brand in front of new eyes. Over time, this consistent exposure can help people recognize and remember your name.

‍5. Authentic Online Reviews:

Influencers often share honest feedback about the products they promote. These organic reviews add social proof and help build credibility with potential customers.

‍6. More Social Engagement:

A mention from an influencer can drive likes, comments, and retweets — boosting your overall presence on Twitter and helping you tap into new audiences.

7. Website and Channel Traffic:

Influencer posts that include links or tags can direct followers to your website, product pages, or even other social platforms like YouTube or Instagram, increasing the chances of conversion.

How To Do Budgeting for Twitter Influencer Campaigns?

The best part about Twitter influencer campaigns? You don’t need a massive budget to get started. Here's how to think about the money side of things:

1. Decide Your Budget Early:

Before you reach out to any creators, set a rough budget. Are you working with a tight $500 to test the waters, or can you spend $5,000+ for a bigger splash? Your budget helps narrow down the type of influencers you can partner with — micro-influencers for affordability, or mid-tier and macro for wider reach. Having this number in mind also helps you negotiate confidently and avoid overspending.

‍2. Balance Paid and Product-Only Collabs:

Not every campaign has to involve cash. Many micro or nano-influencers, especially those who already love your brand or are aligned with your niche, are open to collaborations in exchange for free products or affiliate commission. For example, you might send your product to 20 creators and only pay a few who have larger followings or specific creative skills. This mix can stretch your budget while still driving strong results.

‍3. Factor in Hidden Costs:

Don’t forget about the behind-the-scenes expenses. You might need to invest in things like:

1. Tracking tools (like Bitly or UTM builders)
2. Visual assets or graphics if your team isn’t creating them in-house
3. Time for writing brand guidelines, managing communication, and reviewing content

These aren’t always part of the influencer fee, but they matter when calculating total campaign cost.

‍4. Optimize Over Time:

Start with a small group of influencers and track what works. Which creators drove the most traffic or conversions? Which ones had great engagement but no actual sales? Once you spot a trend, double down on the high performers and reallocate budget from the underperformers. This way, your spend becomes more efficient over time, and your ROI improves with each round of campaigns.

5 Ways To Run A Twitter Influencer Marketing Campaign

So, we know there’s much power (not to mention return on investment) in Twitter influencer marketing - but how do we go about it successfully?

1. Do Your Research

The most important thing you can do is find an influencer relevant to your industry - and one who is local. 

It is absolutely imperative you resist the urge to reach out to any old influencer in any old location. That defeats the entire object of Twitter influencer marketing.

Instead, take a little time to research influencers in your area that are either directly within your industry or at least have some relevance to it. 

A really quick and easy way of doing this is logging into your Twitter and putting relevant hashtags, plus your location, into the search bar - any influencer worth their salt will always be hot on using plenty of appropriate hashtags, so this should help you find local, relevant sources to reach out to.

2. Use Tools/Programs

Modern digital marketing often comes with an array of tools to help you elevate your marketing game for maximum potential; this could be software, apps, KPIs, and so on.

Additionally, the emergence of digital marketing virtual assistants has revolutionized how we manage and optimize online campaigns, seamlessly integrating with existing tools for enhanced efficiency. With tools like Twilert, digital marketers can track Twitter activity, saving time and money while improving support by quickly identifying relevant conversations and trends.

But did you know that there are now tools and services to help you search for influencers? 

If you want to generate an influx of lucrative, ideal influencers but don’t have the time to do it yourself - why not invest in an automatic influencers program?

3. Build a Rapport 

Before you reach out to one of the new influencers you’ve generated, it can be wise to build a rapport with them before going in for the kill (which can be off-putting).

You’ll need to earn their trust and respect by demonstrating a professional interest and prior knowledge of their brand, its purpose, and its mission. Don’t go in blindly - do your research on the most prominent influencers in the business.

