Ever wonder what smart marketers are doing to grow faster?
HubSpot found something interesting: 53% of successful marketing teams used influencer marketing in 2023. And guess what? It’s not slowing down.
Here’s how influencer discount works in practice:
You create a special discount code for an influencer. They share it with their followers. Their audience gets a deal they want, and you get sales that don’t feel like sales.
Why does this work so damn well? Three reasons:
If you’re running a Shopify store and still depending mostly on paid ads, you’re leaving money on the table. This guide will show you exactly how to change that.
Okay, let’s be honest—when did you last click on an ad and buy something?
Most of us scroll right past them. But you know what we do pay attention to? Recommendations from people we like and follow.
That’s the magic of influencer discount codes.
Here’s the truth—ads are easy to ignore. But when someone your customers already follow recommends your product? That gets attention.
An influencer sharing your discount code feels like a friend saying, “Hey, this is worth checking out.” No ad blindness. No skepticism. Just genuine interest.
Here’s why this works so well:
Instant credibility – Their followers think, “If [Influencer] likes it, it’s probably good.”
Targeted traffic – You’re reaching people who already care about your niche. No more shouting into the void.
Budget-friendly – No upfront ad costs. Many creators will post for free products or a cut of sales.
Free content goldmine – You get real photos, videos, and reviews to reuse later.
Not all influencer discounts deliver the same results. The most effective approach depends on three key factors:
Let’s examine the five most effective discount structures used by successful e-commerce brands:
These unique codes (e.g., “LISA15”) create exclusivity while making performance tracking simple. Best for:
Combining discounts with commission structures works particularly well when:
Structure discounts to increase with purchase amount (e.g., “10% off 50+, 15% off 100+). Ideal for:
These create urgency and work best when:
Offering freebies instead of price cuts helps:
The most successful brands often combine 2-3 of these approaches based on different influencer tiers and campaign goals.
For instance, you might use personalized codes for nano-influencers while reserving affiliate structures for your top-performing creators.
Before launching your influencer discount campaign, define clear objectives—otherwise, you’re just hoping for results, not driving them.
Ask yourself: Are you focused on sales, traffic, brand awareness, or list growth? Each requires a different approach. For example:
Clear goals help you choose the right influencers, structure discounts effectively, and measure success accurately.
Start simple. Pick 1-2 primary goals and align every campaign element with them. This focus prevents wasted effort and ensures every discount code works harder for your store.
Picking influencers is like hiring salespeople. You wouldn’t hire someone who doesn’t understand your product. So why partner with creators who don’t resonate with your brand?
Forget follower count—alignment matters most. An influencer’s audience should match your ideal customer. Check their:
A creator with 10K engaged followers beats one with 100K ghosts. Look for:
Check their previous partnerships. Red flags:
Their style should fit your brand. Ask:
Micro-influencers (10K-100K followers) are like your brand’s best friends. They have smaller but highly engaged audiences who trust their recommendations. They’re budget-friendly, often accepting free products or small fees, and their content feels authentic and relatable. Perfect for niche products or targeted campaigns.
Macro-influencers (100K+ followers) are the celebrities. They offer massive reach and prestige but usually cost more and have lower engagement rates. Best for broad brand awareness or big launches.
Quick Rule:
Test both to see what works for your brand!
Ditch the generic “Hey, love your content!” DMs. Personalized outreach wins every time. Try this proven formula:
Compliment + Relevance – “Your post on [specific topic] stood out—our [product] would be perfect for your audience because [reason].”
Clear Ask + Benefit – “We’d love to send you [product] + [discount code/commission]. Your followers get [benefit], and you get [reward].”
Compensation Options:
Product-Only: Great for nano/micro-influencers
Discount + Commission: Hybrid model for better conversions
Flat Fee + Code: Best for macro-influencers
Follow up once. Many respond to the second message!
Creating an influencer discount code in Shopify is super simple.
