Advertising
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Conversion API
Sending conversion and event data from your server to an ad platform instead of relying only on a browser pixel. It fills gaps left by cookie and tracking limits.
Detailed explanation
Meta CAPI, Google Enhanced Conversions, and similar setups send hashed email, value, and event names from the server. The point is to keep bidding models from going blind after ATT and third-party cookie loss.
Double counting is the main risk: browser and server events must share an event id or ROAS inflates.
Consent still applies. Pushing personal data into ad networks without a lawful basis is a legal and trust problem. Pair this with Consent Mode or an equivalent CMP.
Frequently asked questions
- Should the pixel be turned off?
- Most setups run both. The server fills gaps; the browser still catches some events.
- What is the most common mistake?
- Counting the same purchase twice—pixel and API—without a shared event id.
Related terms
Internal links for the topic cluster — read these concepts together.
- Pixel (Meta Pixel)A Pixel is a small piece of code placed on a website that sends user behavior data, such as page views and purchases, to an ad platform for measurement and optimization.
- Consent ModeA Google tags behavior layer that changes what tags do based on analytics and ads consent. When users decline, measurement may be modeled rather than fully cookied.
- Event TrackingEvent Tracking is the process of recording specific actions users take on a website or app, such as button clicks, form submissions, or video views, individually and sending them to analytics tools.
- Attribution ModelAn Attribution Model is a measurement framework that determines how much credit for a conversion should be assigned to each channel or ad a user interacted with during their purchase journey.
- First-Party DataData you collect from your own site, app, or email list in a direct relationship. As third-party cookies weaken, it becomes the backbone of media and measurement.
- Third-Party CookieA cookie set by a domain other than the site you are visiting. For years it powered retargeting and cross-site tracking; browsers have been restricting it.