For a digital agency, few validations carry more weight than being singled out by one of the world’s largest advertising platforms. That’s exactly what happened to SmartSites, a New Jersey-based marketing firm, which was named Rising Partner of the Year in North America at the 2026 Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards—an honor announced live at the ceremony on October 29, 2026.
The recognition is a significant leap for the agency, which was previously a finalist for Microsoft Advertising’s Channel Partner of the Year award in 2024. This year’s win cements SmartSites’ expanding footprint as a go-to partner for businesses leveraging Microsoft Advertising across North America, building on a trajectory that has been years in the making.
So what does it take to earn the Rising Partner of the Year title? Microsoft Advertising bestows this award on a Select tier partner that demonstrates consistent business growth, measured by tangible outcomes in revenue expansion, adoption of platform features, and success in bringing on and retaining clients. It’s a data-driven distinction, not a popularity contest.
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SmartSites integrates Microsoft Advertising into its broader PPC services, and the agency offers dedicated Microsoft Advertising management services for clients. For those interested in the full list of honorees, Microsoft has published the 2026 Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards: North America winners announced.
“Being named Rising Partner of the Year by Microsoft Advertising is a milestone for our team and for the clients who trust us with their Microsoft Advertising campaigns,” said Michael Melen, co-founder of SmartSites. “We are grateful to Microsoft Advertising for the recognition and proud of the work our team does every day.”
SmartSites was founded in 2011 by brothers Alex and Michael Melen. The agency offers a full suite of services—SEO, PPC, email marketing, social media, influencer marketing, and web design—and has accumulated more than 1,000 five-star reviews. It has also appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for ten straight years. More details are available at www.smartsites.com.
Why it matters: This award signals that mid-sized agencies can still compete and thrive within major advertising ecosystems, provided they deliver measurable growth for their clients. For businesses evaluating PPC partners, SmartSites’ recognition offers an independent data point—backed by Microsoft’s own review process—that the agency knows how to drive results on the platform.
Sam Chadson Ng
SmartSites
+1 201-870-6000
