As internet privacy laws adapt and change, more than just users are affected. Businesses rely on their gathered data to understand their customers’ interactions with their sites. Understanding how their ads are performing, in particular, is a major way for businesses to learn about their audience and optimize their marketing strategy to drive their revenue. A recent change made to privacy surrounding the tracking of data from ads is the Apple update iOS 14, which gives users the option to opt in or out to data tracking. With these kinds of changes, businesses need to adapt in order to still understand their ad performance. This is where Facebook’s conversion API comes into the picture. Let’s go over the basics about this method of tracking data.
What Is Conversion API?
When you use the internet, you’re using APIs, an acronym for an application programming interface. You can think of API-like programs conversing with each other since every move you make using the internet—from clicking on links to sending messages to visiting pages—gets sent from your application to the server in the form of data. The process of the server then interpreting the data and sending it back is what results in a screen that makes sense to you after each move.Â
Conversion API, therefore, is Facebook’s unique API designed to collect data and understand your marketing performance. (Other advertising platforms have hurried to release their own versions of conversion API since, but Facebook first introduced businesses to the structure.) You might also see conversion API referred to as CAPI. Facebook created this server-side API to work around ever-changing privacy laws that have reduced the amount of data that can be collected. Rather than tracking data client-side, server-side APIs like Facebook’s conversion API give you more control to take charge of your data.Â
You are going to want to jump on the conversion API bandwagon if you want your server to retain information on users so you can reach them in targeted ways and drive your conversion rate. So let’s go over two ways you can truly benefit from Facebook conversion API to experience the greatest results.
How Can You Get the Most Out of Conversion API?
If conversion API is a better model for gathering and accessing data, the big question is: how can you use conversion API in a way that truly benefits your business? Fortunately, there’s not just one answer to how you can use Facebook’s conversion API. Here are two simple tips that will provide you with success.
Combine Your Conversion API With the Facebook Pixel
The Facebook pixel, or Meta pixel, was previously the best option for tracking data. This code snippet had two main functions: collecting Facebook profile activity, and keeping track of the events on your site so you could measure the performance of your ads. The effectiveness of the pixel began to decline the more that blocker tools were implemented, and the iOS 14 update promised to cut back the efficacy of the pixel even further—which is where conversion API provided a solution. But although conversion API offers more in regards to the collection of data, that does not mean the pixel is entirely ineffective.
In fact, the best way to get the most out of your conversion API is actually by joining it with the Facebook pixel. This method means events are shared through both tools, ensuring your data is secure should the pixel fail. You can’t lose with this method of redundant event setup because Facebook will disregard any events that are double-tracked, meaning it’s simply a more secure way of ensuring no data is lost.
Determine Your Best Method for Implementation
During set up, there is more than one method for implementation; you can choose between direct integration, partner integration with other e-commerce platforms (Facebook recommends both Shopify and WooCommerce), and partner integration with other secondary sites (such as with Google Tag Manager or WordPress). It’s important that you consider which method of integration will be best for you in the long run.Â
Takeaway
The privacy laws surrounding data tracking are unstable on the internet, and their ability to change (as they have done and continue to do) puts businesses in the vulnerable position of not knowing if they’ll be able to accurately track their ad performance. Without such data on their marketing efforts, businesses know less about their audiences and how to optimize their ads going forward. This is where Facebook’s conversion API comes in, providing a method for businesses to continue to track their metrics. You will definitely want to get on board with conversion API, and these two tips will help you get the most out of this server-side API. Now that you know how to proceed, it’s time to set it up!
