Partnership Ads

Setup Guide

May 2023
Table of 1 . About Partnership Ads

2 . Managing Partnership
contents Ad Permissions

3 . Creating Partnership Ads

01
About Partnerships Ads
ABOUT PARTNERSHIP ADS

About partnership ads

Partnership ads allow you to run ads from a creator or other partner's handle
to scale your collaborations. Incorporating partnership ads into your
business-as-usual campaigns is the most performant way to run creator
content on our platforms.

• Uses signals from both creator and brand handles for stronger ranking
and performance
• Ensures partnership transparency
• Recent updates have made partnership ads simpler and more functional

Partnership ads paired with ads run from the brand’s handle (BAU ads) have:

53% 19% 99%

higher click drop in CPAs probability to outperform
through rates BAU ads only

Read more about partnership ads performance

Source: 2022 Marketing Science meta-analysis of 15 advertiser split tests where the creatives of the partnership ad
campaigns were generated by advertisers in collaboration with third-party MBPs. Partnership ads were previously
known as branded content ads.
02
Managing Partnership
Ad Permissions
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Two ways to share partnership ad permissions

Advertiser-initiated Partner-initiated
01 02
Account-Level Permissions Post-Level Permissions
Advertisers can request account-level partnership ad permissions from their With post-level permissions, partners can give advertisers permission to
partners in Meta Business Suite. Account-level permissions provide promote an individual post as a partnership ad. Partners grant post-level
advertisers with the most control over what content they can run as permission to an advertiser by (1) toggling on permission in post settings or (2)
partnership ads from their partner’s handle. by sharing the Instagram partnership ad code.

Advertisers can: Advertisers can:

• Create ads from a partner’s handle without a pre-existing post. • Create ads from a partner’s existing branded content posts on Facebook
• Create ads from any of the partner’s existing posts that tag the or Instagram when the “allow brand partner to boost” toggle is turned on
advertiser. Note: the advertiser must be tagged using the paid and they are tagged in the paid partnership label.
partnership label on Facebook, or in the paid partnership label, an • Create ads from any Instagram post (regardless of whether the post is
@mention, a people tag, a product tag, or a Collab on Instagram. branded content or if the advertiser is tagged) when a partner shares the
• Include or exclude their partner’s custom audience in their partnership Instagram partnership ad code.
ad campaign.
Partners can:
Partners can: Choose which posts an advertiser is permitted to promote as a partnership
Tag the advertiser using the paid partnership label when making branded ad from their handle.
content posts.

Note: Advertisers can run partnership ads without explicit partnership ad permissions when a Business Account owns or is assigned partner access to two assets, and the employee running the ads has been granted “Ads” access to
both assets in Meta Business Suite. Learn how to assign Ads access through task-based permissions in Meta Business Suite here.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Which permissions are right for you?

Advertiser-initiated Partner-initiated
01 02
Account-Level Permissions Post-Level Permissions
(Meta Business Suite) (Instagram and Facebook Apps)
Recommended for: Recommended for:
• Advertisers who want to initiate a permission request through Meta • Advertisers who want their partners to initiate ad permissions in the
Business Suite. Instagram or Facebook app.
• Advertisers and partners with an ongoing relationship. • Advertisers and partners who want to manage permissions on a
• Advertisers who want to run partnership ads with or without an existing post-by-post basis.
organic post. • Advertisers who want to promote any type of existing organic Instagram
post as a partnership ad, regardless of whether the advertiser is tagged
or mentioned.
 MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Permissions determine what type of partner content advertisers can promote

NEW AD WITHOUT ORGANIC POST BRANDED CONTENT COLLABS PRODUCT TAGS @MENTIONS PEOPLE TAGS ORGANIC CONTENT (NO TAGS)
(caption or Stories sticker)
BOOTABLE WITH ACCOUNT-LEVEL PERMISSIONS

META BUSINESS
SUITE

BOOSTABLE WITH POST-LEVEL PERMISSIONS

POST SETTINGS
TOGGLE

PARTNERSHIP
AD CODE
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Before you begin

MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Link your Instagram and

Facebook accounts.
In Facebook, navigate to the Brand’s Page > Settings > Linked
Accounts > Instagram> Connect Account. Creators & Brands need to
take this step. Learn more here.

