Google Ads Creator Partnerships: What They Are, How They Work & Why They Matter in 2025

Google has finally joined the creator economy party and honestly, about time.

TikTok and Meta have been ahead of the curve for years when it comes to creator-led ads. Branded Content Ads, Spark Ads, UGC-style creatives they’ve all become staples in high-performing campaigns. Why? Because people trust people. Not brands.

And now, Google’s rolling out its answer: Creator Partnerships in Google Ads a new feature that lets advertisers run YouTube video ads directly from a creator’s channel, using their handle, thumbnail, and tone. You keep full control over targeting, bidding, and performance in your Google Ads account, but to the viewer, it looks and feels like content from the creator, not a polished brand video.

The timing makes sense. YouTube is now the second most-used app for watching video content in the UK (as of July 2025), just behind TikTok. So if you’re still pushing overly scripted brand assets from your own channel, you might be missing a trick.

Why Google Is Playing Catch-Up

Let’s not pretend this is revolutionary, it’s Google catching up with what’s already working elsewhere.

On TikTok and Meta, creator-led ads have been outperforming traditional formats for years. According to recent studies, UGC-style content delivers up to 4x higher engagement and often stronger conversion rates than standard brand creatives. It makes sense. People scroll past overly polished ads but stop for something that feels real and relatable.

Until now, YouTube advertisers had to either upload creator videos to their brand channel or try to mimic UGC with in-house production. Neither approach really captured the magic of content made by creators for their audience. Creator Partnerships finally give us the proper tool to do it right.

How It Works (Without the Fluff)

Here’s what’s new:

• You use a video hosted on a creator’s YouTube channel

• The creator grants permission via YouTube Studio

• You set up the campaign in Google Ads

• The ad appears to viewers as “Ad by @creator” instead of your brand

  
  

You still manage everything, campaign goals, audiences, bidding, and tracking just like any other YouTube campaign.

When to Use Creator Partnerships

This works brilliantly when you want your ad to feel more like content, less like a sales pitch. Here are a few examples:

UGC That’s Already Working

Got a creator review or demo that’s performing well? Run it as-is, directly from their channel, to scale its reach without killing the vibe.

Influencer Campaigns That Deserve Paid Backing

You’ve paid for the collaboration, now give it legs. Don’t rely on organic reach alone. Paid media ensures it reaches the right people, at the right time.

Building Trust in Sensitive Categories

Selling skincare, supplements, or financial services? These are categories where people value honesty. Creator-led ads add authenticity that a brand logo can’t match.

Product Launches or Brand Moments

Let a creator introduce your latest release in their own voice, then use Creator Partnerships to amplify that content and make a bigger impact.

When It’s Not the Right Fit

It’s not for every brand, and that’s okay. If your content is tightly controlled or you’re not ready to let go of polished brand messaging, this might not suit your setup.

Also (and this is crucial) you must have permission. The creator needs to opt in through their YouTube Studio account. If they haven’t done that, you can’t run the ad. No workarounds, no grey areas.

Best Practice Tips

• Keep campaign structures clean: Don’t mix creator-led and brand-led ads in the same ad group. It messes with reporting and optimisation.

• Brief clearly: Make sure the creator understands the product and objective, but let them speak in their own tone. That’s the value.

• Test and learn: Different creators will drive different results. Track performance by creator and scale what works.

• Avoid overlap: Use exclusions to prevent your brand ads and creator ads from competing for the same audiences.

  
  

Performance & Reporting

This isn’t just for awareness. You can track and optimise just like any other YouTube ad.

Google Ads provides:

• Views, view rate, and CPV

• Conversions and assisted conversions

• Audience, device, and placement insights

• Breakdowns by creator, so you can see who’s driving performance

That means you can treat this like a proper paid campaign, not just a feel-good brand experiment.

🔹 Final Thoughts

Creator Partnerships in Google Ads might not be a game-changer, but they are a very welcome update. Google is finally giving performance marketers the tools to scale creator content the right way.

And let’s be honest: with YouTube sitting right behind TikTok in terms of video consumption in the UK, it makes complete sense to treat it as a serious paid social channel. If you’re already using UGC on Meta or Spark Ads on TikTok, this should be your next step.

Need help building your creator strategy or folding this into your current Google Ads plan? That’s exactly what I help brands with at 4M Digital.

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4M Digital is a paid media consultancy specialising in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Paid Social campaigns. With over 15 years of expertise, we help businesses unlock the full potential of their digital advertising strategies through tailored management, audits, and training.