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The Meta Business Partner program, TikTok Marketing Partners, and Google Partners mark companies the platform has vetted. Each review covers managed ad spend, the health of the company's ad accounts, and the skills of its team. A company gets the status only by passing it.
Each program has two layers. A company earns a partner badge. An individual specialist earns a certification by passing an exam. Most programs count certified staff toward the company's status, so exams are the place to start.
Requirements change often. The figures below were checked on October 27, 2026.
What the Meta Business Partner program is
The Meta Business Partner program is Meta's program for agencies and technology companies. A company applies under a specialty, such as agency services or adtech. Partner sites describe two tiers (Stackmatix):
- Member. Access to training and partner resources. No badge and no directory listing.
- Badged Partner. The Meta Business Partner badge, a directory listing, and partner support.
Meta does not publish a single checklist. Reviews usually cover managed ad spend, a verified business portfolio, policy compliance, and team certifications. Evido by Aitarget has worked with Meta for 11 years and is a Meta Business Partner.
Meta Certification is for individual specialists. Meta Blueprint courses are free, and you pay only for the exam (Meta Blueprint):
A media buyer should start with Media Buying Professional. The final fee depends on the country and shows at checkout.
TikTok Marketing Partners
The TikTok Marketing Partners program has four categories: Agency, Creative, Measurement, and Marketing Technology. Companies apply through partners.tiktok.com.
Since September 16, 2026, the agency badge has two tiers (TikTok For Business):
- Agency Partner. For agencies with proven results, operational capability, and a certified team.
- Premier Agency Partner. For a small group of top-performing agencies worldwide.
Evido by Aitarget is an official TikTok Marketing Partner. This status gives our clients allowlisting for sensitive verticals and access to partner-only formats such as TopView.
TikTok has one certification for specialists, the Media Buying Certification:
- two hours, proctored, online or at a test center through Webassessor;
- recommended experience: at least one year in TikTok Ads Manager;
- valid for two years (TikTok For Business).
Renewal takes a 20-question test. It extends the certification by one year and opens six months before expiry (TikTok Academy).
Google Partners
The Google Partners program has the most transparent requirements. Google checks them daily in the company's manager account (MCC) (Google Ads Help):
Premier Partner status goes to the top 3% of partners in each country. Google reviews it once a year on client growth, retention, non-Search spend share, and annual spend.
Google Ads certifications (Search, Display, Video, Shopping, Apps, and others) are taken in Skillshop. Link Skillshop to Google Ads so they count toward the company.
What working with an official partner changes for agencies
The review repeats for as long as the company stays in the program. From our own reviews, platforms look at:
- Certified team. The number of employees who have passed the platform's exams.
- Clients. How many there are and how fast the base grows.
- Quality of work. The share of blocked accounts and rejected ads, policy checks of clients and creatives before launch, and onboarding, verification, and support processes.
- Market knowledge. Local audiences, verticals, and regulation.
A drop on any of these can cost the status at the next review. Blocks in client accounts count against the partner, so a partner has a direct reason to keep them clean.
For an agency, this means a direct channel to the platform's partner team for appeals and account issues. It also means access to partner-only formats, betas, and allowlisting for sensitive categories.
New agency ad accounts open through a partner within one business day. Here is how it works for a Meta agency ad account.
Auction prices and moderation stay the same. Partner ads go through the same review as everyone else's. If someone promises "guaranteed approval" because of their status, they are misdescribing the platform's rules.
An agency's own badge needs managed spend, account history, and a certified team, which takes months. Certifications can start now. Evido by Aitarget has 15 certified specialists who hold certifications across all platforms. Our clients often get free vouchers for platform exams.
If your team is preparing for Meta, TikTok, or Google exams, contact us. We will tell you which exam vouchers are available to you.
How to check that a company is a real partner
A partner logo on a website is easy to add. Check the platform's own directory instead:
- TikTok lists badged partners by category and tier in the TikTok Partner Directory.
- Every Google Partner has a public company profile that shows its badge status.
- The Meta Business Partner directory does not always open. In that case, ask the company for a screenshot of its status in Partner Center.
The name in the directory should match the legal entity on your contract. Look at the specialty too: a creative or measurement badge says nothing about media buying.
"Official partner" applies to formal programs only. Telegram, for example, has no formal reseller status, so no company can claim one.
FAQ
Can an agency join the Meta Business Partner program without client spend?
No. Platforms look at managed ad spend. Google publishes its threshold: $10,000 in 90 days.
Does a certified specialist make the agency a Meta Business Partner?
No. A certification belongs to the person. It counts toward the company's requirements, but the status is granted separately.
How much do the exams cost?
Meta charges up to $99 for the Associate exam and up to $150 for Professional exams. Meta Blueprint courses are free.
How long is TikTok certification valid?
Two years. After that, a 20-question test renews it for one year.
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