[Stape & Meta Webinar] Conversion API Gateway vs. server GTM

Meta and Stape were hosting a webinar on Conversion API Gateway vs. server GTM!

We described in details: what to use, why and when.

For Whom: digital marketers, analytics experts, business owners, freelancers, and agencies curious in the difference between two server-side solutions - Meta conversion API Gateway and server GTM.

Speakers:

Florian Will, Strategic Partner Manager, Signals, EMEA, Monetization Partnerships at Meta.
Serge Shkvarnytskyi, Account Manager at Stape.
Denis Golubovskyi, Founder of Stape.

Webinar agenda:

- Introduction to Conversion API Gateway (CAPIG): learn the basics and how it works.

- Business use cases and top brands case studies: learn how leading brands successfully utilize CAPIG.

- CAPIG demo: watch a step-by-step demonstration of CAPIG setup in action.

- Overview of server-side Google Tag Manager (GTM): discover the core benefits of server-side GTM.

- Advantages of GTM Server-Side: explore how GTM can transform your ad tracking and data management.

- CAPIG vs. server-side GTM: get insights on which tool to use and when for optimal results.

- CAPIG and server-side GTM benefits for Agencies.

What you get:

Understanding when it is better to use CAPIG and server GTM.
Written guides on Conversion API Gateway and server GTM setup.
Q&A session to address your specific questions.
Webinar recording.

Common questions and answers

1. Is there a deadline from Meta for when the Conversion API must be used, as Awin keeps trying to do?

There is no such deadline existent. However due to the massive impact on performance uplift leveraging first party data through CAPI and the evolution of the data regulatory landscape which is ongoing, we highly recommend to adopt Conversions API.

2. How does the custom domain setup (DNS configuration) help and is it necessary?

This will help gather 1st-party cookies from your site. It is not necessary, but it will increase your event matching score.

3. Is it possible to get statistics on the ‘more data’ in your own meta account?

Meta's Events Manager provides statistics on how many more events were received due to CAPI.

4. Segment.com would be considered a Partner connection right?

Yes. Correct. Here you can find the Meta Business Partner Directory of badged partners, including stape.io : https://www.facebook.com/business/partner-directory

5. For the gateway implementation, it means the website of the client has to be on AWS or GCP, otherwise it's not possible?

If you use Stape as your CAPI GW provider, then your site can be hosted anywhere. It doesn’t matter.

6. Does CAPI automatically include offline conversions now and it doesn’t have to be set up separately?

Yes, you can leverage CAPI for Offline signal inclusion, though there is still the offline-CAPI that you might know from the past.

7. Do you know of cases in which no uplift could be generated by using the CAPI? Possibly even the opposite and there was less data than via the pixel?

We had never seen a situation where fewer server events were sent from the server than from the web. I assume there might be situations where no uplift was generated after implementing CAPI if there were some issues with the implementations of CAPI.

8. When you track events from the website and a separate customer platform, should you use one CAPI? Does it a two configurations? Our customer platform is on a different platform and hosting service.

If you have one website, example.com, and another, blog.example.com, you can use CAPI GW for example.com and server GTM for blog.example.com.

Basically, you can mix CAPI solutions for different domains.

Also you can use one CAPI GW for few different domains even they use different CMS and hosting.

9. Is there no event limit on that $100 plan? i.e. having 50 clients x thousands of events each.

There is a limit: Up to 100 pixels and Up to 200 million events per month.

For this case using server Google Tag Manager and configure CAPI though sGTM is the best way. You can use first party data (like offline events) to sent it to Facebook. This type of data can’t be blocked. This guide explains on how to use offline events in sGTM.

11. What is the best way to debug the gateway setup? e.g. deduplication

Deduplication is set up automatically for CAPIG, there is no way on how you can debug it in a live mode. But after implementing CAPIG you can check events manager and see if the dedulication worked correctly.

This is on how you can check if CAPIG was configured correctly.

12. Can you make an example of the optimization configuration?

This guide explains how to configure data routing.

