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Animated illustration: three phone screens showing Halloween creator content (a jack-o'-lantern, a ghost and a witch's hat with candy) under a pink moon with flying bats
SEASONAL MARKETING

Halloween Influencer Marketing Campaign Guide

A friendly, step-by-step guide to planning a Halloween influencer campaign, and every seasonal peak after it.

The Spooky Season Playbook

A friendly, step-by-step guide to planning a Halloween influencer campaign, and every seasonal peak after it

OVERVIEW

Why Halloween deserves a proper plan

$13.5B

expected US Halloween spend

1 in 2

shoppers start in September or earlier

9 in 10

creators have under 10k followers

5 steps

from calendar to final report

Start planning in summer, pick states for scale and for testing, build a mix of mostly smaller influencers, brief the message rather than the script, and give every creator a code per wave so you know what worked.

Halloween is one night, but the shopping starts weeks before. If your creators only start posting in late October, you have already missed most of it.

Americans are expected to spend around $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, on costumes, décor and a lot of candy. About half of shoppers start buying in September or earlier, and their ideas come from the feeds they scroll every day.

Creators are everywhere, but not evenly. Some states have far more creators than their size suggests, big accounts cluster in a couple of places, and the creators who drive the most conversation are usually the smaller ones. Get those three things right and the rest of the campaign gets a lot easier.

This guide walks you through five steps, from your calendar to your final report. Each one ends with something you can try straight away.

Not just for Halloween

We use Halloween as the example, but the same approach works for Black Friday, the holidays or any other peak.

CONTENTS

What this guide covers

01 → YOUR CALENDAR

Start earlier than you think

Count back from 31 October and give every task a date. The best Halloween campaigns are planned in summer. By October, the most in-demand influencers are booked and everyone is fighting for the same feeds. Work backwards from the big night. Here's a simple timeline you can copy:

When

What to do

Mid-August

Look at what people talked about last Halloween and start building a long list of creators.

Late August

Shortlist, check audiences and reach out before seasonal calendars fill up.

Early September

Sign contracts, send product, hand out discount codes and agree posting dates.

Mid-September to mid-October

Inspiration content goes live: costume ideas, décor builds, recipes, round-ups.

The final ten days

Quick, last-minute content from smaller creators: costume hacks, reveals, local events.

Early November

Wrap up, save your best creators and roll what worked into Black Friday.

Find your kick-off date

Put 31 October in your calendar, then count back twelve weeks. That's the day you start listening and building your influencer list.

Timeline of a Halloween influencer campaign from August to November: listen and build a long list in mid-August, shortlist and reach out in late August, sign contracts and send product in early September, inspiration content from mid-September to mid-October, last-minute content in the final ten days before 31 October, then wrap up and roll into Black Friday in early November.

 

Running late? Do a ten-day sprint

Skip the big names and go straight to nano and micro influencers. They are in every state, they can turn content around fast, and they are great at last-minute ideas. Brief one simple message, let them choose the format, then put next year's timeline in the diary.

02 → YOUR PLACES

Pick your places

Where your creators are, and where their followers are. Creators aren't spread evenly across the US. A few states punch well above their weight, while some huge audiences have surprisingly few local creators. An easy way to think about it is to sort states into three groups:

Big and busy

California, New York, Florida, Georgia

Lots of creators and plenty of big names. Start here when you need choice.

Big audience, fewer creators

Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania

Huge audiences, but fewer local creators per follower. Look for creators elsewhere whose fans live there.

Small but buzzing

Louisiana, Mississippi, Hawaii, Tennessee, Alabama

Smaller markets packed with local, smaller creators. Perfect for testing an idea before you scale it.

A few things that might surprise you

  • New York is creator central. It has roughly one creator profile for every ten Instagram users, about twice the national average.
  • Texas is an audience market, Florida is a creator market. Texas has the bigger audience, but Florida actually has more creators.
  • The Southeast is full of local voices. Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are packed with smaller creators, which makes them ideal for community-led content like local events and neighbourhood décor.

