Microsoft Advertising Partner Program expands to include curators

Microsoft has announced the addition of curators to its Microsoft Advertising Partner Program. The announcement, made on February 27, 2025, marks the first expansion of the program to include curation technology providers. This development comes as part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to strengthen relationships with its advertising technology partners.

According to Carly Morris, Head of Media & Ad Tech, EMEA/LATAM, "Curation services are becoming increasingly essential as the digital advertising landscape grows more complex and challenging to navigate." Morris further elaborated that "By adding the ever-growing base of Curator partners to the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program, it will strengthen partnerships, support Curator growth, and acknowledge their importance to Microsoft advertising."

The expansion currently operates as a pilot program, with Microsoft welcoming what they describe as "a select group of Curators" to participate. These initial participants will gain access to the full range of benefits offered through the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program.

Curator partners, also referred to as curation technology providers, operate within the programmatic advertising ecosystem. These specialized entities work as intermediaries between advertisers and publishers, helping to organize and optimize digital advertising inventory.

The curator partners leverage Microsoft Advertising's global footprint and multi-market reach to enhance programmatic advertising operations. Their primary function involves improving efficiency and relevance of digital advertisements while working to deliver more impactful results for advertisers.

A key aspect of curator partners' role involves helping customers maximize the value of their digital assets and first-party data. This optimization occurs through Microsoft's centralized advertising platform, creating a streamlined approach to programmatic advertising management.

The Microsoft Advertising Partner Program operates across three distinct tiers: Partner, Select, and Elite. Each tier offers progressively more comprehensive benefits aimed at nurturing partner growth and recognizing success within the Microsoft advertising ecosystem.

Curator partners enrolled in the program will gain access to several key opportunities:

• Participation in the Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards, including eligibility for a newly established "Curator of the Year" category
• Access to the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program LinkedIn Community
• Invitations to partner-only webinars and events
• A profile in the Microsoft Partner Directory
• An exclusive partner badge for use in marketing materials

The program's tiered approach allows partners to progress through different levels based on their performance, engagement, and expertise. The structured benefits represent an effort by Microsoft to deepen relationships with what they term their "most accomplished partners" across various specializations.

The integration of curators into the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program reflects broader industry trends toward specialization within the digital advertising ecosystem. As programmatic advertising continues to increase in complexity, the role of specialized intermediaries has grown more prominent.

Curator partners operate in a space that requires significant technical expertise, particularly in the realm of data management and targeting capabilities. Their inclusion in the official partner program signals Microsoft's recognition of these specialized skills and their importance to the broader advertising landscape.

The timing of this announcement coincides with increased industry focus on first-party data utilization following changes to third-party cookie policies across major browsers. Curator partners often play a crucial role in helping advertisers effectively leverage their first-party data assets in this evolving environment.

The expansion of Microsoft's partner program specifically to include curators highlights the growing significance of programmatic advertising within the digital marketing sphere. Programmatic methods, which use automated systems to purchase and optimize digital advertisements, now constitute a substantial portion of all digital ad spending.

Curators within this landscape serve as technological facilitators, helping to bridge gaps between complex advertising systems and the marketers who utilize them. Their specialized knowledge helps advertisers navigate an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem spanning multiple platforms, formats, and targeting methodologies.

According to the announcement, curator partners enable customers to "maximize the value of their digital assets and first-party data" through Microsoft's centralized platform. This centralization represents an effort to simplify what has become an increasingly complex advertising technology stack for many organizations.

The Microsoft Advertising Partner Program forms part of the company's broader partner ecosystem strategy. This approach focuses on developing and maintaining relationships with various specialized service providers who extend the functionality and effectiveness of Microsoft's core offerings.

Within the advertising space specifically, Microsoft has established partnerships with various entities including agencies, technology providers, and now curators. These relationships help expand the reach and capabilities of Microsoft's advertising solutions while providing partners with access to resources, recognition, and business development opportunities.

The curator expansion follows Microsoft's established pattern of gradually incorporating different specialized partner categories into their formal program structure. This methodical approach allows Microsoft to tailor program benefits to the specific needs and business models of different partner types.

The announcement indicates that curator companies interested in joining the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program should contact their Microsoft Advertising representative directly. This suggests that the program, at least in its initial phase, will operate through an invitation-based or direct application model rather than an open enrollment system.

Microsoft has established a website for the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program where interested parties can find additional information about the program's structure, benefits, and application process. The controlled expansion approach likely allows Microsoft to manage program growth while maintaining quality standards.

Microsoft's announcement concludes with a forward-looking statement about "exploring potential together" and supporting "Curator success, growth, and innovation." This suggests the company views the curator partnership program as an evolving initiative that may expand or develop new features over time.

The initial pilot approach indicates Microsoft is taking a measured approach to integrating curators into their partner ecosystem. This methodical expansion strategy allows for adjustments based on early participant feedback and performance metrics before potentially broadening the program to additional curator partners.

Timeline of Microsoft Advertising Partner Program development

• February 27, 2025: Microsoft announces the addition of curators to the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program
• Pilot phase begins with select curator partners gaining access to program benefits
• Future expansion expected following initial pilot program evaluation

The integration of curators into Microsoft's partner ecosystem represents an acknowledgment of their growing importance within the digital advertising landscape. As advertising technology continues to evolve, specialized intermediaries like curator partners will likely play an increasingly significant role in helping advertisers effectively navigate complex programmatic systems.