13. Just one question about Meta CAPI Gateway. What about cross-domain tracking? We have a main domain, and we are selling tickets through our partner. We use cross-domain tracking in GA4. Are there any specific settings necessary?

All is done for you automatically in case your web Meta (Facebook) pixel is configured properly.

14. The CAPI depends on your Web Pixel implementation?

Yes. It will send to server same events that you have on the web.

15. Do I still need the Meta Pixel client side with ssGTM? Are there any disadvantages if I don't do this?

Acording to Meta documentation - yes.

Because web pixel gathers 3rd party cookies in the Chrome like browsers.

16. If we also want to have SST for GA4, Ads,.. it’s better to use the server-side GTM option for Meta or would you still use the Gateway?

We suggest using sGTM in this case.

17. So is it possible to have the gateway and the sgtm setup at the same time and compare them?

We do not recommend using the Conversions API via sGTM and the Gateway methods in parallel. Therefore, if we are talking about tracking the same events, it is better to choose one method. This article explores the differences between Meta Conversions API Gateway and Conversion API to help make an informed decision and choose the one that best suits your tracking and analytics demand: https://stape.io/blog/meta-conversions-api-gateway-versus-conversion-api.

18. Someone suggested me CAPI GW in case of our shopify website. So this suggestion contradicts it?

No, there's nothing stopping you from using GW on any platform, including Shopify.

19. This "One tool for everything" is sometimes misleading. Let's take another example of Meta CAPI Partners integration: Wordpress (instead of sGTM). When you choose Wordpress partner integration, you need to pause your previous setup (Meta Pixel in GTM) has the "Official Meta Pixel plugin for Wordpress" is doing it. But it's not really mentionned anywhere. So you are not using "One tool for anything" anymore... Is there something similar to know with sGTM CAPI implementation?

You always need to make sure you don't have unnecessary data sources. In the case of Meta you should have one source of web events (some plugin / integration / customised events in web GTM / inline code) and one source of server events (Gateway / direct integration via sGTM / plugins etc.).

Otherwise if you have multiple sources of e.g. server events it is very likely that they will not be deduplicated and you will have overreporting.

20. What if we are already using CAPI through direct set up and are planning to migrate all web pixels to our new server-side GTM container? Should we use both a server side tag for Meta and CAPI or should we just use CAPI?

If you already have direct integration active and configured you do not need to abandon it, you can continue to use it without any restrictions.

Event deduplication for the CAPI gateway is set up automatically. Event_id deduplication key is automatically generated and propagated to help ensure deduplication between both channels (web and server). Please check FB Conversion API Gateway documentation to find more details about event deduplication: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/marketing-api/conversions-api/guides/gateway

22. Are there any technical benefits to sGTM CAPI over CGW apart from ease of setting up?

This article explores the differences between Meta Conversions API Gateway and Conversion API to help make an informed decision and choose the one that best suits your tracking and analytics demand: https://stape.io/blog/meta-conversions-api-gateway-versus-conversion-api.

23. If you are using the sGTM and the Conversion API, you don't need to use the Gateway, correct?

We do not recommend using the Conversions API via sGTM and the Gateway methods in parallel. Therefore, if we are talking about tracking the same events, it is better to choose one method.

24. CAPIG relies upon the Meta Pixel, and sends the same data to the CAPI as is sent from the Pixel. So what are the benefits of using CAPIG, as it can still be blocked by ad blockers and browsers, so how is it providing more data to Meta than the Pixel?

Meta Conversions API Gateway benefits are a 13% cost-per-action improvement and a 7% Increase in the lead-to-sale conversion rate when using the Conversions API with lead ads.

You can find more details here: https://stape.io/fb-capi-gateway

25. Will FB CAPI GW pick up all FB events?

Meta Conversions API Gateway works based on the data that FB pixel sends. This means that whenever CAPIG sees an event triggered by an FB pixel, it sends server events.

26. Does using sGTM CAPI increase the event match quality than the CAPI gateway method?

sGTM: Requires more initial setup and ongoing maintenance but offers higher long-term benefits in terms of data quality and match rates.

CAPI Gateway: Easier and faster to implement but may not provide the same level of detailed data customization and enrichment.

