Facebook’s Conversions API: Get Started Now

Photo by Will Francis on Unsplash

The digital consumer demands both privacy and personalization, and Facebook’s Conversions API (CAPI) is the new tool that seeks to help advertisers strike the balance.  With an end to browser cookies in sight, among other significant changes in advertising data-usage – from iOS permissions changes to privacy legislation, CAPI’s implementation is a project you’ll want to get started right away. 

Why now? 

Digital advertising has evolved to deliver highly personalized ads to the consumers most likely to convert. We have collected data and used that data to improve (personalize) the customer experience and reduce the cost of advertising. Consumers continue to demonstrate that personalized ads are meaningful to them. Facebook cites a 2018 study conducted by Accenture that found 91% of consumers say they are more likely to shop with brands who “recognize, remember and provide them with relevant offers and recommendations.”  

But consumers are also clearly concerned with their privacy and protecting their personal data. The Pew Research Center found that 79% of US adults are concerned about how companies use their data. Californians recently passed the Consumer Privacy Rights Act, increasing protections for residents’ personally identifiable information. This, in addition to other international efforts to put legislation behind the demand for privacy protections, demonstrates the business need to adapt right now in the privacy evolution. 

The web development world is another factor to consider. Apple and Google are among key players who are responding to consumer (and legal) demand for personal data protection with major changes to data collection and transparency requirements. By the end of next year, we will see browsers cease support for third-party cookies and limit first-party cookie capabilities. Until now, this has been a fundamental tool in optimizing digital ad campaigns. Facebook estimates that relying solely on cookies moving forward could result in an increase in cost per action by as much as 150%. And cookies are only one piece of the digital landscape shift. As early as January 2021, Apple’s iOS updates will significantly decrease access to mobile device identifiers, which will limit advertisers’ ability to target based on mobile signals.  

In this evolution towards privacy, advertisers will need to adopt new tools in order to comply with the demands of data protection and drive results with a personalized advertising experience. With upcoming changes to the advertising ecosystem, Facebook predicts businesses will find it harder to: 

• Reach people who have expressed interest in your business. 
• Deliver the most relevant and useful ads to consumers. 
• Optimize ads toward conversions. 
• Accurately measure campaign results. 

That’s where Facebook’s CAPI comes in. 

What is CAPI? 

The Conversions API is a Facebook Business Tool that will help advertisers bridge the gap between privacy and personalization. It works by allowing you to share key customer actions – both on- and offline events – directly from your server to Facebook’s, while maintaining control over the data you share and when you share it. CAPI works in conjunction with the Facebook pixel to help improve measurement and performance of Facebook ad campaigns. With CAPI, you can measure customer actions in more ways, improve the accuracy of events sent for measurement and optimization, and control the data you share. 

Get Started Now

Given the impending changes to web and mobile advertising, Facebook is recommending early adoption of CAPI. Implementation will also require developer resources, which adds to the urgency with which your business should approach this discussion. Thankfully, Facebook is providing comprehensive resources for in-house development teams to manually configure the API, as well as partner integrations to help your business get started without an in-house team. 

At Location3, we are urging our partner brands to implement CAPI as soon as possible. Our Director of Paid Media, Brooke Hess, highlights the need to start now:  

“With the privacy and data landscape changing, pixels will no longer be as relevant to marketers as they have in the past. Advertisers should start making the transition to Facebook’s Conversions API as soon as possible to ensure they have enough time to implement any development work on their sites and avoid disruption in their Facebook reporting and optimization. The countdown has already begun, so make sure to take immediate action on the recommended next steps from Facebook and implement CAPI today.” 

We can help you get started with CAPI implementation. We have the resources and information you need to better understand the changing digital marketing ecosystem. Location3 partners can contact their Partner Director for more information.