Watch out! Where an influencer lives is not where their fans live...

A creator based in Los Angeles might have most of their followers in Ohio. Always check audience location before you call an influencer partnership local.

Three groups of US states for Halloween creator campaigns: big and busy (California, New York, Florida, Georgia), big audience with fewer creators (Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania) and small but buzzing (Louisiana, Mississippi, Hawaii, Tennessee, Alabama).

 

Illustration: Launching a Halloween snack in Texas and Louisiana?

Run them as two different tests. Use Texas for reach, with taste-test videos and creators from other states whose followers live there.

Use Louisiana for a tight, local influencer program with lots of smaller creators around community events. Keep the offer the same so you can compare results fairly.

03 → YOUR PEOPLE

Pick your people

Build a creator mix, not a celebrity wish list. Almost nine in ten influencers have fewer than 10,000 followers. That's not a problem, it's an opportunity. Big accounts are rare, they cluster in California and New York, and they get booked first. Smaller creators are everywhere, they tend to get stronger engagement, and they often drive most of the conversation. The sweet spot is a mix:

Creator size

Followers

Best for

Nano

Under 10k

Local relevance, volume and quick last-minute content

Micro

10k to 100k

Tutorials, demos and tight-knit communities

Macro

100k to 1M

Wider reach for the early-shopper wave

Mega

1M+

One big moment, like a costume reveal. Book these first

Match Halloween to the right niches

Halloween touches lots of content areas, and most creators work across more than one. Search by what they actually make, not just their category label:

  • Fashion: costumes, couple and pet looks, last-minute outfits
  • Food and drink: candy taste tests, spooky recipes, trick-or-treat haul reviews
  • Beauty: special-effects makeup, nails, party looks
  • Home: porch makeovers, budget DIY décor, week-by-week builds
  • Gaming and entertainment: in-game Halloween events, horror playthroughs, watch lists

Tip: Look for people who already love the season

Search last year's posts for Halloween keywords. Influencers who already make costume, décor or makeup content bring an audience that expects it, and they need much less direction.

Creator mix pyramid: a wide base of nano creators under 10k followers, then micro (10k to 100k), macro (100k to 1M) and a small top of mega creators with 1M+ followers. Almost nine in ten creators have fewer than 10,000 followers.

 

Don't assume the stereotypes

Beauty has plenty of male creators, which is handy for special-effects makeup, and tech and gaming creators lean slightly female. If you need a specific type of influencer, search for it directly.

04 → YOUR FORMATS

Pick your formats

Brief the message, let creators bring the magic. Use each platform for what it does best. TikTok has loads of creators, so it's great for finding people and testing ideas. Instagram tends to win on trust, so use it when people are deciding what to buy. When it comes to the content itself, routine and personal stories beat hard sells every time. Some Halloween formats that brief really well:

  • Costume transformations and "get ready with me" videos

  • Candy and snack taste tests, ranked

  • A week-by-week porch or room makeover series

  • Last-minute costume hacks from things you already own

  • Family traditions: pumpkin carving, trick-or-treat routes, movie nights

Formats also change by place. Aesthetic videos tend to do well in California, lists and reviews in New York, and taste tests in Texas. Give creators the key message and the must-haves, then let them choose how to tell it.

Be upfront, clear #ad labels help, not hurt

Sponsored posts that are clearly labelled tend to do better over time, not worse. Put disclosure and where it goes in every contract.

If your product makes health or ingredient claims, like sugar-free treats, agree the wording up front.

Five Halloween content formats: costume transformations and get-ready-with-me videos, candy and snack taste tests, week-by-week porch or room makeovers, last-minute costume hacks, and family traditions like pumpkin carving and movie nights. TikTok for finding people and testing ideas, Instagram for trust when people decide what to buy.

 

Tip: Get the rights to boost your best posts

Agree usage rights in the contract, then put paid budget behind the posts that are already flying in the final week. It's the easiest win of the season.

