The Facebook Conversions API: a must for marketers

What is the Conversions API?

The Conversions API is an API developed by Facebook to improve the performance of – and measurements on – all Meta platforms.

As a marketer, you can use the API to link the marketing data of your web server, website, app and/or CRM directly to Meta’s systems. Thanks to this link, you can optimise your ad targeting, CPA and results on Facebook.

Developed for better personalisation

In short, the Conversions API helps you use your marketing data to personalise the user experience.

This allows you to target your users better with the products and/or services that matter most to them. This doesn’t just add value for the users, but also for your business.

The users you reach are those who are actually looking for your products and/or services. For instance, the Conversions API can, in the long run, help you generate higher revenue.

Data collection for the Conversions API

Before the Conversions API was brought to life, you could already use Meta’s other tool, Facebook Pixel, to collect data.

The Pixel is a piece of code you can add to your website’s code. When an event occurs on your website (i.e. add to cart), the Pixel sends a piece of code to the web browser. Afterwards, the code/event is registered in Meta.

Within this data collection flow, there are a few errors that can prevent the correct data from coming into Meta properly, though. Some examples are:

a bad connection
errors with data uploads
limitations due to cookies
ad blockers

A data-driven approach with Conversions API and Pixel

When you combine Facebook Pixel and Conversions API, you get a data-driven marketing approach. And that holds many benefits.

More reliable data. By combining the Pixel and Conversions API, you have more data available and the data you match to the users afterwards becomes more reliable. That’s also great for the CPA, by the way.
Increasing the number of high-quality leads.
Data that’s easier to measure. Combing the Pixel and Conversions API gives you greater insight into the customer journey. This allows you to align your campaigns with your visitors and target audience.
Better retargeting and smoother custom audiences creation. By using both the Pixel and Conversion API, you get more data which you can then use to set up more relevant retargeting strategies for the right target audience.

Do note that the Pixel is becoming less and less relevant due to browser restrictions. That increases the chances of you having to switch to the Conversions API entirely in the long run. You can read more on this topic in this blog post.

The added value for performance marketers

As a performance marketer, you’ll have to deal with quite a few challenges when it comes to reporting, data collection, the correct usage of target audiences and more.

With the Facebook Pixel and Conversions API (combined) you’ll see an improvement in:

Defining audiences
Optimising campaigns based on owned data
Reporting to clients
Budgeting

Implement the Conversions API with iO

Would you like to implement the Conversions API yourself and get more insight into the events on your website? Contact our data specialists, obligation-free. They are happy to help!