Behind the scenes of Meta’s Black and Latinx creator programs
An easy-to-use platform helped Meta connect with thousands of up-and-coming creators.
Meta’s We the Culture and Dale Tú programs were built to help nurture both aspiring and established creators by providing opportunities for content, education, and community. The programs were focused on elevating Black and Latinx voices.
“I'd say the [Submittable] team has always been really aligned with us for us to achieve our goals.”
Upon launching, the Meta team realized right away that a spreadsheet wasn’t going to be enough to manage the application and review process. “You can imagine using a spreadsheet where data could get corrupted,” says Michelle Mitchell, head of culture & content at Meta. “You could have rows or columns being merged. You really didn't have any sort of chain of custody on who was scoring a particular candidate one way or another.”
Luckily, early on, the team found the right software to keep their program on track. Submittable supported Meta’s team and program applicants from the initial application stage, through reviews and reporting. It has helped the programs scale and evolve over the years.
Keep applications & reviews flowing
The success of Meta’s creator programs hinged on the smoothness and security of the application and review phases.
Applicants needed an easy-to-navigate platform that provided clear next steps. As applications poured in, the Meta team needed functionality that would allow them to batch the applications by specialty and send them to a designated review team.
Submittable made it effortless to group creators by categories such as sports and fitness or beauty and lifestyle. Michelle explains the process: “The applications came in, and we leveraged Submittable to issue a detailed questionnaire. That questionnaire allowed us to batch out the applications for further review by specific specialty teams, which would then provide scores.” Based on those scores, applicants would move through the selection process.
As a program focused on diversity and inclusion, applicants were providing some sensitive personal information. Strong security was essential. Submittable gave Michelle and her team the ability to safely collect that data. “We're not allowed to keep that kind of information on our system,” Michelle says. “If you have any sort of program that's based on a protected characteristic, our privacy team required us to try to keep that data off premises.”
Clear reporting at every stage
Sharp reporting played a big role in keeping the creator programs on track. Michelle and her team needed real-time applicant stats and strong reporting to share with stakeholders along the way. Submittable gave them clarity at every stage.
With a goal of supporting equity and diversity, the Meta team knew they needed insights about applicant data. Running reports during the application window gave them a sense of whether they were reaching the right applicants. Sometimes the reports made it clear they needed to shift strategies. “In the case of Dale Tú too we actually extended the window by a week or so because we didn't have the mix that we really wanted to make sure that it was an equitable mix within the program,” Michelle says.
The goal was to create an applicant experience that made room for everyone, however they identified. “We wanted to be as inclusive as possible and leverage the tools for that,” Michelle says.
As important as it was to get a strong batch of diverse applicants in the door, that wasn’t the only goal. The Meta team needed clarity throughout the review and selection process as well as contracting and follow-through.
For a program like this, success isn’t just in getting people to apply, it’s about the full process of choosing the right applicants, signing a contract and executing. Michelle and her team had to ensure that at each stage of the process, applicants were informed and the programs were meeting the needs of the business. This often meant choosing about 140 creators from a pile of 8,000 applicants, and then crafting and following up on contracts. Having one clear source of truth kept everyone on the same page.
The power of the right partner
Michelle and her team built these creator programs from the ground up. Finding the right partner allowed them to flourish and helped the Meta team keep their focus where it belonged—building relationships with creators and managing the business strategy.
As programs evolved, the team flexed. Submittable’s staff stepped in like additional team members to help. “I'd say the [Submittable] team has always been really aligned with us for us to achieve our goals,” Michelle says.
When the Meta team changed, they could turn to Submittable to help bridge any gaps. “We've had some pretty intensive periods and [Submittable’s] people have rolled their sleeves up and always been interested in making sure that we got the product education that we needed, whether that's when you all have had new product or feature rollouts or when we've had new team members joining. I think you have always been really sort of proactive in the relationship,” Michelle says.
The creator programs are a great example of how finding the best partner isn’t just about picking the right software for the moment, it’s about looking ahead to choose a team that can help unlock growth that might not seem possible yet. “We've been working with Submittable for so many years now that the way that we've leveraged it has been different over time,” Michelle says.
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