27. Any considerations for connection with Shopify or is it that easy?

Gateway is connected in the same way regardless of what CMS you have for your site. The only condition for everything to work is that you must already have web events configured and working on your site.

28. We have a problem with CAPI implementation on our Shopify website. I was hoping that stape capi gw will be the suggestion. Is this correct?

If you already have web events and they work - then yes, through Gateway you can set up CAPI events within a couple of minutes.

29. I already have the CAPI installed in my WordPress using the plugin Pixel Your Site. If I switch to Server side CAPI what benefits I will have that I didn´t get with my current installation? The data that i send to conversions API will be better?

If you already have this working and are happy with the results you don't need to change it and move to Gateway.

30. Why does renaming the subdomain help? Is there anything we'd need to think of when renaming the sub domain?

This will help gather 1st-party cookies from your site. It is not necessary, but it will increase your event matching score.

31. You showed the setup for the Meta CAPI. Will it be similar for other ad platforms?

No, the tracking setup is different for each platform. You can find a lot of information about this on our blog and YouTube channel. We are also planning to hold further webinars on how to set up tracking for popular platforms.

Meta Conversions API Gateway works based on the data that FB pixel sends. This means that whenever CAPIG sees an event triggered by an FB pixel, it sends server events. Event deduplication for the CAPI gateway is set up automatically. Event_id deduplication key is automatically generated and propagated to help ensure deduplication between both channels (web and server). Please check FB Conversion API Gateway documentation to find more details about event deduplication: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/marketing-api/conversions-api/guides/gateway

33. Would like to see data Stape.io has collected... Everyone can get info from Meta... We all know what Meta publishes... What about, a case study on sGTM speeding up a site leading to more conversions?

You can check it out on our website under Case Studies: https://stape.io/blog/category/case-studies

34. Explain which is better to use. CAPIGW or sGTM?

35. We are keen on leveraging advanced tracking and measurement tools to better understand our ad performance and customer behavior. How can the Conversion API Gateway and server-side GTM specifically benefit businesses in the home improve?

Using server-side tracking first of all allows you to drastically reduce the impact of adblockers and ITP (Safari) restrictions on your tracking, which results in platforms receiving more data -> better attribution and optimisation of your ads -> better ad results.

36. What is the best way to send Meta web events that is compatible with Stape ? Any plugins ?

There's no better way. Each way is convenient in its own way. You can use some plugin for web events, or set them up in web GTM, or have them in the site code. Any of the options will work without problems with Meta Gateway.

37. How to get a better quality score on Meta with installing the API on GTM? I would really like to see the installation step by step.

Match quality depends mainly only on the amount of user data you send along with the events. Make sure that for example if you have ecommerce you send all available billing data together with purchase event. The full set of user data that Meta accepts can be found here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/marketing-api/conversions-api/parameters.

38. Best practices for Implementing Meta CAPI through Stape tags in GTM?

There is no best practice specifically for Stape, this applies to any tracking setup - you need to follow the recommendations and best practices that the platform itself offers. In the case of Meta, you need to have a web data source + server data source, deduplication and send as much user data as you have available: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/marketing-api/conversions-api/parameters

39. How do you compare the before and implementeid results?

Everyone will have their own metrics, but in general your conversion cost should get lower from tracking improvements.

40. Correct me if I'm wrong... The Meta Pixel captures events on the site and sends them to the Conversions API Gateway (before any browser-based ad blockers). Both the CAPIG and Pixel send their data back to Meta to then deduplicate if needed. Correct?

Meta Conversions API Gateway works based on the data that FB pixel sends. This means that whenever CAPIG sees an event triggered by an FB pixel, it sends server events. Event deduplication for the CAPI gateway is set up automatically. Event_id deduplication key is automatically generated and propagated to help ensure deduplication between both channels (web and server). Please check FB Conversion API Gateway documentation to find more details about event deduplication https://developers.facebook.com/docs/marketing-api/conversions-api/guides/gateway

41. Benefits of using Stape CAPIG over Meta Pixel - considering the CAPIG is reliant on the Pixel.