We’ve all experienced it: that creepy sensation you get when you see a targeted ad for running shoes, five minutes after discussing signing up for a 5K with your friend. But as a marketer, you probably know that those coincidences are less about your phone spying on you than a brand doing smart, interconnected ad campaigns.
The secret of a successful paid campaign is getting the right ads to the right people at exactly the right time. For example, if someone recently bought a GPS watch from your brand, they should soon see retargeting ads for your running shoes.
But it can be challenging to deliver hyper-targeted ads without automating your lead data across tools.That’s where Facebook’s Conversions API comes into play. In this post, we’ll look at how you can automate Facebook’s Conversion API tool with Zapier to create stronger and more relevant ads without the hassle.
A quick note: Zapier has two integrations for Facebook Conversions. The Business admins integration is for those with full access to your brand’s Facebook Conversions account. If you only have limited access, you can still build an automated workflow—just use the standard Facebook Conversions integration instead.
Jump ahead
What is Facebook’s Conversions API?
Facebook’s Conversions API is a server-side tool that allows advertisers and businesses to send information directly to Facebook’s servers without a standard tracking pixel. You can use it to send marketing data—like sales, form submissions, and messaging events—from your other apps to your Meta account. That way, you can optimize and target your Facebook and Instagram ads to people who are most likely to respond to them.
How to set up Facebook’s Conversion API with Zapier
To get started using Conversion API, go to your Business Manager. From the sidebar, click Events Manager (you may need to search for it under All tools).
In the Events Manager panel, you can connect data sources, create custom conversions, and see ad performance reports.
You’ll need to connect a few data sources to start using Conversion API. The Partner Integrations tab in the sidebar gives you the option to use built-in integrations with apps like Shopify, WooCommerce, and GoDaddy. Or, if you have a bit of coding experience, you can create custom conversions manually. This requires some tech knowledge, such as how to set up different conversion events. You can see how to do this here.
But if you don’t have coding experience (or just want more flexibility than the built-in integrations can give you), you can use Zapier to connect Conversions API with thousands of popular apps.
Zapier is the leader in workflow automation—integrating with thousands of apps from partners like Google, Salesforce, and Microsoft. Use interfaces, data tables, and logic to build secure, automated systems for your business-critical workflows across your organization’s technology stack. Learn more.
To set up Facebook’s Conversion API with Zapier, select Partner integrations in the sidebar menu.
On this next page, search for Zapier to find the app quickly, and then select it.
Select Connect Account, then choose what you want to connect—either offline event set or web signal. Depending on what you want to track, you might select both.
Once you do this, you can set up Zaps to send different kinds of information to Facebook’s servers, which you can use to run hyper-targeted and extremely relevant ad campaigns.
Zapier has a number of different actions for Facebook Conversions, which allow you to send data to Facebook from your website and a variety of third-party tools so you can create stronger and higher-converting ad campaigns.
By accessing data you wouldn’t otherwise have access to (or, at least, that Facebook wouldn’t have), you’ll reach more audiences and deliver hyper-target ads that drive conversions.
How to use Zapier’s integrations to send more information to the Conversion API
Let’s take a look at four high-value use cases for Zapier’s Facebook Conversions integrations.
To get started with a Zap template—what we call our pre-made workflows—just click on the button. It only takes a few minutes to set up. You can read more about setting up Zaps here.
Send new orders as purchase events
Just because a customer made a purchase, it doesn’t mean their journey is over (or that you should stop advertising to them).
Instead, use this as an opportunity to send re-engagement campaigns, including those that remind them to purchase again several months later or suggest complementary items they may like. For example, if a customer buys a pair of workout leggings, they might also like running shoes.
Not only will this open the door for new campaigns moving forward, it also helps improve attribution accuracy. This gives you more accurate data to understand how well your campaigns are truly performing.
Transfer email events to Facebook’s Conversion API tool
When you set up the pixel on your website, you can track when people view certain pages. The pixel only works on your website, however, and not any third-party platforms.
This means people who click on an email can’t automatically be shown a retargeting campaign on Facebook unless you download a list of people who engaged and then upload that list to Facebook.
Zapier, however, has multiple integrations that allow you to send information from email software right to Facebook. For example, if you want to distribute retargeting campaigns to users who signed up for an email list or opened an email but didn’t click on the links, now you can.
Link form submissions from other platforms with Facebook
Many businesses have complex, multi-channel funnels designed to capture users wherever they can. A single business may use form builders to run lead generation campaigns on social media, for example, in addition to using webinars and eBooks as lead magnets on their website.
Previously, it was pretty time-consuming to create and update custom audiences for leads collected off-platform. Zapier, however, makes it much easier.
You can send lead information from forms straight to Facebook, for example. You can also send new registrations from your website to Facebook as a lead event, too.
Since these are high-intent audiences, you can follow up with campaigns designed to drive sales and send users emails. The combination increases your likelihood of converting the customer.
Convert lead events into retargeting opportunities
Many companies use lead forms to trigger retargeting ads. For example, if someone downloads an eBook or signs up for a demo, it’s pretty clear they’re engaging with your business, and it might be a good time to retarget them.
However, there are other times when a contact interacts with your business and would benefit from a retargeting ad. For example, if a ClickFunnel contact clicks on your demo page, they’re likely a high-intent consumer. They’re interested enough to engage with your brand, and this can push them into the ad funnel.
Previously, this had to be done manually—you’d have to track contact activity, then upload that list to Facebook. With Zapier, however, these workflows can help.
Automation makes it easier than ever to send hyper-targeted Facebook ads
Automation is an advertiser’s best friend right now. There’s so much data to track from so many sources, and if you aren’t using automation software to sync it all up, you’re likely letting potential customers slip through the cracks.
Using Zapier to send more information to Facebook’s Conversion API allows you to successfully reach more of an audience that’s already interested in you. This means higher conversion rates, lower CPCs, lower acquisition rates, and higher ROI. It’s hard to say no to that.
This isn’t all you can do with Facebook’s Conversion API and Zapier. Check out our App Directory to learn more.
This article was originally published in December 2020 by Ana Gotter, with previous updates by Danielle Antosz. It was most recently updated by Nicole Replogle in October 2024.