Facebook Ads Overview
Overview
Branch links can be used together with Facebook ads, allowing you to track ad-driven installs on the Branch dashboard and deep link those new users directly to content the first time they open your app. Refer to Facebook's Ad Guide to learn more.
Facebook's Ad Platform supports numerous campaign types and a shared set of advertisement formats. To help you navigate Facebook's Advertisement Platform we created this guide detailing how to use Branch links in all major Facebook ad types.
Campaign Support
This documentation supports the following Facebook Ad Campaigns:
| Facebook Campaign Category | Campaign Type/Objective | Link users to | Branch Documentation Link | Branch Ad Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Brand Awareness | Web | link | Cross-platform Display |
| Awareness | Reach | Web | link | Cross-platform Display |
| Consideration | Traffic | Web or App | link | Cross-platform Display |
| Consideration | App Installs | App | link | App Only: Installs |
| Consideration | Video Views | Web | link | Cross-platform Display |
| Consideration | Lead Generation | Web x | link | Cross-platform Display |
| Conversion | Conversions | Web or App | link | Cross-platform Display |
[x] Facebook has indicated that links are not supported in all placements.
Data Mapping between Branch and Facebook
Event Names
Standard vs Custom Events
Please follow the Tracking Commerce, Content, Lifecycle and Custom Events guide when implementing event tracking in the Branch SDK. When tracking any of the Facebook events that are mapped to the Branch
customevent, use the event name from the table below; e.g.branch.logevent('AdClick').
| Facebook Event Name | Branch Event Name |
|---|---|
AdClick | Custom |
AdImpression | Custom |
Contact | Custom |
CustomizeProduct | Custom |
Donate | Custom |
fb_mobile_achievement_unlocked | UNLOCK_ACHIEVEMENT |
MOBILE_APP_INSTALL | INSTALL |
fb_mobile_activate_app | OPEN |
fb_mobile_add_payment_info | ADD_PAYMENT_INFO |
fb_mobile_add_to_cart | ADD_TO_CART |
fb_mobile_add_to_wishlist | ADD_TO_WISHLIST |
fb_mobile_complete_registration | COMPLETE_REGISTRATION |
fb_mobile_content_view | VIEW_ITEM |
fb_mobile_initiated_checkout | INITIATE_PURCHASE |
fb_mobile_level_achieved | ACHIEVE_LEVEL |
fb_mobile_purchase | PURCHASE |
fb_mobile_rate | RATE |
fb_mobile_search | SEARCH |
fb_mobile_spent_credits | SPEND_CREDITS |
fb_mobile_tutorial_completion | COMPLETE_TUTORIAL |
FindLocation | Custom |
Schedule | Custom |
StartTrial | START_TRIAL |
SubmitApplication | Custom |
Subscribe | Custom |
Campaign/Ad Data
| Branch Data | Facebook Data |
|---|---|
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_ad_set_name | campaign_name |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_ad_set_id | campaign_id |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_secondary_publisher | publisher_platform |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_creative_name | creative_name |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_creative_id | creative_id |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_ad_name | adgroup_name |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_ad_id | adgroup_id |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_campaign | campaign_group_name |
last_attributed_touch_data_tilde_campaign_id | campaign_group_id |
Metadata
| Branch Key-Value Pair | Facebook MMP Key-Value Pair | Facebook event(s) supported |
|---|---|---|
event_data.revenue | _valueToSum | fb_mobile_add_to_cart, fb_mobile_add_to_wishlist, fb_mobile_initiated_checkout, fb_mobile_purchase, fb_mobile_spent_credits, fb_mobile_content_view |
event_data.currency | fb_currency | fb_mobile_add_to_cart, fb_mobile_add_to_wishlist, fb_mobile_initiated_checkout, fb_mobile_purchase, fb_mobile_content_view |
content_items (array) | fb_content (array) | fb_mobile_add_to_cart, fb_mobile_add_to_wishlist, fb_mobile_tutorial_completion, fb_mobile_initiated_checkout, fb_mobile_purchase, fb_mobile_rate, fb_mobile_spent_credits, fb_mobile_content_view |
content_items[0].$sku | fb_content_id | fb_mobile_add_to_cart, fb_mobile_add_to_wishlist, fb_mobile_tutorial_completion, fb_mobile_initiated_checkout, fb_mobile_purchase, fb_mobile_rate, fb_mobile_spent_credits, fb_mobile_content_view |
content_items[0].$product_category | fb_content_type | fb_mobile_add_to_cart, fb_mobile_add_to_wishlist, fb_mobile_initiated_checkout, fb_mobile_purchase, fb_mobile_rate, fb_mobile_search, fb_mobile_spent_credits, fb_mobile_content_view |
content_items[0].$quantity | fb_num_items | fb_mobile_initiated_checkout, fb_mobile_purchase |
content_items[0].$rating | _valueToSum | fb_mobile_rate |
content_items[0].$rating_max | fb_max_rating_value | fb_mobile_rate |
event_data.search_query | fb_search_string | fb_mobile_search |
content_items[0].$og_description | fb_description | fb_mobile_achievement_unlocked |
custom_data.fb_payment_info_available | fb_payment_info_available | fb_mobile_initiated_checkout |
custom_data.level | fb_level | fb_mobile_level_achieved |
custom_data.fb_success | fb_success | fb_mobile_add_payment_info, fb_mobile_tutorial_completion, fb_mobile_search |
custom_data.fb_registration_method | fb_registration_method | fb_mobile_complete_registration |
Currently Facebook appears to only support sending one fb_content_id (etc) per event, whereas Branch allows you to send many. To provide as much functionality as possible, we choose the first content_item and search it for key-value pairs that can be sent to Facebook.
