The New Facebook Conversion API vs The Pixel

Over recent years, the Facebook Pixel has struggled to produce accurate data for many of the platform’s advertisers. A rising interest in online privacy has left the solution unable to pick up data from other platforms and browsers that block adverts.

Recently, Apple announced a new IoS 14 update that will further complicate the problem and, potentially, make it harder for the Facebook Pixel to access data.

As a result, Facebook is preparing for this by renaming and enhancing its Facebook Conversion API. Many marketers might be wondering if the API is worth getting and how it will compare to the Facebook Pixel.

As an experienced team of online marketers, Kopa Marketing understands the importance of the Facebook Conversion API and how it will affect PPC advertisers throughout the corporate landscape.

That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to the Facebook Conversion API and what it means for marketers who already have the Facebook Pixel.

What Is The Facebook Pixel?

The Facebook Pixel is an advertising tool used to track data around the platform’s PPC adverts. With the Pixel, marketers can view information such as who clicks on their adverts, how long they stay on the landing page and, potentially, where they go afterwards.

The Pixel is a browser-side analytics tool, which means it is limited when users install tools such as ad-blockers, amend their cookie preferences or even disallow tracking cookies altogether.

Why Did Facebook Introduce The Conversion API?

Formerly known as the Facebook Server-Side API, the Conversion API receives data from a business’s server and helps to provide even greater insight.

The tool will not replace the Facebook Pixel, but will instead act as a useful addition to the Facebook Advert dashboard for modern marketers.

As its former name suggests, the Facebook Conversion API is a server-side tool, which gathers data directly from the advertiser’s website.

That means that it can combine its data with the Pixel’s information and fill in any gaps that might be caused by ad-blockers and disavowed cookies.

As a result, marketers can use the enhanced data from the Conversion API to improve the performance of their Facebook adverts and make the most out of their ad budget.

Conclusion: Which Is Best?

Ultimately, the Facebook Conversion API is best used in conjunction with the Pixel to give users a complete overview of their data.

With the two solutions, marketers and business managers can get full visibility over every aspect of their sales funnels and improve their chances of turning small Facebook engagements into lucrative sales.

The Facebook Pixel is an essential part of advertising on the social media platform. By using it in conjunction with the Facebook Conversion API, advertisers can get more detailed information on their conversions and optimise their adverts to meet the needs of their audience.  

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