05 → MEASURE IT

Measure it, then keep it

Know what worked, and take it into your next peak. Seasonal campaigns are short, so decide what success looks like before you launch.

If your goal is...

Keep an eye on

Awareness

Reach, video views and how often people see you

Consideration

Saves, shares, site visits and searches

Sales

Discount codes, tracked links and conversions

It also pays to keep a simple tally of how many creators you found, contacted, heard back from, signed and saw deliver. It shows you where things got stuck, and it gives you a benchmark for next year.

And don't let it all end on 1 November. Save your best creators, keep their content and roll them into Black Friday on 27 November.

One creator with two discount codes: an early code for the inspiration wave from mid-September to mid-October and a last-minute code for the final ten days, so sales can be attributed to each wave.

 

Tip: Give every influencer two codes

One for the early wave and one for the last-minute wave. You'll see who drove sales and which timing worked, and next year's plan will practically write itself.

06 → INSPIRATION

Campaigns we love

Five recent Halloween campaigns that got creators right, each broken down into three steps you can copy for your own brand

At Home: Halfway to Halloween

AT HOME · SUMMER 2025

The big idea. Meet Halloween superfans in summer, months before everyone else shows up.

At Home Halfway to Halloween campaign, summer 2025: a summer giveaway with Halloween superfan creators, at roughly one dollar per entry, whose star creator became a brand ambassador.

What they did

The home décor retailer didn't wait for October. It ran a "Halfway to Halloween" (also called Half-O-Ween) giveaway and a Summerween push with creators who were already huge Halloween fans, and gave them free rein. The giveaway pulled in thousands of entries for about a dollar each, and its star creator went on to become a brand ambassador.

Why it worked

The creators already lived for Halloween, so the content felt like theirs, not an ad.

Steal it in 3 steps

01 Find your superfans. Search last year's Halloween posts for creators who decorate, dress up or bake for the season every year.

02 Pick a mid-year hook. Use a moment like Halfway to Halloween or Summerween to give everyone a reason to post early.

03 Keep the winners. Run a simple giveaway, track entries per creator, and offer your best performer a longer partnership.

Freeform: 31 Nights of Halloween

FREEFORM · OCTOBER 2025

The big idea. A handful of niche creators, one clear theme and plenty of creative freedom.

Freeform 31 Nights of Halloween campaign, October 2025: four crafting creators made film-inspired DIY projects, earning millions of views and the network’s most-watched week of the year.

What they did

To promote its Halloween film season, the TV network asked four crafting creators to make DIY projects inspired by classic films, like a Hocus Pocus spell book turned into a s'more on a stick. Four videos racked up millions of views, and the kick-off week was the network's most-watched week of the year.

Why it worked

Every project pointed back to a film people already loved, and DIY content gets saved and recreated.

Steal it in 3 steps

01 Tie the theme to what you sell. Pick one hook from your own range or calendar, like a film, a flavour or a collection.

02 Go deep in one niche. Brief three to five creators from the same community, such as crafters, and let each pick their own project.

03 Drop them on a schedule. Release one piece a week across the season and save your strongest for kick-off week.

Cheetos: a Halloween party for creators

CHEETOS · MEXICO, 2024

The big idea. Give creators something to film, not just something to unbox.

Cheetos Halloween creator party in Mexico, 2024: one event with activities, photo spots, snacks and a private concert, shared by dozens of creators and reaching millions of people.

What they did

Instead of just sending product, Cheetos and TikTok threw an exclusive Halloween event for creators, with activities, photo spots, snacks and a private concert. The content reached millions of people and gave the brand a clear lift.

Why it worked

One event gave dozens of creators the same moment to share, each from their own angle.

Steal it in 3 steps

01 Host a small themed moment. It can be a single evening: décor, photo spots, your product and something worth filming.

02 Invite a mix of local creators. Mix niches so the same event shows up in very different feeds.

03 Ask for fast posts. Agree a posting window of a day or two to ride the buzz, then reshare the best on your own channels.

