Back in October, Facebook announced its Preferred Marketing Developer (PMD) program would become a new program called Facebook Marketing Partners, and that it would be restructuring things to make it easier to find partners based on specific needs. That all goes into effect today.

The new structure enables businesses to find partners in specific countries and industries. There’s also a revamped matching tool that lets you search by specialty, country, and industry, and then directly contact the partner.

The program features hundreds of partners (new and existing), and they’re categorized based on the areas of expertise: Ad Technology, Media Buying, Facebook Exchange (FBX), Community Management, Content Marketing, Small Business Solutions, Audience Onboarding, Audience Data Providers, and Measurement.

Adobe, which is a partner, sent us some comments on the change from senior product marketing manager for Social Advertising Solutions, Monica Lay:

“The four-badge PMD program provided opaque direction for marketers looking for a technology partner based on their needs. As the digital media landscape became even more fragmented and marketer’s needs became more specific, you can see why Facebook did a complete overhaul. The new structure basically moves away from an API centric approach to marketing-driven descriptors.”

“What’s interesting is the introduction of new players, the most noticeable one being advertising agencies under the Media Buying category. This is an important move for our industry, as agencies will have to undergo certification with Facebook. There is a significant need to enhance expertise in paid social, especially when this environment is so agile.”

“The nine Facebook Marketing Partner specialties create a more cohesive environment for everyone involved in this complex ecosystem, leading to more clarity, more choices and more impact. It’s a positive outcome that is a win-win for all those involved.”

Salesforce also announced that it has joined the program, and is telling its partners and customers that nothing has changed.

You can find the new Facebook Marketing Partners website here.

Image via Facebook