A Brief study on Facebook Conversion API (CAPI)

The Facebook Conversion API (CAPI), originally known as the Facebook Server-Side API, was created to assist businesses in providing targeted advertising experiences to clients while also maintaining data privacy. Because FB CAPI does not rely on browser cookies, it is ready for a cookie-free future.

Many browsers now block third-party cookies by default, there are ad and cookie blocker add-ons for most browsers, and even Apple, with the iOS 14 upgrade, has tightened the leash on data collected from their customers.

CAPI is an excellent answer to this issue. Businesses can track conversions even if users’ cookies are restricted or disabled. It also delivers more precise and dependable conversion data than cookies.

What is Facebook Conversions API?

The Facebook Conversions API is a server-side service provided by Facebook that allows marketers to send first-party data or events originating from their websites, apps, or servers to the Facebook server to optimize and assess ad success.

Facebook has launched Conversions API (CAPI or earlier Server-Side API) to safeguard data privacy while still delivering tailored advertising to users. An interface that enables advertisers to submit events directly from their servers to Facebook. These server events are used for monitoring, reporting, and optimization. The purpose is to provide event and conversion data to Facebook Ads Manager while protecting the privacy of the data.

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Why to use Facebook Conversion API (CAPI)?

Recent browser cookie storage restrictions have impacted Facebook’s ability to attribute advertising to conversions. Organizations can solve this conversion data gap by implementing the Conversions API to assist in optimising ad targeting and reducing cost per action. To keep the Conversion Lift Test functionalities after February 2022, the Conversions API must be implemented.

There was a schism between worries about user data that needed to be addressed by businesses and issues about marketers that needed to be addressed by Facebook.

1. Privacy concerns: The rise of stringent data protection regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA), the declining relevance of third-party data cookies, and Google Chrome’s plan ‘to let users block third-party cookies’ have all posed threats to traditional tracking methods. Conversions API evolved as a way (on the server side) to precisely track while protecting user privacy.
2. Pixel Reliability Has Dropped: As previously stated, several laws, such as ad blockers and browser-side tracking prohibitions, have created roadblocks for Facebook’s Pixel data tracking. Meta’s goal in providing Conversions API was to give marketers a more dependable server-side-based solution.
3. Future-Proofing Advertising Strategies: Recognizing that old monitoring methods were becoming obsolete; Meta began taking steps to ensure that advertising platforms remained relevant in the future. To do this, Meta has devised an alternate approach that allows marketers to efficiently track conversions. This method is known as the Conversions API.

Because the problems were raised, solutions were readily available!

Conversions API vs Facebook Pixel

Conversions API and Facebook Pixel are both powerful tools for tracking conversions and optimizing Facebook ad campaigns. However, they have some key differences.

Topic	Conversions API	Facebook Pixel
Introduction	Conversions API is a server-to-server API that allows you to send conversion data directly to Facebook from your website’s server. This is more reliable and accurate than using the Facebook Pixel, which relies on browser cookies. Conversions API is also less affected by ad blockers and privacy changes, such as Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT)	Facebook Pixel is a browser-based code snippet that tracks user activity on your website. It sends data about page visits, button clicks, and other events to Facebook. This data can be used to create audiences, track conversions, and measure the performance of ad campaigns
Data collection	Server-to-server API	Browser cookies
Accuracy	More accurate	Less accurate
Reliability	More reliable	Less reliable
Privacy	More privacy-friendly	Less privacy-friendly
Setup	Complex to set up	Easier to set up
Features	Can track offline conversions, custom events, and CRM data	Can track page visits, button clicks, and other events

Facebook Event De-duplication from the Pixel and CAPI

Facebook recommends sending the same events from the browser and the server when visitors connect website activity using both the pixel and the Conversions API. Facebook keep one and discards the others as Facebook know the occurrences are the same and hence redundant. This is known as de-duplication.

The Conversions API includes an automatic event de-duplication procedure within the interface to ensure that events are not tallied twice anytime the parameters required by Facebook are submitted. Three parameters are specifically compared, and if they match, they are deduplicated:

• Event ID
• External ID
• FBP

Facebook Conversion API event matching quality score

Facebook CAPI Event Matching Quality Score is a rating of how well the customer information is sent from your website and matches with the Facebook database. High-quality event matching may improve ad attribution and performance.

