Looking for a Facebook agency partner to manage your advertising? The Meta Business Partners program identifies agencies with proven expertise in Facebook and Instagram advertising. Understanding what partnership status means—and how to evaluate partners—helps you choose the right agency for your campaigns.
In this guide, we'll explain the partner program, its benefits, how agencies earn certification, and how to find qualified partners.
Meta Business Partners (formerly Facebook Marketing Partners) is Meta's official certification program for agencies, technology providers, and marketing experts. The program validates that companies meet Meta's standards for advertising expertise and client results.
A Meta Business Partner is a company that has been vetted and certified by Meta for their expertise in specific areas of the advertising ecosystem. According to industry sources, "It's important to use tools from official Meta Business Partners to avoid any data management complications."
The program encompasses several categories:
Meta uses a tiered badge system to indicate partner expertise levels:
| Badge Type | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Meta Business Partner | Certified expertise in Meta advertising |
| Badged Partner | Verified expertise in specific specializations |
| Premier Partner | Top-tier status for highest-performing partners |
Partners may hold badges in multiple specializations, such as creative strategy, measurement, or specific industries like ecommerce or lead generation.
Working with a certified Meta Business Partner offers several advantages over non-certified agencies.
Platform expertise – Partners have demonstrated proficiency through Meta's certification process, ensuring they understand current best practices, features, and platform changes.
Direct Meta support – Many partners have direct communication lines with Meta's support teams. As noted by industry experts, "Many agencies have direct lines to Facebook support (some are even official Facebook Business Partners), which can be an added benefit if any technical issues arise."
Early access to features – Partners often get early access to new ad formats, tools, and beta features before they're available to the general public.
Proven track record – Certification requires demonstrating client results, meaning partners have evidence of successful campaign management.
Training and resources – Partners receive ongoing training from Meta, keeping them current on algorithm changes and new capabilities.
Agencies that achieve partner status gain:
Agencies seeking Meta Business Partner status must meet specific requirements and complete a certification process.
To apply for partnership, agencies typically need:
Minimum ad spend – Partners must manage a threshold of monthly ad spend across client accounts (requirements vary by region and change periodically).
Account health – Clean track record with no significant policy violations across managed accounts.
Client results – Demonstrated performance metrics showing successful campaign outcomes.
Team certifications – Staff members with Meta Blueprint certifications in relevant areas.
Partnership isn't permanent. Agencies must:
Partners who fail to meet standards may lose their certification.
If you're looking for a qualified Facebook agency partner, here's how to evaluate your options.
Meta maintains an official partner directory where you can search for certified partners by:
The directory shows each partner's badges, specializations, and contact information.
When evaluating potential partners, consider:
Relevant specializations – Does the partner hold badges aligned with your needs? An ecommerce business should prioritize partners with shopping expertise.
Industry experience – Look for partners who've worked with similar businesses. A B2B software company has different needs than a retail brand.
Case studies and results – According to agency research, top agencies like those with "Google Premier Partner and Meta Business Partner" status have "insider-level platform access unavailable to most agencies."
Team structure – Understand who will manage your account and their qualifications.
Pricing transparency – Clear explanation of fees and what's included.
Communication style – How often will you receive updates? Who's your main contact?
Before hiring a Facebook agency partner:
Be cautious of agencies that:
They're the same program—Meta rebranded from "Facebook Marketing Partners" to "Meta Business Partners" when Facebook became Meta. The certification process and benefits remain essentially the same. You may see both terms used, but they refer to the same partnership program.
No, you can run successful Facebook and Instagram ads without a certified partner. However, partners bring verified expertise, direct Meta support access, and proven track records. For businesses spending $5,000+ monthly on ads, the additional expertise often pays for itself through improved results.
Check Meta's official partner directory. Any legitimate partner should appear in this directory with their badges and specializations listed. If an agency claims partnership but isn't in the directory, ask for documentation or be skeptical.
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