- A partnership ad shows both the creator and your brand in the header, with a “Paid partnership” label.
- Meta reports partnership ads deliver about 19% lower CPA and 13% higher CTR than standard brand ads on average.
- The business went from about $10 billion in Q1 to $15 billion in Q3 2026. Meta is investing heavily in it.14
- Start small: one creator, one product, tested against your best brand ad, with the creator’s fee in the maths.
Checked 27 October 2026. Run-rate and growth figures were given on Meta’s Q3 2026 earnings call. Performance figures are Meta averages as reported by trade press; your results depend on the creator, product and offer.
01What a partnership ad is
sara.runs Honestly the comfiest pair I’ve run in this year. Code SARA15 for 15% off.
Illustration. Both handles show in the header; the ad is run and paid for by the brand.
The brand runs and pays for the ad in its own Ads Manager, but it appears from the creator’s account, with both names in the header. It can use the creator’s existing post or new content made for the ad, and targeting can draw on both accounts’ audiences.2
02Why they perform
| Source | What was measured | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Meta averages | Partnership vs standard brand ads | 19% lower CPA, 13% higher CTR |
| Meta EMEA tests | Incremental results | 45% lower median cost per incremental purchase; 35% higher incremental ROAS |
| Agentio analysis | $130M spend, 65,000 ads, 137 brands | 19% more clicks, 10% more conversions, 5% lower costs |
Sources: trade reports of Meta and third-party data.34
People trust people
A recommendation from a person they follow feels less like an ad than a brand telling them how good it is.
Native to the feed
Creator content looks like everything else in Reels and Stories, so it is scrolled past less.
Two audiences
Meta can use signals from both the creator’s and the brand’s audiences to find buyers.
Your budget, their voice
Unlike an organic post, you control spend, targeting and how long it runs.
03Set one up in 6 steps
Pick the right creator
Match audience and product, not follower count. Small creators with engaged local followers often outperform big names.
Agree terms in writing
Fee, deliverables, how long you may run the ad, and usage rights. Agree a discount code for tracking.
Get ad permission
The creator grants partnership ad access to your business, in Instagram or Facebook settings, or through Meta’s Partnership Ads Hub.
Label it properly
The creator’s post must use the “Paid partnership” label with your brand tagged.
Build the ad
In Ads Manager, choose partnership ad, select the creator’s post or upload content, and add your link and call to action.
Test against your best ad
Run it in the same ad set as your best brand ad for a fair comparison. Judge after enough spend, by cost per purchase.
Does the creator’s fee pay for itself?
Enter your current brand-ad results and the creator’s fee. The calculator applies an expected CPA improvement (19% is Meta’s reported average) and shows the break-even.
Runs in your browser; nothing is saved. Uses the same currency for all inputs. Real results vary widely by creator; treat the first test as research.
04Rules and mistakes
- Always disclose. Use Meta’s paid partnership label and follow your country’s advertising rules for influencer content.
- Don’t over-script. Give the creator the key facts and offer, then let them say it their way. Scripted creator ads perform like brand ads.
- Agree usage rights. Decide how long you may run the content as an ad, and whether you may edit it.
- Track separately. Use the creator’s code and UTM links so you can see sales beyond what Meta reports.
- Refresh often. Creator ads fatigue too. Plan two or three pieces of content per creator.
Brands used to pay creators for a post. Now they pay for the right to put the creator’s voice behind their ad budget.
Related: influencer marketing basics, Meta’s Q3 numbers and Instagram’s originality rule.
Common questions
What are Meta partnership ads?
Partnership ads are Facebook and Instagram ads that run from a creator’s account with the brand shown alongside in the header and a “Paid partnership” label. The brand pays for and manages them in Ads Manager.
Do partnership ads perform better than normal ads?
Meta reports that partnership ads average 19% lower cost per acquisition and 13% higher click-through rates than standard brand ads. Results vary by creator, product and offer, so test against your best existing ad.
How big are Meta partnership ads?
On its Q3 2026 earnings call, Meta said partnership ads grew more than 97% year on year and passed a $15 billion annual revenue run rate.
How do I set up a Meta partnership ad?
Agree terms with the creator, have them grant your business partnership ad permission, make sure the post uses the Paid partnership label, then create a partnership ad in Ads Manager using their post or new content.
Method & sources
Checked October 27, 2026. Revenue figures are from Meta’s Q3 2026 earnings call; performance figures are Meta averages and third-party analyses as reported by trade press. Setup steps follow Meta’s partnership ads process; menu names can change.
- PPC Land, “Meta’s ads with creators gain 97% to a $15bn annual run rate”. ppc.land
- AdNabu, “Meta partnership ads: setup guide, benefits and examples 2026”. adnabu.com
- PPC Land, “Meta says partnership ads cut incremental purchase costs 45% in EMEA tests”. ppc.land
- Forbes, “Meta partnership ads hit $10 billion as creators outperform brand messages”. forbes.com