2022 has brought many changes in online privacy; your company’s ability to collect data through Facebook pixels, or meta pixels, has changed significantly. While using Facebook pixels remains an essential tool for your online businesses to collect data and target ads through both Facebook and Instagram; adding Conversion APIs to your data collecting arsenal will help keep your company ahead of the game as privacy measures continue to increase.
How do Facebook Pixels Collect Data?
Facebook or Meta pixels have collected data through customers’ devices using cookies. Think of any time you click a link through Facebook or Instagram. Say Lisa saw an ad for a new bathing suit while scrolling Instagram on her phone and she clicked on it. She scrolls through a few suits and maybe even adds one to her cart. Then the timer on her oven beeps. She closes Instagram, sets down your phone, and forgets about it.
Well, facebook pixels collected the data of all Lisa’s search history through her own device using cookies. These cookies collect data from the consumer anytime they use your platform; either on or off Facebook/Instagram. These cookies are triggered when consumers do specific actions, which you as the company set, including:
- Purchase
- Subscribe
- Add to cart
- Add payment Info
- Search
- Customizes a product
- Searches for your location
- Views content on your webpage
Since those cookies were tracking Lisa as she was browsing swimsuits it was easy for the swimsuit company to retarget her. Retargeting is the practice of increasing ads to consumers you know are already interested in your products and remind them to complete their purchase. The next time Lisa pops on Instagram that same bathing suit she added to her cart will come up on her stories. When she logs into Facebook on her laptop, the swimsuit will be there again in between updates on friends and family.
What are the Privacy Changes Being Implemented in 2022?
Currently whenever anyone clicks on your website through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or even Google they are immediately prompted to set their personal privacy settings. The little box pops up in the corner of the screen asking whether or not they will allow cookies. Basically, the consumer has become aware of the companies use of cookies to track their activity online. This means that people can choose for the cookies not to track their online activity.
By the end of 2022 it is expected that consumers will be able to set and forget these settings on their phone. No longer will the box pop up every time they go to a website. Rather, the settings will already be built into their privacy settings. Every time the cookie option box comes up there is a chance the consumer will ignore it; allowing your company to collect data. However, when it becomes easier for the consumer to block cookies on all sites with one click there is a smaller chance your company will be able to easily collect their data.
In addition, the ios14.5 update from Apple has increased online privacy. It prompts users to either “allow” or “ask app not to track” on any website. If users click the latter then their data cannot be collected or sold to third party companies. This obviously has thrown a wrench in Facebook pixel’s ability to collect and sell data.
The Solution Lies in Conversion APIs
Unlike the Facebook Metapixel which functions through the consumers browser; Conversion APIs track consumer data through your company’s server. Since the Conversion API takes place on a server, separate from the consumer’s browser, their privacy or cookie settings will not impact your ability to capture their data.
Facebook recently came out with a statement revealing that it is currently under-representing IOS web conversions by about 15%. By implementing Conversion API, or server-side tracking, your company can fill this gap that increased online privacy measures have created.
Conversion APIs allow you to track:
- Web Conversions – sales/signups
- Post Conversion Events
- Page Visits
It then provides the data you need for ad targeting, retargeting, and creating ads based on what the consumer clicks. Since these are collected from the first party server you are no longer limited to what data you can collect and/or send.
The Conversion API is not meant to be used alone. It is meant to be used in addition to the Facebook Metapixel to give your company a rounded out view of consumer data.
Make the Switch to Conversion API
If it is the right time for you to add Conversion API to your online marketing strategy, know that it does take a little more work than the Facebook Pixel. If you are interested, find more information and support through Hightouch. Their knowledge is unmatched. Plus, Hightouch is completely future proof. They will continually update their Conversion API support as more online platforms like Twitter, Amazon, and Linked-in add this new technology.
Sources:
- https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/27/22405474/apple-app-tracking-transparency-ios-14-5-privacy-update-facebook-data
- https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/01/10/privacy-predictions-2022/#:~:text=The%20new%20technology%20will%20be,the%20consumer%20privacy%2Dcompliance%20industry
- https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-pixel/#How_does_the_Facebook_pixel_work
- https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-conversion-api/#What_is_the_Facebook_conversions_API
