Latest Meta Reels and Partnership Ads Updates (June 2025)

Meta continues to evolve its ad offering across Facebook and Instagram, and the latest updates to Reels ads and partnership formats are designed to help brands connect with audiences more authentically and effectively.

Whether you’re running influencer campaigns or experimenting with short-form video, these changes could offer exciting new ways to reach and engage your ideal customer.

Here’s what’s new, and what it means for your strategy.

What Are Reels Trending Ads?

Meta is currently testing a new ad format called Reels Trending Ads, which allows advertisers to place their ads immediately after popular creator-made Reels.

How does it work?

• Your ad shows up adjacent to top-performing Reels—right in the middle of peak audience engagement

• You can target by topic, such as beauty or sports, or choose to target all top Reels

• It’s designed to mimic the flow of organic content, making it less disruptive and more contextual

Think of it like riding the wave of virality, your ad piggybacks the attention a Reel is already getting.

This format is still in testing, so you may not see it available in your Ads Manager yet. But it’s one to keep an eye on as Meta ramps up efforts to compete with TikTok’s ad experience.

What’s New with Partnership Ads?

Partnership ads (also called branded content ads) have been incredibly effective for years, but Meta just gave them an interesting upgrade.

What’s changed?

You can now run partner-only ads, where only the creator’s name appears in the ad’s header, not the brand’s.

Previously, both the creator and brand were listed at the top of the ad. Now, marketers have the option to:

• Run a dual-branded ad (creator + brand in header)

• Run a partner-only ad (just the creator appears)

This subtle shift suggests Meta believes ads that feel more like influencer recommendations may perform better. It allows the creator’s voice and personal brand to take centre stage, while the brand takes a backseat.

Tip: This is a perfect opportunity for an A/B test. Try both ad types and see which one performs better with your audience.

Can You Run Live Partnership Ads on Facebook?

Yes. This is a brand-new format that feels inspired by TikTok’s Live Shopping success is available on Instagram and Facebook.

Here’s how it works:

• You go live with a creator on Facebook

• That live stream is turned into an ad and promoted to a wider audience

• Viewers can watch the live session even if they didn’t catch it in real time

This format opens up new possibilities for:

• Live product demos

• Real-time Q&A sessions

• Co-branded events or launches

It’s early days, but this could be a fantastic tool for brands that already partner with creators and want to maximise the impact of those collaborations.

What Should Marketers Do Next?

These updates are part of a bigger trend we’re seeing: ads that feel less like ads.

Here’s what you can do:

• Experiment with creator-led formats

• A/B test partner-only vs. dual-branded ads

• Explore live video as a performance-driven ad opportunity

• Watch closely for access to Reels Trending Ads

If your brand works with creators (or wants to), these tools offer new ways to amplify authentic content and build trust with your audience.