Note:
• Advertisers must have a Facebook page to run partnership ads.
• If the creator does not have a Facebook account, the ads will only appear on
Instagram placement.
• If a creator does not have an Instagram account, you can still run partnership
ads, but the ads will only appear on Facebook placements.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Ensure your Instagram To set up a professional account on Instagram:

1. Go to your profile and tap in the upper right corner.

profile is set up as a 2. Tap Settings.

a. For some accounts, the Switch to professional

professional account account option will be listed directly under

Settings.
3. Tap Account.
4. Tap Switch to professional account.
5. Tap Continue.
6. Select a Category for your business and tap Done.
Note: Business accounts are recommended for advertisers, and Creator
accounts are recommended for creators.
7. Tap OK to confirm.
8. Tap Business or Creator.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Confirm that your account

complies with our To check your eligibility status:
1. Go to your profile and tap in the upper right corner.

eligibility requirements 2.
3.
Tap Settings.
Tap Creator or Business.
4. Tap Branded Content.
To run partnership ads, accounts need to comply with our eligibility
5. Tap Status.
requirements on both Instagram and Facebook.

Note: To run partnership ads, only the primary identity selected in Ads Manager
is required to comply with our eligibility criteria.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

To give a partner permission to tag your brand in the paid

BEFORE YOU BEGIN partnership label on Instagram:

1. In the Instagram app, go to your business profile.

[Optional] Give partners 2. Tap .
3. Select Settings.
permission to tag your 4. Select Business.
5. Select Branded Content.

account in branded content 6. Toggle on the Manually Approve Tags button to grant
specific creators permission to tag your business.
If you wish to allow a partner to be able to tag your account in the paid 7. To enable a creator to tag your business, tap Approved
partnership label when posting organic branded content, you need to grant Business Partners.
them permission separately from partnership ad permissions. 8. Search for and select the Instagram handle that you will be
partnering with. They will now be able to tag your business
in their posts.
Note:
• Our Branded Content Policies require that branded content is disclosed To give a partner permission to tag your brand in the paid
through the paid partnership label. Content that is not considered branded
partnership label on Facebook:
content does not require the paid partnership label.
• Sending an account-level permission request via Meta Business Suite 1. Open Brand Collabs Manager.
automatically grants branded content permission to your partner on 2. Navigate to Settings.
Instagram, in which case this step is not required. Branded content 3. Navigate to Ad permissions.
permissions on Facebook still must be established separately. 4. Enter the creator’s name, then click Send request.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Account-level permissions
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

ONCE ACCOUNT-LEVEL PERMISSIONS ARE ESTABLISHED:

Account-level
Advertisers can:
permissions at a glance • Create ads from a partner’s handle without a pre-existing post.
• Create ads from any of the partner’s existing posts that tag the
advertiser. Note: the advertiser must be tagged using the paid
partnership label on Facebook, or in the paid partnership label, an
@mention, a people tag, a product tag, or a Collab on Instagram.
• Include or exclude their partner’s custom audience in their
partnership ad campaign.

STEP 1 STEP 2
Advertiser requests Partner accepts permission Partners can:
account-level permissions from request in the Instagram app. Tag the advertiser using the paid partnership label when making
partner in Meta Business Suite. branded content posts.

Note: If the creator wants to tag a partner in a branded content post and boost
their own post as a partnership ad, they need account-level permissions from
their partner to run the ad. However the partner must also grant them branded
content permission to tag them in the paid partnership label. Learn how here.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

Getting started with

account-level permissions
1. Log into Meta Business Suite at https://business.facebook.com/latest
2. Choose Settings > Ad partnerships to get to the ad partnerships tab.

Note:
• These permissions give advertisers permission to create partnership ads
with the partner, but also give the partner permission to tag the advertiser
using the paid partnership label when creating organic branded content.
• Agencies can request permissions if the brand has shared the brand
Instagram account with the agency.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

3. Click on “Add partnership” to get started. 4. Search for the partner’s username and select their account.

Note: If the partner you are 1. Confirm that their Instagram account is a Professional Account (Business or Creator).
looking for does not appear in 2. Confirm that they adhere to our eligibility requirements for partnership ads. In the Instagram app, navigate to Account
your search: Settings > tap Creator or Business > tap Branded Content > tap Status.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

5. Select the Facebook Page and Instagram account that you 6. Make sure the partnership ads permission is toggled on.
want the partnership to be established with.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

7. Confirm the partner and business that you are looking to 8. The request to the partner has been sent. They will be notified
establish a partnership between, then click “Send request.” and can accept the request in the Instagram app.

