Marketing API

Introduction

The purpose of this page is to provide an overview of the initial setup steps required for program participation. The main elements it addresses include:

  1. Setting up a Business and Business Manager
  2. Creating and obtaining access to Ad Accounts
  3. Creating an App to access Meta’s API
  4. Provide documentation for Brand Safety and Suitability

Business and Business Manager

Business Manager is the main tool you use to coordinate your company’s operations with Meta. It helps you manage your Business, and acts as a container for key Meta objects like Ad Accounts, Apps, and so on.

Create a Business

The following pages contain overview information, steps to create a Business and Business Manager, as well as API developer documentation:

  • Create a Meta Business Manager
  • Business Overview
  • About Meta Business Manager
  • About Business Account Roles and Permissions
  • Business Manager API (Developer Documentation)

Extending Coworker Access

A Business may be created by an individual but should be extended to relevant company personnel. See Add People to Your Business Manager and About Business Manager Roles and Permissions for more information.

Invitees receive an email containing a link that prompts them to sign into their personal Facebook accounts.

Note that personal Facebook accounts are required to use Business Manager — but coworkers do not see each others’ Facebook accounts and are not required to be friends on Facebook.

Note also that many Meta Business Partner functions require Admin access.

Before you Start

To leverage Meta’s Marketing API (required for program participation), you need to setup a Meta Developer account and create a Meta App.

Create an App

  1. Go to developers.facebook.com.
  2. Log in with your personal Facebook account. (This step should enable Developer access for your Facebook account.)
  3. Once logged in, select My Apps and click on Create App.
  4. In the subsequent screen, ensure that the App is linked to your Business; choose a relevant name and contact email, and describe the purpose of the App, before clicking Create.

Extend Coworker Access

  1. Go to Business Settings.
  2. Click Accounts and click Apps.
  3. Select your App and click Add People.
  4. Assign relevant coworkers to either App Developer or Manage App (i.e., admin) roles.

Note that coworkers must be added to your Business prior to becoming available for selection in the above flow.

Business Verification

Business Verification is a process that allows us to verify your identity as a business entity. Apps that request advanced access for permissions and apps that allow other Businesses to access their own data must be connected to a Business that has completed Business Verification.

Learn more about Business Verification.

See blog post - Developer Platform will now require Business Verification for Advanced Access

Submitting for App Review

Before submitting an App for review, it is important to understand the following:

All app permissions and access are documented throughout the developer documentation. As you develop your integration:

  1. Anytime a document lists "permission", "feature" or "access", follow the instructions within the Developer Documentation to apply for that access.

  2. When making an API call, if you get an error that says "permission", go to the Developer Documentation, search for "permission" and ensure that you have all of the permissions listed within that document for that product.

For example, if you search the Block List documentation, you will see it provides thorough documentation regarding the different types of permissions (View Performance, ads_read, ads_management, and Ads Management Standard Access) and links to further documentation on each. Each of these permissions and features are used to ensure data security across a number of our API integrations, including programs outside of Brand Safety and Suitability, and the applications are reviewed by our security and privacy teams.

Our security and privacy teams will be reviewing your App. These teams are purposefully kept separate from the sales, partnerships and product teams. Therefore, they are not familiar with Meta’s Ads products nor each use case and their aim is to protect user and advertiser data.

In your App review submission, you need to clearly outline the following:

  1. Which functionality of your app requires this permission?

  2. How will the permission enhance your app’s functionality? How will the permission enhance how the integration works? Submit specific details on why the permission/access is needed, including:

    a. Detailed description of how you will be using the permission specifically using the wording for the permission outlined in the documentation. For example, using the ads_read permission to create and apply block lists as well as access ad performance data for your advertisers campaigns and provide them a dashboard on the brand safety and suitability of their ad.

  3. Make it clear that your end users are advertisers and you as the partner are providing them reporting on their ads performance. How will the permission enhance the end user’s experience?

    a. What the end product of using that data will be. For example providing a description of block lists and brand safety and suitability and linking to Meta owned documentation so the security and privacy team’s can understand this is an approved Meta use case.

See Server-to-Server App Sample Submission

Accessing Client Ad Accounts

You need to obtain access to the relevant Ad Accounts your client wants included for Brand Safety and Suitability. This is achieved by your client, and their third-parties, sharing all relevant Ad Accounts to your Business Manager. Ask the client to go to the Ad Account in their own Business Settings and click Assign Partner. Provide them with your Business ID and ask for View Performance access, so that they can complete the Assign Partner flow. See Add ad accounts in Meta Business Manager. At this point, the Client Ad Account should be visible in Business Settings.

Additional Info