Head to your Shopify Admin > Discounts > Create Discount. Choose your discount type: percentage off, fixed amount, or even free shipping. For influencer codes, percentage discounts (like 15% off) tend to work best. Then, give it a memorable name—something like “SARA15” works great. It’s a good practice to use the influencer’s name. It makes it easier for the followers to remember.
Next, set usage limits. You can control how many times the code can be used, total or per customer. Set a start and end date. You can also restrict it to certain collections or customer groups.
Before sharing the code, test it thoroughly to ensure it applies correctly at checkout. This avoids confusion and builds trust with your influencer partners.
If you want to offer discounts on product variants, consider using a third-party Shopify discount app.
Managing the collaboration process starts with sharing a clear creative brief and brand guidelines. This helps influencers understand your expectations and stay aligned with your brand voice.
Set up a review system so you can check the content before it goes live. Ensure captions, visuals, and use of the influencer discount code meet your standards. It also helps prevent off-brand messaging or errors.
Maintain a healthy balance between creative freedom and brand requirements. Influencers know their audience best, so flexibility is key. Though structure keeps everything on track. A little structure makes the whole partnership more professional—and way more effective.
Use an influencer marketing platform to automate approvals, deadlines, and reminders. That way, you avoid back-and-forth emails and late posts.
To know if your influencer marketing strategy is working, you need to track performance clearly. Start by giving each influencer a unique discount code. This lets you see exactly who’s bringing in sales.
Use Shopify’s built-in analytics to check how often each code is used and how much revenue it generates. For deeper insights, add UTM parameters and track them through Google Analytics. These help understand traffic sources and conversion rates.
Organize everything in a simple spreadsheet or use a Shopify app to manage codes and track performance in one place.
This data helps you see which influencers deliver results, so you can focus your time and budget on the partnerships that grow your store.
Bonus tip: Track beyond just revenue—monitor new customer acquisition, social mentions, and repeat purchases to gauge true impact.
Before running any influencer discount campaign, make sure everything is legally sound.
Influencers must follow FTC disclosure rules, clearly tagging posts with #ad or #sponsored when promoting their products. This keeps things transparent and builds trust.
Include clear terms and conditions for how the discount can be used, and if you’re offering commissions, a basic affiliate agreement helps set expectations.
For gifted items or paid collaborations, keep tax implications in mind—both for your business and the influencer.
A simple contract covering deliverables, usage rights, and timelines protects both sides and keeps your campaign compliant from start to finish.
Once your influencer campaigns start showing results, it’s time to scale. Start by creating a reusable influencer outreach kit—a simple PDF or folder with your brand story, guidelines, and how the discount works.
Use Shopify-compatible tools to manage affiliate codes, track performance, and automate payouts. Build an internal influencer database so you can easily re-engage past partners.
Reward top performers with referral bonuses or exclusive perks to keep them motivated. And don’t forget about inactive influencers. Reconnect with them through email marketing to revive the relationship and keep your discount program growing.
Looking for a low-effort, high-impact way to grow your Shopify store? Influencer discounts might be your new favorite marketing move, without a huge ad budget. From setting clear goals to choosing the right discount type, managing collaborations, and staying legally compliant, you’ve now got a complete system to work with.
You don’t need a hundred influencers to get started. Just pick 1–3 that align with your brand and go from there.
Track results, test different approaches, and tweak what doesn’t work. Over time, you’ll build a repeatable strategy that keeps growing your store.
Ready to grow with authentic marketing?
Create your first influencer discount code today!
Sometimes. Some influencers promote codes in exchange for free products or exposure, while others earn a commission on each sale (affiliate-style). It depends on your agreement.
You give the influencer a unique code (like LISA10), which they share with their followers. When someone uses it at checkout, they get a discount—and you track sales tied to that influencer.
An influencer discount code gives followers a discount and may or may not include commission. An affiliate link tracks clicks and sales, typically earning the influencer a percentage of each purchase.
Discount abuse is the last thing you want to deal. Limit usage per customer, set expiration dates, and monitor unusual activity. Shopify’s built-in tools and third-party apps make it easy to control and adjust discount settings as needed.
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