Note: If a partner hasn’t accepted permissions and they are still pending, to resend the notification by re-requesting permissions. To re-request permissions, click on the
partner, then click “Notify again.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

Accepting account-level
permissions in-app
Sending a permission request will generate a notification in-app for
the creator to accept.

Note: Once a creator accepts a permission request, they can always remove it
by visiting “Approved ad partners” in “Partnership ad permissions” and tapping
“Remove” next to the partner’s name.

1. Visit Settings and 2. Tap Partnership ads

tap Creator or Business
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

3. Tap Ad partners 4. Tap the pending request 5. Tap Approve

MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Post-level permissions
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Share post-level permissions in two ways:

01 02
Post-Level Settings Partnership Ad Code
Turn on the “allow brand partner to boost” toggle to Share the partnership ad code to give ad
give ad partners permission to boost your branded content partners permission to boost ANY of your content
as partnership ads. as partnership ads.

Available on Instagram and Facebook Available on Instagram only

MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

Share post-level permission

using post-level settings:
during media creation

Note:
• The “Allow brand partner to boost” toggle can only be used to share
partnership ad permission for branded content posts. To share post-level
permission to boost other types of content, use the partnership ad code
instead.
• Ensure that branded content permissions are established before getting
started.

1. Create a post* and tap 2. Under Branded

Advanced settings Content, tap Add
paid partnership label
* For Feed & Reels posts. For Stories, tap the people tag icon at the top of the Story.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

3. Toggle on Add paid 4. Tap Brand partners 5. Add your brand 6. Toggle on allow brand
partnership label partner partner to boost
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

Share post-level permission

using post-level settings:
after media creation

Note: The “Allow brand partner to boost” toggle can only be used to share
partnership ad permission for branded content posts. To share post-level
permission to boost other types of content, use the partnership ad code
instead.

1. Tap the three dots in the 2. Tap Edit

top right corner of your
post*
* For Feed & Reels posts. For Stories, tap the three dots in the bottom right corner.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

3. Tap Add paid 4. Toggle on Add paid 5. Add your brand 6. Toggle on Allow brand
partnership label partnership label and tap partner partner to boost
Brand partners
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

INSTAGRAM ONLY

Share post-level
permission using the
partnership ad code
1. In the Instagram app, navigate to the existing post that you want to
turn into a partnership ad.
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the post* and tap Edit.

Note: The paid partnership label will not be added by default, however if the
organic post is branded content (i.e. content that features or was influenced by a
partner for an exchange of value), it must be disclosed with the paid partnership
label. Read more about our Branded Content Policies.

* For Feed & Reels posts. For Stories, tap the three dots in the bottom right corner.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

3. Tap Add paid 4. Turn on the Generate partnership 5. Tap the code to copy 6. Share the code with
partnership label at ad code toggle. Turn on the it to your clipboard. the advertiser.
the top of the post. Add paid partnership label toggle
if the post is branded content.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

INSTAGRAM ONLY

Revoke a partnership
ad code
You can revoke a partnership ad code that hasn’t been
used yet by turning the “generate partnership ad” toggle
off for that post.

1. In the Instagram app, navigate to the existing post.

2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the post
and tap Edit.
3. Tap the paid partnership label at the top of the post.
4. Turn off the Generate ad partner code toggle.
5. Tap Revoke code and confirm on the next screen.

Note: The ad code can no longer be used to boost the

content as a partnership ad. Any active ads associated with
the post will continue running. You can generate a new code
at any time.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Q: What type of content can be boosted with the partnership ad code?

A: Advertisers can use the partnership ad code to promote any Instagram content as
a partnership ad, regardless of whether that post uses the paid partnership label or
tags the advertiser in any way.

Troubleshooting Q: Who can use the partnership ad code?

A: Any advertiser can create partnership ads using a partnership ad code, regardless
the partnership of whether they are tagged in the post.