The reality of the “Event matching quality score”.

First of all, The Event matching quality score is updated daily based on the last 24-48 hours of data collection. Sometimes Facebook takes a week to update the quality scores depending on low traffic and less collected data from your website. So the Quality score will be inconsistent and the quality matching state will change between “Poor, OK, Good and Great”.

Second, We have to focus on the Event matching quality score only for the Purchase event. And we have to ignore Event matching alerts for other events (Like PageView, ViewContent, AddtoCart, and InitiateCheckout).

Let me explain, why.

Facebook recommends sending customer information (like E-mail, PhoneNo, FirstName, LastName, City, Country, PostalCode, etc.) for matching purposes with all events. However, customer information is only available at the time of purchase, right? With other events, it is practically impossible to send customer info. So we never expect better quality scores for other events.

We can do one thing: send customer information with other events only to returning customers by adding info into a cookie and retrieving it when revisiting the website. Even though it improves some quality scores, we can’t rely on it. Actually, it’s not sending data with 100% of our visitors, since it’s only for returning customers. So It can help to improve the quality score at some level for other events.

FAQ

Q1. Is it possible to add more parameters to Facebook Conversion API Tracking like Facebook Login ID and Date of birth?

Ans: It is possible to send a Facebook Login ID and Date of birth only when we ask for it on the website from our visitors. 

Q2. Is it possible to send customer info with Facebook events?

Ans: Yes, It is possible and we can send customer info (Like E-mail, Phone number, First name, Last name, address, Region, City County, and Postcode) only for the purchase event. because we get this customer information only on the Thank you page. 

Q3. Is it possible to Update IPv6 with Facebook events?

Ans: Yes, we can update Facebook tracking with IPv6 for Facebook events (like PageView, ViewContent, Addtocart, InitiateCheckout and Purchase).

 

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Benefits of Conversions API

Overall, the main advantage of CAPI is that it enables marketers to provide consumers with transparency and data management while still offering individualized experiences. The following are the top three advantages of Facebook CAPI:

• Reduced expenses per action as a result of greater event matching and clearer data. Data from Facebook CAPI is more dependable than Meta Pixel since it is less influenced by browser loading difficulties, network instability, and privacy add-ons. A combination of Conversions API and Meta Pixel can assist you in establishing a more stable connection, allowing the delivery system to reduce cost per action. You can also add more factors to customer information to improve the quality of matching events.
• Optimized ads for various stages of the consumer experience, such as post-purchase actions, in-store actions, and so on. This information enables Meta to target people who are more likely to convert or do the desired action. Finally, you can greatly improve ad targeting; create bespoke audiences using improved audience insights; optimize retargeting, improve ad reporting, and so on.
• Measurement and data control have been improved. The Facebook Conversions API can assist you in better monitoring ad effectiveness and attribution throughout the whole customer journey, allowing you to better understand how digital advertising affects your online and offline activities and their outcomes. Furthermore, when used independently of Meta Pixel, Facebook Conversion API allows for greater control over data sharing.

Learn More About How to Check Whether Facebook CAPI working Correctly or not.

How to set up Facebook Conversion API

Here’s guidance on how to integrate Facebook Conversion API with Google Tag Manager:

1. Setup of Facebook Business Manager:

• Make sure you have a Facebook Business Manager account and Facebook Pixel access for your website.

2. To generate a server-side access token, follow these steps:

• Go to ‘Events Manager’ in your Facebook Business Manager and choose the pixel you want to use.
• To generate a server-side access token, go to ‘Data Sources’ > ‘Pixels’ > ‘Set Up’ > ‘Set Up with an API’. To create the token, follow the Facebook instructions.

3. Install Facebook Pixel (Optional) in Google Tag Manager:

• If you haven’t previously done so, you can add the Facebook Pixel as a custom HTML tag or use a pre-built Facebook Pixel tag template in Google Tag Manager.

