YouTube is implementing a new Activation Partners program to help advertisers achieve better outcomes in CTV campaigns. The program connects brands, advertisers and agencies with approved third-party experts specializing in YouTube media buys, including campaign planning and management. The program aims to help marketers discover new resources that have been pre-vetted by Google, expanding perspectives and tapping alternative expertise by tapping a “collection of trusted third-party partners” that the social video company hopes will “help advertisers get the best results out of their work with YouTube.”

“As the number-one streaming platform for over two years according to Nielsen, YouTube remains a powerful place for brands to reach and engage with audiences,” the platform said in a blog post announcing the new program.

That success “brings new opportunities, and YouTube’s approved partners will be able to share expertise and knowledge to help brands tap into this, and boost their campaigns across YouTube’s offerings,” writes Social Media Today, which says these vetted advisors “each have their own specific areas of expertise, including data-backed ad buying and placement processes, AI-powered targeting, contextual insights and more.”

The initial partner roster includes Zefr and Channel Factory, both categorized as specialists in leveraging AI for ad placements, among other things. Adtech firms MiQ Digital and Pixability round out the list. Each company “has been reviewed by Google and meet our standards,” the company notes on the program’s page in the Google enterprise marketing portal.

“These providers have an ‘Activation Partners’ badge attached to their YouTube account,” writes MediaPost, noting that “new partner onboarding is on pause, with application for future membership open on a rolling basis.”

Search Engine Land says sponsors should “expect the Activation Partners network to expand in 2026 as YouTube continues investing in ecosystem visibility, media performance, and advertiser trust.”

Social Media Today concludes the new initiative “could be a good option for those looking to maximize their YouTube marketing efforts, and branch out into new areas of opportunity across the various YouTube surfaces,” adding that the move comes at a good time, “with CTV now offering traditional TV-like reach, that could end up delivering major branding value for your business.”