India is home to more than 60 million small businesses, contributing around 30% to the country’s GDP. For these small businesses to continue being a central engine of growth and employment, and to boost India’s digital economy, they need to build and enhance their digital presence. To support this, we have launched the Ads Partner Excellence Program —a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at building a robust partner ecosystem to help millions of small businesses in India grow through Click to Message Ads.
Through Ads Partner Excellence Program, our goal is to onboard and train 4,000 digital agencies across India, enabling digital-first growth for SMBs by equipping them with the right tools, training, and support to bring more SMBs online.
“India’s small businesses are the engine of its economy, and digital adoption is key to unlocking their next phase of growth. Over the years, we have made consistent efforts to help small businesses digitize their presence. Through the first phase of Ads Partner Excellence Program, we aim to enable and train 4000 digital marketing agencies on leveraging click-to-message ads to become growth partners for SMBs—equipping a new generation of marketing partners with the skills and support to drive meaningful growth for SMBs through messaging.” – Ravi Garg, Director, Business Messaging, Meta in India
Empowering Growth in India’s Expanding Digital Economy through a Network of Future-Ready Partners
As per a Redseer report, India’s advertising expenditure (Adex) is projected to rise from $17 billion in 2023 to $30 billion by 2028*, with a significant share of this growth expected to be driven by small businesses. Despite being home to over 60 million SMBs, only a fraction currently leverage digital advertising to scale their business and growth.
By training agencies that work closely with these businesses, the Ads Partner Excellence Program aims to indirectly enable millions of SMBs to tap into click-to-message ad formats—offering personalized, one-to-one engagement on platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.
Launched on February 26, 2025, the Ads Partner Excellence Program Program is currently backed by a one-year sponsorship, with a long-term vision to evolve into an always-on, community-led initiative that scales across India. Participating agencies will receive structured learning and access to best-in-class Meta tools and guidance. The program includes:
- Monthly Webinars: Covering click-to-message best practices, case studies, and performance strategies
- Newsletters: Sharing actionable insights, templates, and product updates
- Blueprint Courses: Self-paced training modules on Meta advertising solutions
- Leave-behind Materials: Publicly shareable guides and templates available on the Ads Partner Excellence Program Page
- Office Hours & Community Building: Creating spaces for collaboration, mentorship, and peer learning
- In-person masterclasses across 20+ tier 2 cities.
This ongoing engagement ensures that the training isn’t a one-time intervention but a sustained effort to upskill agencies and help them scale their impact.
Unlocking Economic Impact, Not Just Business Outcomes
The Ads Partner Excellence Program supports our core objective of economic empowerment by enabling partners to better serve small businesses, build digital capacity, and ensure more equitable access to India’s digital economy—especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. As we continue to invest in India’s digital future, the Ads Partner Excellence Program Program is a step toward fostering a self-sustaining ecosystem—where agencies grow by helping small businesses thrive.