4. Install the Facebook Conversion API in Google Tag Manager by following these steps:

• Create a new Custom HTML Tag in your Google Tag Manager account.
• In the Custom HTML Tag, paste the Facebook Conversion API tracking code. This code should contain your server-side access token as well as the event data you want to track. The tracking code can be found in Facebook’s guidelines or supplied by your marketing team.

5. Create a Trigger:

• Set up a trigger to tell the Facebook Conversion API tag when to fire. You may, for example, trigger it on a specific page load, form submission, or any other desired event.

6. Finally, Test and Publish:

• Test the configuration to check that the Facebook Conversion API events are fired and received by Facebook.
• When you’re finished configuring and testing the integration, publish the modifications in Google Tag Manager to make it live.

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What events can Facebook CAPI track?

Facebook CAPI can track a wide range of events, including:

• Standard events: These are predefined events that are commonly tracked by businesses. Some examples of standard events include AddToCart, Purchase, and CompleteRegistration.
• Custom events: These are events that you define yourself to track specific actions that are important to your business. Some examples of custom events include ProductViewed, LeadGenerated, and Churn.
• Offline events: These are events that happen outside of your website or app, such as in-store purchases or phone calls. You can import offline event data into Facebook using the Conversions API or a CSV file.

Conversions API can track all of the same basic events that Facebook Pixel does, such as:

• AddToCart
• Purchase
• CompleteRegistration
• LeadGenerated
• Contact
• InitiateCheckout
• ViewContent
• Search
• Subscribe
• Donate
• FindLocation
• Schedule
• Checkout
• AddPaymentInfo
• AddToWishlist
• CustomizeProduct

You can track any event that is important to your business using Facebook CAPI. This gives you the flexibility to measure the full customer journey and optimize your ads accordingly.

To get started with Facebook CAPI event tracking, you will need to create a Conversions API access token and implement the API on your server. Once you have implemented the API, you can start sending events to Facebook.

You can view your event data in Events Manager. To do this, go to Events Manager > Data Sources > Conversions.

Facebook CAPI event tracking is a powerful tool that can help you to improve your ad targeting and measurement. By tracking the right events, you can get a better understanding of how your customers interact with your business and make more informed decisions about your marketing campaigns.

Winding Up

Here I conclude the blog, this brief study on Facebook CAPI (Conversions API) has shed light on the importance of this tool for businesses and advertisers using the Facebook advertising platform. CAPI has become a critical component of the digital marketing ecosystem, especially in a landscape where privacy concerns and ad tracking limitations are on the rise.

The key takeaways from this study include:

• Data Privacy and Security: CAPI is a crucial response to growing concerns around user data privacy. It allows businesses to securely transmit conversion data to Facebook without relying solely on third-party cookies or browser-based tracking. This helps in safeguarding user information and adhering to evolving privacy regulations.
  • Improved Tracking and Attribution: By providing a more reliable and comprehensive data tracking mechanism, CAPI ensures that businesses can accurately measure and attribute conversions, even when users switch between devices or platforms.
• Mitigating Ad Tracking Limitations: With the increasing restrictions on third-party cookies and browser-based tracking, CAPI offers a solution for businesses to continue gathering valuable data for optimizing their advertising campaigns.
• Enhanced Targeting and Optimization: CAPI enables businesses to utilize their first-party data effectively, leading to better ad targeting and optimization. It ensures that advertisers can reach the right audience with their messages.
• Preparation for the Future: As the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve, businesses that embrace tools like CAPI will be better equipped to adapt to changing regulations and technological advancements.

In summary, Facebook CAPI is a valuable tool that helps advertisers navigate the complex world of digital marketing while respecting user privacy. Businesses that leverage CAPI will have a competitive edge in a rapidly changing environment, ensuring they can continue to deliver relevant and effective advertisements while respecting user data privacy.

As the digital landscape evolves, staying informed about tools like CAPI and their best practices will be essential for businesses aiming to thrive in the world of online advertising.

Let’s Audit First, Why is it Required?

Tracking errors can greatly affect your Data, Conversion Reporting, strategic Decision-Making and that Cost you in Revenue.

First, I audit your website’s current Tag & Tracking configuration. Then I will share errors/recommendations with their solutions as the best practices the industry follows. I can also help you to implement it the right way.