Partnership Ads & Spark Ads.
You've got creator content. Now you need to run it as ads. Both Meta and TikTok offer a native ad format that pairs with creator content: Partnership Ads on Meta and Spark Ads on TikTok. They are the highest performing way to run creator content as paid media. This module shows you how to set them up.
If you upload a creator video as a regular ad, it can still work, but you lose what makes it different. The creator's handle is replaced by yours. The organic likes, comments, and shares don't carry over. The post looks more like a typical ad and behaves like one in the auction.
Partnership Ads (on Meta) and Spark Ads (on TikTok) solve this. They let you run the creator's actual organic post as your ad, with their handle, their engagement, and the native feel intact. Both platforms favour these formats in their auctions because they add full transparency to paid partnerships. Instead of relying on hashtags like #ad or #collab in the caption, the platform itself shows the official "Paid partnership" label, which is exactly what regulators and users want.
The two native formats
Same idea on both platforms. Different names and slightly different setup flows.
Lets your ad account run a creator's organic Instagram post as a paid ad, with the creator's handle showing as the publisher. Replaces the older Branded Content Ads format.
- Creator's handle displayed, not yours
- Engagement on the post carries over
- Works on Instagram feed, Reels, Stories
- Lower CPMs and stronger delivery
- Authorisation handled in Meta Business Suite
Lets your ad account boost a creator's existing TikTok video as a paid ad. Uses an authorisation code generated by the creator in their app.
- Creator's handle displayed, not yours
- Likes, comments, shares accumulate live
- TikTok algorithm prefers Spark over uploads
- Authorisation handled via creator side codes
- Same vertical 9:16 content as Meta
The platforms preference these formats for two reasons. First, they bring transparency. The official "Paid partnership" label is built into the post, so users always know what they're seeing without relying on creators to add #ad or #collab hashtags. Second, the post is already part of the platform. It has real engagement signals, a native feel, and a familiar creator handle attached. From the user's perspective, they're seeing a regular post from someone they might already follow. The result is usually lower CPM, stronger delivery, and better trust signals than a fresh upload.
Partnership Ads on Meta
Setup happens in two stages. The creator authorises your ad account once. After that, every post they tag with your brand can be promoted as a Partnership Ad.
One time setup, then ongoing.
Creator authorises
your account
Creator tags
your brand on post
You promote post
as Partnership Ad
Walking through it step by step:
Creator authorises your ad account (one off)
In their Instagram settings, the creator goes to Creator tools → Branded content → Approved business partners, searches for your brand, and approves you. This is a one off step per creator. After that, you don't need to ask again.
Creator tags your brand when posting
When publishing the content, the creator turns on the Paid partnership label and tags your brand. This makes the post eligible to be run as a Partnership Ad and complies with disclosure rules.
Find the post in your Ads Manager
In Meta Ads Manager, when creating a new ad inside an existing ad set, choose Use existing post → Partnership Ads. The creator's tagged posts appear. Pick the one you want to run.
Add your CTA and landing page
The creator's caption and visuals stay intact. You add your destination URL, CTA button, and any UTM parameters. Submit. The ad runs natively under the creator's handle, with all their engagement preserved.
Forgetting to authorise the ad account. If you can't see the creator's posts in Ads Manager, this is almost always the issue.
Creator forgets to tag your brand. Untagged posts can't be run as Partnership Ads. Get this in writing in your agreement.
Trying to edit the creative. You can't change the creator's caption or video. You can only add a CTA and destination. If you need re edits, run those as separate uploads from the raw file.
Spark Ads on TikTok
TikTok's equivalent works slightly differently. The creator generates a code from inside their app and sends it to you. You paste the code into your TikTok Ads Manager and the post becomes a Spark Ad.
Per post setup, code based.
Creator publishes
video on TikTok
Creator generates
auth code
You paste code
and run as Spark Ad
Creator enables ad authorisation
In TikTok settings, the creator turns on "Allow others to use your videos as ads" under Privacy. One time setup per creator account.
Creator generates an auth code per video
For each video they want you to run, the creator opens the post → three dots menu → Ad Settings → Generate Code. Sets the duration (typically 30, 60, or 365 days). Copies the code and sends it to you.
Paste the code into TikTok Ads Manager
When creating an ad, choose Use TikTok account → From spark posts. Paste the code. The video appears with all its existing engagement.
Add your destination URL and CTA
Like Meta, the creator's video and caption stay intact. You add the landing page and the CTA button. Submit. Ad runs as a Spark Ad with the creator's handle.
Setting up TikTok Ads (only when ready)
If you're not yet running TikTok ads, you'll need to set up an account first. Don't do this until you've decided to actually invest budget in TikTok. Setting up an empty Ads Manager just adds maintenance overhead. The decision matrix:
If you tick most of these
- Meta is profitable and stable
- You have $1,500+ a month spare for testing TikTok
- Your category is visual and discovery friendly (beauty, fashion, wellness, gadgets)
- You have at least one creator already producing for TikTok organically
Stay focused on Meta if
- Meta isn't yet hitting your CAC targets
- Your monthly Meta budget is under $5k
- Your product is high consideration or B2B
- You don't have creator partnerships established yet
If you're ready, the setup is straightforward. Five things to do, in order:
Create a TikTok Business Center
Go to business.tiktok.com, create a Business Account using your business email. This is your TikTok equivalent of Meta Business Manager.
Create your Ads account
Inside Business Center → Ad Accounts → Create. Set currency (AUD for Australian businesses) and time zone. You can't change these later, double check before confirming.
Install the TikTok Pixel
For Shopify: install the official TikTok app from the Shopify App Store, it handles tracking automatically. For other platforms: copy the Pixel code into your site header. Map the standard ecommerce events: Page View, View Content, Add to Cart, Initiate Checkout, Complete Payment.
Connect your TikTok account
In Business Center → TikTok Accounts → Add. Log in with your brand's TikTok account credentials. Required for Spark Ads.
Add a payment method
Business Center → Billing & Payments. Add a credit card. Set your billing threshold so you're not surprised by sudden invoices.
Running both formats together
When the same creator posts the same video on both Instagram and TikTok, you can run it as a Partnership Ad on Meta and a Spark Ad on TikTok in parallel. One asset, two channels, two ad formats. The economics are exceptional.
- Day 1: Receive content from creator, both Instagram and TikTok posts published
- Day 2: Confirm Partnership Ad authorisation on Meta. Get Spark Ad code from TikTok creator.
- Day 3: Launch Partnership Ad on Meta inside your Prospecting CBO. Launch Spark Ad on TikTok in your acquisition campaign.
- Day 4 onwards: Track performance in each platform's Ads Manager. Use the raw video file for re edits and variants in your editor of choice.
Performance can differ between platforms. The same creator video might fly on Meta and underperform on TikTok, or vice versa. Track each separately and let the data tell you where to keep investing.
What you should have at the end of this module
Each creator has authorised your ad account for Partnership Ads on Meta
Creators are tagging the Paid partnership label on every post for your brand
If you're running TikTok: a working TikTok Ads Manager with Pixel installed
A Spark Ad code workflow with each TikTok creator (codes valid 30 to 365 days)
A monthly cadence running creator content as Partnership Ads, Spark Ads, and re edits across the full Creative Flywheel
You've got the system. Now go build the network.
Find creators. Sign two to four. Brief, review, repurpose. Run as Partnership Ads on Meta first. Add Spark Ads on TikTok when ready. Repeat monthly. After three months, you'll have a creator network that fuels your Creative Flywheel and gives you a defensible advantage no AI tool can replicate.
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