Conversions API vs the Facebook Pixel

The Conversions API is a new method of connecting your website to Facebook.

“When someone views or clicks your Facebook ad and then visits your site, they trigger the Pixel. A cookie is installed in their browser which tracks what they do and sends that data to Facebook. Every time someone clicks something on your site or makes a purchase, that information is recorded by the cookie and reported to Facebook. You see it, for example, in your Ads Manager.”

Graphic — a small infographic

• how best to make it so it does not get complicated

What data is collected?

After moving from the Pixel to the Conversions API we will not notice much change in the information collected. It is simply a tool that is harder to install, although instructions, plugins and various installation methods have already appeared online. Once there is official news about the Facebook Pixel, we can expect support for installing the Conversions API to grow further still.

Importantly, some voices say it is worth having both solutions implemented on your site. That is useful for people who already have the Facebook Pixel installed — but what about companies that have neither? There, unfortunately, it is more complicated: to install the Conversions API you need the Pixel in place first anyway. The whole business of collecting data twice can fortunately be solved through deduplication, mentioned below.

Cookies are being phased out (they are supposedly due to disappear as early as 2022), which suggests that Facebook’s Conversions API will become the default tool for collecting data about users.

Speculation points to 2023, so for at least another six months we do not have to worry about collecting data from our users, BUT…

Knowing that the end of the year is an intense period when consumption gathers strength, we should consider installing Facebook’s Conversions API sooner. If the data duplicates what the Pixel collects, there is nothing to worry about.