How to Use Partnership Ad Code on Instagram

Running ads through an influencer's handle used to be a murky process involving shared passwords and handing over account access, but Instagram's Partnership Ad Code completely changed the game. This feature is the official, secure way for brands to amplify a creator's content as a paid ad, giving both parties more control and better results. This guide will walk you through exactly what partnership ad codes are, how to generate one as a creator, and how to use one as a brand to launch powerful, authentic campaigns.

What is an Instagram Partnership Ad Code?

A Partnership Ad Code is a unique string of characters generated directly from an influencer's organic Instagram post, Story, or Reel. When a creator generates this code, they grant a specific brand partner permission to put paid advertising spend behind that specific piece of content for a set period.

Think of it as a temporary digital key. Instead of giving a brand full access to their account (a huge security risk known as "whitelisting"), a creator hands over a key that only works for one piece of content. The brand can then use this code within the Meta Ads Manager to turn the creator's post into an ad that runs from the creator’s own handle. It appears in people's feeds as a sponsored post from the influencer, not the brand, making it feel native and trustworthy.

This system replaces outdated methods and formalizes the process, creating a more professional and secure environment for both creators and their brand partners. The content remains authentic to the creator's voice, while the brand gains the ability to use its powerful ad targeting tools to reach a much wider, more specific audience.

The Benefits for Everyone Involved

Partnership Ad Codes aren’t just a technical feature, they’re a fundamental improvement to the creator-brand relationship, offering distinct advantages for everyone.

For Creators

• Complete Account Control: This is the biggest win. You never have to share your password or grant administrative access to your account again. The ad code provides access only to a single post, so your DMs, profile details, and other content remain secure.
• Content Approval is Built In: You choose which posts are eligible for promotion. If a brand wants to boost something, you are the one who starts the process by generating the code. This prevents brands from promoting content you aren't 100% happy with.
• Performance Insights: You can see how the ads are performing directly within your Instagram app, giving you valuable data to show other potential brand partners in the future. Strong ad performance can justify higher rates for future collaborations.
• A Streamlined Workflow: Generating a code takes seconds. It’s a clean handoff that simplifies a previously complicated process.

For Brands

• Increased Authenticity and Trust: Ads that come from a creator's handle perform better. They look like organic social proof, not a corporate advertisement. This native placement builds trust and leads to higher engagement rates and better conversion.
• Access to Advanced Targeting: The real power is unlocked in Meta Ads Manager. You can take a high-performing organic post and target it to custom audiences, lookalike audiences, or specific demographics that the creator might not reach organically.
• Simplified Campaign Management: No more awkward requests for creator login details or managing complex account permissions. You get a code, you plug it in, and your campaign is ready to go.
• Testing and Optimization: Brands can add their own call-to-action (CTA) buttons like "Shop Now" or "Learn More" to the ad, and A/B test different versions to see what drives the best results.

For the Audience

• Total Transparency: Every ad run using a Partnership Ad Code clearly displays a "Paid partnership" label. This transparency is vital for building trust and complying with advertising regulations. Users know they're seeing an ad, but it’s from a voice they chose to follow.
• Relevant Content: Because brands can use their targeting tools, the audience is more likely to see content that is genuinely relevant to their interests.

How to Generate a Partnership Ad Code: A Guide for Creators

Ready to give your brand partner the green light? To generate a code, you first need to have a Creator or Business account on Instagram. Then, the process is straightforward.

1. Add Your Brand Partner to Your Account

Before you can generate a code for a specific post, you need to approve the brand as an official partner on your account. You can do this in advance or during the post creation process.

• Go to your Profile > Menu (☰) > Settings and privacy.
• Scroll down to For professionals and tap on Branded content.
• Make sure Branded content tools are enabled. Then tap Approved brand partners.
• Search for your brand partner’s handle and tap Add. They will now be on your approved list.

2. Tag the Brand in Your Content

When you create your Feed Post, Reel, or Story, you must use the "Paid partnership" label and tag the Brand Partner.

