As the digital marketing landscape prepares for yet another shift, advertisers will need better solutions to keep their campaigns effective. Here’s a crucial transition you can make to stay on top of the upcoming changes.

Google has been giving off signals for some time that a change is about to come regarding data sharing. In particular, the company is looking to make a move towards a privacy-first model that doesn’t include the use of third-party cookies.

This movement will introduce a significant change to how client data is processed, and Google has confirmed its intentions rather explicitly in a blog post that came out in March. In other words, it seems that data sharing will inevitably become much different. Furthermore, the timeframe given for this change is sometime during 2021.

Web platforms and browsers will undoubtedly follow Google’s steps. Without third-party cookies and unhindered data sharing, marketing strategies will need to adapt.

Ad campaigns could become less effective in the following months as more browsers and web platforms stop sharing data with one another. This means that you and everyone else marketing online will need a different solution.

Luckily, such a solution exists, and it’s readily available.

This article will highlight how you can circumvent the issue brought on by the changes in data sharing and run efficient ad campaigns in the future.

The Solution

The problem with restricted data sharing is that most current marketing models rely on third-party cookies and browsers. With that said, the solution is in making a transition to a server-to-server model that allows the sharing of vital online and offline events and customer actions independent of those traditional means.

Facebook could be a critical element in this model, as servers can share data with the platform directly. In particular, Facebook’s Conversions API might prove crucial in that regard, providing a way to migrate your campaign to Facebook ads.

In the following section, we’ll discuss what the Conversions API is and what you need to know about it before making the transition.

The Conversions API Explained

The Conversions API is a secure channel through which advertisers or partners authorised by an advertiser can send Facebook the conversion data. Conversions, meanwhile, are events or user actions that happen on and off your website. And the quality and quantity of the conversion data have a significant influence on ROI.

Purchases are a typical example of a conversion: When someone buys a product in your store, that is a purchase conversion. A pixel picks up that event and forwards it for processing in the same way as a browser-based pixel does. This allows for the relevant data to be measured and used for optimisation and reporting.

How Does the Conversions API Work?

Conventionally, the Facebook pixel sends website events through a browser. But with the upcoming changes to data sharing, browsers will render this system largely ineffective by hampering the website’s ability to share data with digital service providers via browser-based cookies.

The most popular browsers worldwide are expected to limit the efficacy of third-party cookies materially or completely by 2022. However, Conversions API can help advertisers move past this obstacle by allowing them to send web events and share consumer data directly from their servers.

Of course, this method of data sharing will require all of the necessary rights and permissions, as well as the lawful basis for such actions.

It’s worth mentioning that you can integrate Conversions API using various methods. Also, direct connections can provide control over what data is shared with Facebook and allow you to adjust that data in a way that’s relevant to your business.

An in-house implementation, however, requires developer resources or the use of an existing system integrator or marketing platform provider.

The Benefits of the Conversions API

Similar to other business tools that Facebook provides, the Conversions API offers better control over what data you share and when it is shared. Advertisers can append product margins or other insights discreetly and include historical information such as customer value scores.

Data sharing might also be more reliable compared to browser-based methods. This is due to the Conversions API being less prone to issues with connectivity or browser crashes.

Finally, advertisers can have full funnel visibility with a greater scope of data. They can then use that data to inform their advertising that’s currently captured by pixel. This includes CRM data, lower funnel events, comprising qualified leads, or multi-site conversion paths.

How Conversion API Differs From Facebook’s Pixel

The Facebook pixel is a piece of code that’s copied into your website’s header section. This pixel reads the actions taken on your website and automatically sends relevant information, including IP address, the Facebook cookie, and other customer info.

When it comes to integrating Conversions API directly, you’ll need to do all of this manually. In other words, a developer has to create a code that implements Conversions API and sends the relevant information.

This aspect makes Conversions API integration more technically challenging than pixel implementation.

The other significant difference is that the pixel needs a browser to execute. On the other hand, Conversions API must be implemented in a server.

It’s Time to Start the Transition

With the upcoming data sharing changes waiting around the corner, it’s time to start transitioning your website from Partner Solutions, such as Shopify, to your own servers. And once your website is hosted on a server that already has Facebook integration built into it, the heavy lifting will have been done.

If you need help with this process, GMS can make the transition as seamless as possible.

Feel free to contact us and start preparing your business for the new digital advertising landscape. Schedule a free consult with GMS, and we can start working together to find the right strategy for your company.