Meta Partnership Ads Hub Complete Setup Guide 2026

Are you trying to set up a connection between an influencer and your business, grant permissions correctly, and launch partnership ads on Instagram and Facebook (Meta)? 

Then you are in the right place!

What are partnership ads?

Partnership ads (formerly called branded content ads or whitelisting) let a business run paid ads that feature a partner, usually a creator's handle, in the ad header. This allows you to run creator content as paid media while keeping the creator's identity visible in the ad.

Partnership ads require permission from the partner whose handle or content is being used, and that permission can be revoked at any time.

Partnership ads vs regular ads:

 Requirements checklist

(before you start)

Benefits for each side:

There are two types of partnership ad permissions: content level and account level.

 Partnership Ads Setup when the creator posted content

Use this when you want to run ads using an existing Reel/Post/Story from the creator.

How it works:

• The creator publishes the content on Instagram (or Facebook).

• The creator adds the Paid Partnership label (tags your brand as the partner).

• The creator enables the option that allows the brand partner to promote/boost that specific content.

• Brand select that post inside Meta Platforms Ads Manager as a partnership ad creative and launch it like any other campaign.

Best for:

• Fast launch

• Testing many creators quickly

• Keeping the creator post fully native (same comments, social proof, and vibe)

What the brand can do:

• Promote that specific post as an ad (based on the permission granted)

• Use it across placements if eligible (Feed, Reels, Stories, etc.)

What the brand cannot do:

• Use other creator posts unless each post is permitted or you also have ongoing permissions

• Edit the original post itself (you are promoting it, not rewriting the creator’s account content)

Setup part A: Creator steps

(influencer side to do)

1. Switch to a Professional account (if not already).

2. Create the content (Reel/Story/Post) that will be used for ads.

3. Tag brand using the Paid Partnership label.

4. Enable the option that allows the brand partner to promote/boost. 

5. Optional (recommended for ongoing collabs): approve/accept an account-level partnership request from the brand in Meta’s partnership.

Setup part B: Brand steps 

(Partnership Ads Hub workflow)

Option 1: Start a partnership request (account-level style)

1. Open Partnership Ads Hub in Ads Manager.

2. Go to Partners.

3. Click Add partnership.

4. Enter the creator’s Instagram handle.

5. Select your brand account/handle.

6. Send the request and share the acceptance link with the creator (they accept in IG/FB notification).

Setup option 2: Ongoing permission via Partnership Ads Hub (best for scaling)

Use this when you plan to work with creators continuously and want a clean permission system in Ads Manager.

Step A: Open Partnership Ads Hub

Meta provides Partnership Ads Hub inside Ads Manager to manage partnership ad permissions, partners, and eligible Instagram content.

Typical path:

• Ads Manager -> All tools -> Partnership Ads Hub (labeling may vary by account).

Step B: Add the creator as a partner (brand side)

1. Go to Partnership Ads Hub.

2. Open the Partners area.

3. Add a partner by entering the creator's Instagram handle.

4. Send the partnership request.

(Exact buttons/labels can shift, but the core flow is: add partner -> request permission -> creator accepts.)

Step C: Creator accepts the request

• The creator reviews and accepts the permission request on their side.

• Once accepted, you can run partnership ads from their handle based on the granted permissions, and the creator can revoke later if needed.

Partnership Ads Setup without creator posting

 Use this when you want ads rights and creator identity access, but the creator does not need to publish the content on their profile.

How it works

• The creator grants ad permissions to your business (partnership permission).

• You upload the creative directly in Ads Manager (UGC-style content filmed by the creator).

• You run it as a partnership ad so the ad header can show the creator identity (depending on the permission type and setup).

This is typically called

• Account-level permissions (ongoing) or “profile access for ads” (not login access)

Important clarification

• This is not giving you their password or control of their profile.

• It is permission to use their identity for advertising (and sometimes to access eligible content libraries/approvals), which they can revoke.

Best for

• Creators who do not want the content on their feed

• More control over editing, versions, hooks, and iterations

• Building a scalable UGC ad library where everything lives in Ads Manager

What the brand can do

• Upload multiple edits/variants and test aggressively

• Run consistent paid campaigns even if the creator posts rarely

What the creator keeps control over

• They can revoke permission at any time

• They can set boundaries contractually (duration, territories, platforms, exclusions)

Common issues + fixes 🛠️

(read, before collaboration)

1. Brand cannot find the creator handle?

• Confirm the creator is on a professional account and eligible.

• Confirm the creator account is public.

• Try the alternative method: creator tags you with Paid Partnership + enables boosting for that post.

2. Creator did not receive the request?

• Ask creator to check Instagram notifications + settings related to partnership ads.

• Use a partnership ad code flow if available in creator's interface (some creators can generate a code to share with advertisers).

• Send link for creators from Ads manager: step by step. 

3. Post does not show as available to promote?

• Don't use mainstream music to collab posts. 

• Ensure the creator tagged your brand properly and enabled the boost permission for that specific content.