The Facebook Conversions API and server-side setup service play an important role in digital marketing and data analysis. This API lets businesses and marketers track user interactions and conversions more accurately while also helping them comply with privacy standards. As an alternative to traditional browser-based tracking methods, the server-side setup service transfers user data to Facebook directly from the server. As well as getting past the limitations of cookies, this approach also increases data security and accuracy.
With this service you will learn the core features of the Facebook Conversions API, how the server-side setup service works, why these services matter for businesses and marketers, and what advantage using these technologies delivers in the context of growing privacy concerns and browser-based tracking limitations — and at the same time every setup that should be in place will be carried out professionally.
You cannot manage what you cannot measure.
Peter Drucker
"Setup is carried out for custom-built websites and all infrastructure providers."
What is in this article?
- Facebook Conversions API and Server-Side Setup Service
- 1. Basic
- Package 2
- Package 3
- What Is the Benefit of the Facebook Conversions API and Server-Side Setup?
- What Will Be Set Up With the Facebook Conversions API and Server-Side Setup Service? (Google Tag Manager Events)
- Servers in Google Tag Manager Setup and Their Differences (Why Should You Take Package 3?)
- How Does the Process Work?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- +100 References
Facebook Conversions API and Server-Side Setup Service
1. Basic
What should be in place
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Ads
- Meta (Facebook) Pixel
Package 2
Recommended
- Facebook Pixel
- Facebook Conversions API
- Server Side GTM • GCP
Package 3
Advanced
- Server Side GTM or
a dedicated server
(monthly server fee) - Enhanced Conversions
- Consent Mode
What Is the Benefit of the Facebook Conversions API and Server-Side Setup?
1. More accurate data:
- The API sends actions on your website or app directly to Facebook, which delivers more accurate data collection.
- Server-side tracking is not affected by cookie blocking and ad blockers.
2. Improved attribution modelling:
- The API helps you determine more accurately which ad or marketing channel led to a conversion.
- Improved attribution models let you analyse multi-touch conversions better.
3. A more comprehensive view:
- The API lets you track all online and offline conversions, including conversions not tracked by the Facebook pixel.
- You can associate offline conversions such as in-store sales and phone calls with your Facebook ad data.
4. Better optimisation:
- You can use the API to optimise your ads and marketing campaigns for conversions.
- Tools such as automated bidding and budget optimisation can help you maximise your return on investment (ROI).
5. Improved reporting:
- The API lets you build more detailed reports about your conversions.
- These reports can help you see which marketing channels perform best and which ads deliver the most conversions.
What Will Be Set Up With the Facebook Conversions API and Server-Side Setup Service? (Google Tag Manager Events)
| Events included in the setup and their features | ||
| No | Event name | Event feature |
| 🚩 | FB events | |
| • | PageView | The page view event fired on all pages. |
| • | ViewContent | The event used to measure product pages. |
| • | AddToCart | Used to measure add-to-basket actions. |
| • | InitiateCheckout | Measures the page where address and invoice details are taken. |
| • | AddPaymentInfo | Measures those who enter card details and move to the next page. |
| • | Purchase | Used to measure order tracking. |
| GA4 events | ||
| • | page_view | The page view event fired on all pages. |
| • | view_item_list | The event used to measure the products on category pages. |
| • | view_item | The event used to measure product pages. |
| • | add_to_cart | Used to measure add-to-basket actions. |
| • | view_cart | Used to measure basket pages. |
| • | begin_checkout | Measures the page where address and invoice details are taken. |
| • | add_payment_info | Measures those who enter card details and move to the next page. |
| • | purchase | Used to measure order tracking. |
| Google Ads conversions and dynamic remarketing events | ||
| • | Add To Cart | Used to measure add-to-basket actions. |
| • | Begin Checkout | Measures the page where address and invoice details are taken. |
| • | Purchase | Used to measure order tracking. |
| • | Dynamic remarketing events | view_item, view_item_list, add_to_cart, purchase |
Servers in Google Tag Manager Setup and Their Differences
(Why Should You Take Package 3?)
The server-side GTM in packages 2 and 3 is needed for us to set up the Facebook Conversions API. This can be done either through GCP (Google Cloud Platform) or through our servers.
GCP charges you per request. The more traffic you have, the more you pay. On our servers there is an additional fee of 9,000 ₺ PER YEAR on top of the setup, and we serve an estimated 3 million requests EVERY MONTH. You can also pay this fee monthly if you prefer.
Setting up through our servers gives you peace of mind by letting you pay a fixed monthly or yearly fee for the requests coming to the site 💆🏻♂️, while at the same time ensuring close to one hundred percent of user data is sent 🥳
With GCP, that means 10% or more lost user data.
If you had 100 orders yesterday, for example, 90 or fewer would show up in GA4 through GCP, while through our servers the loss can be at most one percent.
How Does the Process Work?
⌛️ Setup work is completed, tested and delivered within 5 working days.
💬 We manage the whole process by creating a WhatsApp group or a ClickUp task.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google Tag Manager?
Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a free tool that lets you add tags to websites and mobile apps quickly and easily. A tag is a piece of code, generally a JavaScript snippet or segment, that serves a particular purpose. Those purposes generally include visitor tracking, conversion tracking, site analysis and more.
Why are there differences between my website and my conversion numbers?
This problem can generally stem from the tracking code not having been placed correctly, from cookie-blocking software, or from users leaving the page without completing the conversion.
Why do conversion numbers look different across different analytics tools?
Different analytics tools' methods of defining and tracking conversions can vary. Factors such as cookie lifetime, user identification methods and session durations can also lead to differences in conversion numbers.
What is the Facebook (Meta) Conversions API?
Facebook CAPI is the server setup used to send conversion data from websites and other online platforms directly to Facebook's servers. Facebook CAPI aims to get past the difficulties encountered as conversion tracking weakens because of restrictions on third-party cookies.
Why is the Facebook Conversions API necessary?
With its iOS 14 release, Apple changed the cookie policy on devices. Because those changes led to restrictions on sending data about Apple device users running iOS 14 through the Facebook pixel, the Facebook Conversions API setup is needed.
What happens if I do not set up the Facebook Conversions API?
You cannot track iOS 14 users' conversions and events in Meta ads. You cannot see which ads the user came from and you cannot apply the remarketing and retargeting ad model.
Why is Google Cloud Platform (GCP) needed for the Facebook API?
A server is needed for the Facebook API setup. The easiest, most effective solution for providing that is to use GCP.
How much does Google Cloud Platform (GCP) cost?
The cost depends on your website traffic.
(2.1) Why should I use my own server instead of Google Cloud Platform (GCP)?
Websites with more than 500,000 monthly web traffic, or firms that do not want to send data to GCP for data security reasons, prefer a dedicated setup.
Are developers needed for the setup?
For a sounder setup we fire variable events using a "data layer". We ask your developers to add the data layers we give you, specific to your site, to the website.
I do not have a developer — if I give you the admin panel can you do the setup?
Most likely yes.
Do you do GTM (Google Tag Manager) setup for Shopify?
Yes
I have a custom-built website — do you do GTM (Google Tag Manager) setup?
Yes
I have heavily customised setups in different combinations beyond the standard setup — do you do those?
Yes. We do custom setups within everything Google Tag Manager technology allows.
Do you provide technical support after the setup?
We continue to provide technical support for 30 days, for the websites where we carried out the setup only.
