India is home to over 60 million small businesses, which contribute approximately 30% to the nation's GDP. To support these enterprises in enhancing their digital presence and contributing to India's digital economy, a new initiative has been launched: the Ads Partner Excellence Program. This program aims to build a robust partner ecosystem to assist millions of small businesses in India through Click to Message Ads.
The goal of the Ads Partner Excellence Program is to onboard and train 4,000 digital agencies across India. These agencies will be equipped with tools, training, and support necessary for promoting digital-first growth among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). "India’s small businesses are the engine of its economy, and digital adoption is key to unlocking their next phase of growth," said Ravi Garg, Director of Business Messaging at Meta in India.
According to a Redseer report, India's advertising expenditure is projected to increase from $17 billion in 2023 to $30 billion by 2028. A significant portion of this growth is expected from small businesses. However, only a fraction currently utilizes digital advertising for scaling their business.
By training agencies that collaborate closely with SMBs, the Ads Partner Excellence Program seeks to enable millions of SMBs indirectly. This will allow them access to click-to-message ad formats for personalized engagement on platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.
Launched on February 26, 2025, the program is supported by a one-year sponsorship with plans for long-term evolution into an always-on community-led initiative across India. Participating agencies will benefit from structured learning opportunities and access to Meta's tools and guidance. The program includes monthly webinars on best practices for click-to-message ads, newsletters offering insights and updates, self-paced Blueprint Courses on Meta advertising solutions, publicly shareable guides available online, as well as office hours and community-building initiatives.
The ongoing engagement ensures that this training remains a sustained effort rather than a one-time intervention. The objective is not just about achieving business outcomes but also unlocking economic impact by enabling partners better serve small businesses—especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities—and building their digital capacity within India's growing economy.