4. Play by the Rules

If you opt for a paid partnership through Twitter, you will need to make sure you follow all the advertising regulations because although using an influencer is cost-effective, you cannot legally advertise on a social media channel without playing by the rules. 

Failure to do this will likely see your (and possibly the influencer’s) account suspended.

5. Create a Killer Campaign

Once you’ve bagged your dream influencer, you’ll have to get to work creating the campaign. 

Here are some tips on how to ensure your campaign is a success:

• Work with your influencer on making the ad organic. This means making sure the text they use is organic and in keeping with their tone.
  
  
• Offer promotions within the tweets to garner more engagement.
  
  
• Chances are, the influencer will want to do their own photography to ensure it’s in keeping with their aesthetic, which is great - that saves you a job - but make sure you check it before it goes live, just to make sure the product/service is represented accurately, and there aren’t any other brands (particularly a competitor!) in the photo.
  
  
• Monitor your sponsored ad KPIs (as you would on other social media platforms).
  
  
• If your ad requires a lead to be converted on your website (AKA, away from the Twitter platform), make sure you use code tracking to monitor conversions on your website, as Twitter’s native KPIs won’t be able to do this.
  
  
• Take stock of what relevant influencers are doing with their Twitter account.
  
  
• Build a target audience to help you generate leads.
  
  
• Use relevant keywords.
  
  
• Seek advice from an industry expert.

Measuring Twitter Influencer Campaign Success

Once your campaign is live, you’ll want to track what’s actually moving the needle. Here’s how to measure success:

1. Engagement Rates:

Start with the basics — likes, replies, retweets. Are people interacting with the influencer’s tweet about your product? High engagement is a good sign that the content resonates with their audience (and potential customers).

2. Click-Throughs and Traffic:

Are people clicking the links shared by the influencer? Use UTM links or trackable URLs to monitor referral traffic to your site. If a tweet goes viral but no one clicks, it may be more entertaining than persuasive.

‍3. Conversions and Sales:

This one’s the gold standard. Did people actually buy something? Whether you’re using promo codes or tracking purchase behavior through analytics tools, this tells you if the campaign directly impacted your bottom line.

‍4. Follower Growth or Brand Mentions:

Are more people talking about your brand? Are you gaining new followers? These are indirect wins that show rising brand awareness — especially valuable if you're still in growth mode.

‍5. Cost Per Result:

Compare what you spent on the influencer with the results they drove. If they brought in 50 customers for $500, that’s $10 per customer — helpful when comparing with other channels like Meta or Google Ads.

3 Examples of Successful Twitter Influencer Campaigns:

Want to know if Twitter influencer marketing actually works? Let’s look at a few brands that have crushed it:

1. Liquid Death:

Liquid Death, a canned water brand turned heads by ditching the wellness influencer crowd and teaming up with punk musicians, edgy comedians, and alternative creators. Their wild, rebellious content — like mock ads and outrageous product claims — went viral on Twitter. It wasn’t just water anymore, it was a lifestyle. The result? Massive engagement and a cult following, all built through authentic, on-brand collaborations.

2. Glossier:

Known for its minimal beauty aesthetic, Glossier has built a strong presence by amplifying the voices of real users. They retweet customer reviews, highlight micro-influencers who genuinely love their products, and keep the tone casual and community-focused. This grassroots, word-of-mouth vibe helped them grow a loyal fanbase and make everyday users feel like influencers.

3. Wendy’s:

Fast food on Twitter might sound boring — unless you’re Wendy’s. Their sassy, sharp-roasting persona has become iconic. But behind the scenes, they also interact with influencers and meme accounts to keep the buzz going. Their humorous and unfiltered tone makes even simple tweets go viral, boosting engagement without spending big on traditional ads.

Each of these brands used Twitter in a way that felt native, real, and fun — and it paid off big time.

Final Thoughts

If executed properly and in keeping with the above advice (as well as Twitter’s advertising rules), you will find that Twitter influencer marketing campaigns are cost-effective and extremely lucrative for building your brand’s reputation and generating and converting leads.