Reese's: America's Trick-or-Treatiest Street

REESE'S · OCTOBER 2026

The big idea. Turn local pride into a nationwide conversation.

Reese’s America’s Trick-or-Treatiest Street campaign, October 2026: people nominate streets, a panel of actors and creators judges the shortlist, and the winning street gets a block party.

What they did

Reese's is on the hunt for the best trick-or-treat street in the country. A panel of actors and creators is judging a shortlist of real streets, with a block party for the winner.

Why it worked

Everyone wants their street to win, so people share, nominate and cheer without being asked twice.

Steal it in 3 steps

01 Make it a nomination. Ask people to put forward their street, store, school or town.

02 Recruit local champions. Partner with creators in each shortlisted area to rally their neighbours.

03 Celebrate on camera. Give the winner a real-world moment, like a party, and have creators film it.

e.l.f. Cosmetics: The e.l.f.ing Magical Sisters

E.L.F. COSMETICS · SEPTEMBER 2026

The big idea. You don't need a Halloween product to own Halloween. A good story will do.

e.l.f. Cosmetics The e.l.f.ing Magical Sisters, September 2026: a spooky-season comedy about three modern witches and a $7 blush stick, launched as early Halloween shoppers got going.

What they did

e.l.f. launched a spooky-season comedy about three modern witches who discover that great glam doesn't need a magic wand, just a $7 blush stick. It went live at the end of September, right as early shoppers got going.

Why it worked

The product played a small, fun part in a story people wanted to watch, and it landed just as shoppers started looking.

Steal it in 3 steps

01 Write a mini seasonal story. Find a playful Halloween plot where your product solves a small problem.

02 Cast creators as characters. Invite creators to star in it, recreate the looks or react to each episode.

03 Launch in late September. Catch the early shoppers, then cut short clips for the final week.

07 → QUICK TIPS

Ten tips from our team

No.

Tip

How to do it

01

Start in summer

Open conversations in July and sign by late August.

02

Plan two waves

An inspiration wave from mid-September, and a last-minute wave in the final ten days.

03

Go niche

A makeup artist for beauty or a home creator for décor beats a general lifestyle account.

04

Give them a story

An event, a limited drop or a challenge gives creators something to talk about.

05

Skip the script

Share the message and the must-haves, then trust creators with the format.

06

Let creators come to you

Post an open casting call and you will hear from people you would never have found.

07

Make buying easy

Links and codes give every post a clear next step, and make results easy to track.

08

Think local

Neighbourhood and city angles work brilliantly in states full of smaller creators.

09

Boost the winners

Put paid budget behind the posts that are already working.

10

Keep your favourites

Turn your best creators into ambassadors and call them first next season.

Easy mistakes to avoid

Instead of...

Try this

Briefing creators in October

Shortlisting in August and briefing by early September

Picking creators by follower count

Checking audience location, engagement and last year's Halloween posts

Writing a script for every post

Sharing the message and letting creators choose the format

One post per creator

A short series across both waves

One discount code for everyone

A code per creator, per wave

Letting the content disappear on 1 November

Reusing your best posts in ads and next year

08 → BEFORE YOU GO

Your Halloween checklist

  • ☐  Count back from 31 October and date every step
  • ☐  Listen to last year's conversation and build a long list of creators
  • ☐  Pick your states: where to scale and where to test
  • ☐  Book your big names first, then fill up with smaller creators
  • ☐  Check every creator's audience location and engagement
  • ☐  Choose a platform for each job
  • ☐  Brief the message, not the script
  • ☐  Put disclosure, usage rights and codes in every contract
  • ☐  Boost your best posts in the final week
  • ☐  Save your favourite creators for Black Friday

Happy haunting: start early, keep it local, and let influencers have fun with it

If you'd like a hand finding the right influencers for your next seasonal campaign, the Influencity team is always happy to help.