Viewing Facebook Data
You can see analytics on impressions, clicks, installs, opens and conversion events on various pages of the Branch Dashboard.
Reporting Discrepancies
- If you're seeing discrepancies, please see Common Sources of SAN Reporting Discrepancies.
Facebook's Advanced Mobile Measurement Agreement
As of October 29, 2021, Facebook's Advanced Mobile Measurement (AMM) program is now deprecated; thus, Branch is not able to provide you with data exports containing click-through and view-through conversions from Facebook ads. Advertisers that incorporate installs into their attribution model can still measure the aggregate number of view-through and click-through installs from Facebook in Ads Manager and in their Branch dashboard to the ad ID level of granularity.
Any event attributed to a Facebook ad will look like an organic event when accessed via Webhooks, the Daily Export API, and CSV Exports.
Data Limitations
Data Limitations
- We can no longer show non-aggregated view-through and click-through data via Branch Dashboard and Exports, and this data will appear as "undisclosed" in exports. View-through and click-through data will only be provided at an aggregated level through our reporting interfaces or through Facebook’s reporting interfaces and APIs.
- We cannot send device-level Facebook attribution data to third parties.
- We cannot send events attributed to Facebook via Data Integrations. Please instead consider analyzing this data in-house (using Webhooks, the Daily Export API, or CSV Exports), or using the Branch Dashboard for all of your analytics and attribution needs.
- This data is also not returned in the deep link session initialization callback within the app. If you have analytics needs that are not met by the Branch Dashboard, please contact us and include "Facebook MMP + Feature Request" in the subject.
- Branch will purge last-attributed data after 60 days.
| Branch feature | Facebook data included |
|---|---|
| Dashboard visualizations | Pre-aggregated analytics |
| Query API | Pre-aggregated analytics |
| Liveview | Pre-aggregated analytics |
| Daily Export API | Pre-aggregated analytics |
| CSV Exports | Pre-aggregated analytics |
| Webhooks | Pre-aggregated analytics |
| Data Integrations | Not supported |
Facebook Limited Data Use
On July 1st, Facebook introduced a new Limited Data Use (LDU) feature to support customer compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This feature enables you to limit how Facebook uses the data of California users collected by you or by third parties on your behalf.
If the Limited Data Use feature is enabled, Facebook has indicated it will process such data in accordance with their role as a “service provider” under the CCPA, with respect to personal information from residents in California; i.e. Facebook will limit use of that data subject to their State-Specific Terms.
By default, Branch’s Facebook integration has the Limited Data Use feature enabled. This means that Branch sends Facebook the LDU flag as enabled with your Branch conversion data by default. Therefore, conversion metrics (e.g installs or other down funnel events) for California users will not be available in your reporting. NOTE: You will still see aggregate click, impression, and cost data for users in California.
However, Branch has provided a customer-controlled toggle in the event you desire to disable the Limited Data Use feature in your dashboard configuration. We recommend that you consult with your legal counsel to understand any implications of disabling the Limited Data Use feature for the Facebook integration as they pertain to CCPA or other state specific data protection laws, and to determine whether disabling the Limited Data Use feature will meet your needs.
To disable the Limited Data Use feature:
-
In the left-hand navigation panel under Channels & Links, click on Ads and then click Partner Management.
-
Find and select Facebook using the Ad Partners search feature.
-
On the Ad Partner settings: Facebook page, click on the Events Config tab.
-
On the Event Config tab, scroll down to the bottom and deselect Limited Data Use (LDU) Flag.
-
Click Save.
Troubleshooting
We also have a document with FAQs and Advanced Options for Facebook Ads. We recommend starting with one of the guides above, then jumping into the FAQ and Advanced Options when you have questions or need to troubleshoot.
Updated 3 months ago