The ad code can only be used by a single advertiser, but the same advertiser can use

ad code an ad code multiple times. (Note: For posts with product tags, only the product tag's
merchant can use ad code to boost this post in Ads Manager).

Q: Does the partnership ad code support Placement Asset Customization (PAC)?

A: Not at this time.

MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS

Stopping ads from

running
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

Stop partnership ads

from running
1. In Instagram app settings, tap Creator or Business.
2. Tap Partnership ads.
3. Tap Active ads.
MANAGING PARTNERSHIP AD PERMISSIONS Advertiser Step Partner Step

4. Select the partner running 5. Tap “...” in the top 6. Tap Stop Ad. 7. Press Stop to confirm.
the ad you wish to stop right corner.
from running and tap the
ad.
03
Creating Partnership Ads
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS

Campaign creation
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS Advertiser Step Partner Step

How to create a partnership ad

Before you start:
You must have create & edit ads permissions on the business IG and FB
page to make partnership ads in Ads Manager. Learn more..

1. Go to Ads Manager (facebook.com/adsmanager).

2. Select +Create.
3. Select your objective.
4. At the ad level, under the Identity section, turn on the partnership ad
toggle.
5. Under Primary identity, click Select identity and choose the account
you would like viewers as the first account in the ad’s header.
6. Tap Done. If you have a partnership ad code from your partner, click
Enter partnership ad code instead.
7. Under Partner Identity, click Select identity and repeat the process.
Choose the account you would like to appear as the second account in
the ad’s header.
Note: Brands can target their partner’s audience using creator
Continue with the next steps depending on if you are boosting an existing audience sharing.
post or uploading a new creative…
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS Advertiser Step Partner Step

How to create a partnership ad

(continued)

If you are boosting an existing post into a partnership ad:

1. In the Ad Setup section, click the dropdown menu and choose

Use Existing Post.
2. In the Ad Creative section, choose Select Post and navigate to the
Partner Content tab to select your post.
3. Select Publish to publish your partnership ad.

If you are uploading new creative for your partnership ad:

1. In the Ad Setup section, click the dropdown menu and choose
Create Ad.
2. Under Format, choose the ad format you’d like to use for your creative.
3. In the Ad Creative section, choose Add Media to upload your creative.
You can choose to upload an image or video. Note: If an account does not have the correct permissions, when you
publish the ad it will send a DM to the account asking for permission. Learn
4. Select +Upload to upload your media.
more about permissions via DMs.
5. Crop your media for the appropriate placements and select Done.
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS Advertiser Step Partner Step

[Optional] Leverage multiple

creators in one ad with the How to use the Dynamic Creator Optimization in Ads
Manager:
Dynamic Creator Optimization 1. Ensure your creators have accepted permissions for
partnership ads.
Partnership ads with the Dynamic Creator Optimization allows advertisers 2. In Ads Manager, select +Create and select your ad
to leverage up to 20 creatives with multiple creators within the same ad. It objective.
uses machine learning and automation to deliver ads from the optimal 3. Proceed to create the ad as usual until you reach the
creator depending on the end user’s affinity. ad level.
4. Choose Use Existing Post under the Ad Setup section.
5. Choose +Add Post and navigate to the Partner
Content section to select a post.
6. After choosing one post, click the Add Post option
again to add multiple pieces of creative to your ad set.
Note:
• Only supported for boosting pre-existing posts.
• Maximum of 20 posts per ad set.
• Can also be used with multiple pieces of creative from a single creator.
• Comment Moderation and Creator Audience Sharing are not supported.
• Advertisers can see an insights breakdown by creative in Ads Manager.
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS Advertiser Step Partner Step

[Optional] Optimize which handle

Dynamic Username Optimization is turned on by default
your ads deliver from with the for all Instagram placements, making set-up easy.

Dynamic Username Optimization

To turn Dynamic Username Optimization off:
Partnership ads with dynamic usernames use machine learning and When creating a new ad without an existing post:
automation to improve performance by delivering the ad from either the 1. Create your media as usual in Ads Manager.
advertiser handle or the partner handle, depending on the user’s affinity. 2. During the “Optimize” step, select Use dynamic
Both parties remain listed in the ad’s header, regardless of which handle usernames.
the ad delivers from. 3. Turn off the toggle.