• On the final screen before publishing, tap Advanced settings.
• Look for the Branded content section and toggle on Add paid partnership label.
• Tap Add brand partners and select the brand you approved in the previous step.
• Publish your post. It will now appear with the "Paid partnership with [Brand Name]" label.

3. Generate the Partnership Ad Code

Once your post with the partnership label is live, you can generate the code.

For Feed Posts and Reels:

1. Go to the live post on your profile.
2. Tap the three dots (...) in the top-right corner of the post.
3. From the menu that appears, tap on Partnership ads.
4. You will see a toggle for Allow brand partner to boost. Turn this on.
5. Below the toggle, choose if the code can be used for 30, 60, or 90 days.
6. A unique code will appear. Tap Copy code to save it to your clipboard.

For Stories:

1. Go to the live Story.
2. Tap the More (...) icon in the bottom-right corner.
3. Tap Partnership Ads.
4. Enable the Allow brand partner to boost toggle.
5. Copy the code that is generated. Don't forget, Story codes are only active while the Story is live (24 hours), so the brand needs to act fast!

4. Share the Code Securely

You’ve got the code! Now, you just need to send it to your brand partner. Email or a secure direct message works perfectly. Make sure to let them know the code's expiration date if it is an in-feed post or reel, so they understand the timeline.

How to Use a Partnership Ad Code: A Guide for Brands

You’ve received the code from your creator partner. Now it's time to put it to work in Meta Ads Manager. Using it is surprisingly simple and unlocks all of Meta's powerful advertising tools for the creator's content.

1. Set Up Your Campaign in Ads Manager

Start by heading to your Meta Ads Manager and clicking the +Create button to start a new campaign. Select your campaign objective (e.g., Traffic, Sales, Engagement) just like you would for any other ad.

2. Define Your Audience and Budget

At the Ad Set level, configure your targeting, placements, budget, and schedule. This is where you can define exactly who you want the creator's post to reach. You can use demographic filtering, interest targeting, custom audiences based on your website traffic, or lookalike audiences to find people similar to your best customers.

3. Select the Creator's Content

Now, at the Ad level, you’ll connect the creator's post to your campaign.

1. Under the Identity section, make sure you have the creator’s Instagram handle selected (it should be automatically available if they’ve tagged you as a partner).
2. In the Ad setup section, choose Use existing post.
3. Under Ad creative, click on Select post.
4. A window will pop up showing your brand's content. Look for the tabs at the top of this window and click on Branded Content.
5. In the top-right corner of this screen, you’ll see a prompt to Enter Ad Code. Click it.
6. Paste the Partnership Ad Code you received from the creator and click Add.

The creator’s post will instantly load into the Ad Manager preview. From there, you can add a Call-to-Action button (like "Shop Now") with a destination URL, set up your conversion tracking, and launch the ad. It will now run from the creator's handle to the new audience you've defined, all with your ad budget.

Best Practices for a Smooth Collaboration

To get the most out of partnership ads, a little planning goes a long way.

For creators, only generate codes for content that truly represents your brand and performs well organically. Not every great post will make a great ad. Communicate with your partner about the campaign goals and duration to manage expectations. A simple tracker listing which codes are active for which brands can help you stay organized.

For brands, always establish clear agreements upfront. Define usage rights, KPIs, timelines, and how you’ll share performance data. The real beauty of these ads comes from their authenticity, so resist the urge to turn the creator’s organic content into a traditional, polished ad. Trust their voice - it's what their audience connects with. Lastly, monitor performance closely in Ads Manager and be ready to optimize your audience or A/B test a different CTA to get the best results.

Final Thoughts

Partnership Ad Codes are a real win-win, creating a secure, transparent, and more effective way for creators and brands to work together on Instagram. They empower creators with full control over their accounts while giving brands the keys to amplify authentic content to hyper-targeted audiences for much stronger results.

As you run more of these collaborations, keeping your content schedule organized becomes really important. This is where we built Postbase to help. With our visual calendar, you can see all your scheduled content at a glance - both your daily organic posts and the specific partnership content going live for different brands. It helps map out campaigns visually, so you avoid clashes and ensure everything feels cohesive, making it much easier to juggle multiple collaborations without the chaos.