I Ran an Influencer Campaign for Humans Don’t Have Horns

Let start with the end: This was a very positive experience for me. I enjoyed it, learned a lot, and I’m already planning the next round.

Why I Did It Myself

I handled the entire campaign on my own: outreach, purchasing, planning and designing. I was out of the country when the packages went out because of my early pre-order mix-up, so I did get help with packing and shipping from a very talented teen daughter of a good friend (thank you!). The boxes turned out gorgeous and tied straight into the reading experience. Next time I plan to “child labor” my own teen for the job, because I have two left hands, and luckily she doesn’t.

Scope at a Glance

• Influencers contacted: 72

• Platforms: Instagram and TikTok

• Accepted PR boxes: 10

• Unboxing videos posted: 10/10

• Book reviews posted: 7/10

• No review + honest note: 1 (She said the book wasn’t for her and chose not to post a negative review, which I appreciated. This is something you need to prepare yourself for when asking for reviews from ARC readers or influencers; not everyone is going to like it, and that’s fine.)

• No review: 2 (They’re still active on social, but went MIA on me after the unboxing, which was disappointing.)

How to choose your platforms

TikTok is a problematic app, and I’m not a big fan of Meta either. But those are the two big ones. As a user, I personally enjoy TikTok more, so I pitched more creators there. Many creators are active on both, which helped since some posted on both platforms – double exposure.

Reach out only to influencers on the platform you actually use. This is essential for connecting and being responsive.

Why DIY Instead of a PR Agency

I see PR companies sending boxes all the time and they keep rosters of creators. Their reach may be higher and faster. Still, I preferred running this myself. It took time, but I got to know the creators, understand their tastes, and choose people more likely to enjoy my very dark romantasy. Direct outreach also helped me build real relationships. For me, that was the most valuable part of the campaign.

Results

Reviews and advocacy

Seven creators reviewed the book and many did more than a one-off post. They included it in lists, boosted launch day, and kept talking about it. That ongoing support matters.

Pre-orders

Pre-orders saw limited impact from the campaign. I noticed a bump tied to one larger creator, but overall the real value was in higher engagement and new followers. That’s still a nice win, but since the campaign’s goal was pre-orders, it wasn’t the most effective tool for that.

What it does bring is social exposure and long-term name recognition – both essential for building an author platform.

How To Chose Creators

1. Genre match first
   I write dark romantasy, so if an influencer posts mostly rom-com content, the chances my book will be a good fit are much lower.

2. Engagement over raw follower count
   Don’t approach influencers only based on their number of followers. Look at the engagement they get: comments, saves, shares, etc.

3. Cross-platform presence
   Many creators post on both TikTok and Instagram. That’s a bonus point for reach and visibility.

4. Demographics and reach
   Check the audience regions and age groups. Does their audience overlap with your target demographic?

What Was Inside My PR Box

Everything matched the book’s mood and reading experience.

📦 Humans Don’t Have Horns (ARC copy)

📦 Character bookmark — Lian & Daton (art by @chocological)

📦 Heart‑shaped stress ball — because the stakes are just that high

📦 Tissues — for all the heartbreak (trust me, you’ll need them)

📦Bookish stickers — because we’re all just book nerds after all

📦 Pronunciation sheet — so you can nail the names before the audiobook releases

📦Tab pack — to mark the parts you want to yell about later

Payment and Expectations

I did not pay creators and did not share box contents in advance. Some PR teams include gift cards or fees. I chose not to. I wanted an authentic, book-first connection. I don’t know if that’s the best strategy, but it’s the one that feels right for me.

Budget and Logistics

• Big costs: printed copies, box and filler, custom prints and stickers, shipping

• International shipping: often three times the U.S. cost and requires customs forms and time at the counter. Even Canada adds complexity. For me, the creator has to be a very strong fit to justify it.

• Quantity control: I over-bought supplies because I hoped to send many more boxes. Decide your cap early and stick to it. Keep a waitlist.

• Timeline: Start months ahead. Mapping the influencers shouldn’t be rushed. Outreach takes time. Addresses, printing, assembly, and shipping are all time consuming.

What I’d Do Differently Next Time

• Pitch more creators. 70+ is a solid start, but I wanted more than 10 PR boxes sent.

• Set a box cap and stick to it. Avoid over-buying materials.

• Shift timing. I ran this during pre-orders. I am not sure that is best. It might be better to focus on launch week or soon after. Kindle Unlimited is an easier call for action than pre-orders.

Final Thought

I’m happy with this campaign and grateful for every creator who shared the book. It was time-consuming and worth it. I learned what to refine and I’m excited to do a second round.

* If you want to see more of the influencers’ videos go to my TikTok and Instagram

Would you be interested in hearing what I learned from my pre-orders campaign?

Leave a comment

Website ✨Goodreads ✨Pinterest ✨ TikTok ✨ Instagram ✨Threads