When boosting an existing post:

Note: 1. After selecting your media in the post picker modal,
• This feature is not available on Facebook at this time. Ads running on navigate to Format optimizations.
Facebook will deliver from the primary identity’s handle with the partner 2. Unselect the checkbox next to “Deliver ads from the
identity listed second. Instagram account people are most likely to respond
• This feature is not supported for the ad code at this time. to.”
• Advertisers cannot view a breakdown of delivery by handle at this time.
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS

Campaign and
creative guidelines
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS

An automated approach allows Meta’s algorithm to

optimize spend against the most performant ads
based on your audience’s affinity toward the brand
or creator.

AUTOMATION DRIVES RESULTS

Lean into automation by:

• Including partnership ads and BAU ads in the same ad set

Combine partnership or

ads with business-as- • Including partnership ads and BAU ads in separate ad sets in the
same campaign, and turn on Campaign Budget Optimization

usual (BAU) ads to drive Partnership ads paired with BAU ads have:

DR performance 53% 19% 99%

higher click drop in CPAs probability to outperform
through rates BAU ads only

Source: 2022 Marketing Science meta-analysis of 15 advertiser split tests where the creatives of the partnership ad
campaigns were generated by advertisers in collaboration with third-party MBPs.
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS

Organic best practices

• Use Paid Partnership label for transparency.
• Lean into creators’ natural aesthetic and personal style.
• Make the first three seconds thumb-stopping.
• Product/brand is the creative hero.
• Four levels of branding:
CRAFT ASSETS FOR IMPACT 1. Visible product
2. Visible logo (placed organically and subtly)

Follow proven creative 3.

4.
Verbal mention
Copy

best practices for Paid best practices

effective performance. •
•
Ensure the product/brand is clear.
Make the first three seconds thumb-stopping.
• Use eye-catching color, movement and energy.
• Use clear messaging and call-to-actions.
• Use mobile-first creative that feels native to the platform.
• Leverage product tags and dynamic usernames.
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS

Placement, objectives, and features

PLACEMENT OBJECTIVE FEATURES

• Placement Asset Customization • Sales • Creator Audience Sharing

• Placement Optimization* • Awareness
• All Placements Currently available • Engagement
+ • Traffic
• App Promotion
• Leads

• Facebook News Feed • Messages

• Facebook Stories • Only available when creating a new ad:
ONLY
• Facebook Marketplace – Lead Generation
– Event Responses

• Instagram Feed • Instagram Feed

• Instagram Stories • Instagram Stories
ONLY • Instagram Explore • Instagram Explore
• Instagram Reels • Instagram Reels

* Partnership ads will only deliver to apps where the creator has a profile/account. For example, if an ad set leverages placement optimization, but the creator only has an Instagram profile, the ad will not deliver to the Facebook
placements selected.
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS

Media types in partnership ads

Note: Leverage Meta’s Ads Guide to learn more about design specifications and
technical requirements across each format and placement.

PHOTOS VIDEOS MUSIC GIF/FACE OR CAMERA EFFECT

Royalty-free music
Copyright / royalty
One or More Reshared Photo from Sound
music
Collection

FEED N/A N/A

STORIES
Videos longer than 60 seconds can
be created in Ads Manager only
without using an existing post.

REELS*
Media cannot be longer Only permitted if the rights holder
than 15 minutes is the advertiser

*Reels published before October 15th, 2021 are ineligible for partnership ads.
CREATING PARTNERSHIP ADS
Can create ads in Can be combined with Can appear more
Can create ads in Ads
Ads Manager without other stickers than once in ad
Manager from an existing
an an existing Story *Maximum of 5 Stickers or *Maximum of 5 Stickers or
Story with this sticker
with this sticker tappable text in any ad tappable text in any ad

COUNTDOWN

POLL

Interactive LOCATION

elements in HASHTAG

Instagram MENTION

Stories* TAPPABLE TEXT

limited to mentioning the user and
their business partner

@Mention/#Hashtag

* Note: Use of copyrighted music, gifs, interactive stickers, face/camera filters and effects in a Reel makes it ineligible for boosting at this time.