Facebook (Meta) Ads — Frequently Asked Questions
Setup & Authentication
Section titled “Setup & Authentication”What access do I need to connect CustomerLabs to Meta?
Section titled “What access do I need to connect CustomerLabs to Meta?”The recommended authentication method requires:
- Full access to Meta Business Manager
- Full access to the Meta Ad Account
- Full access to the Meta Pixel
If full Business Manager access is not available, an alternative authentication path exists — but any subsequent changes to the Ad Account or Pixel will require re-authentication each time.
Do I need to re-authenticate after changing my Pixel or Ad Account?
Section titled “Do I need to re-authenticate after changing my Pixel or Ad Account?”Yes, if ad account or pixel is changed. Create a new Facebook Destination and authenticate with the new ad account and pixel. Verify the data in destination logs to ensure the data is flowing to the new pixel.
Conversions API & Server-Side Tracking
Section titled “Conversions API & Server-Side Tracking”Does CustomerLabs use the Meta Conversions API?
Section titled “Does CustomerLabs use the Meta Conversions API?”Yes. CustomerLabs sends events to Meta via the Conversions API (server-side). This bypasses browser-side tracking limitations such as ad blockers, iOS restrictions, and cookie consent issues — resulting in more complete event data reaching Meta.
What is the difference between client-side and server-side callbacks?
Section titled “What is the difference between client-side and server-side callbacks?”| Callback Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Client-side | Fires from the user’s browser via the Meta Pixel. Subject to ad blockers and ITP. |
| Server-side | Fires from CustomerLabs servers via the Conversions API. Not blocked by browsers or ad blockers. |
Both can be enabled simultaneously. Meta uses deduplication logic to avoid double-counting.
Do I need to map custom fields for the Conversions API?
Section titled “Do I need to map custom fields for the Conversions API?”CustomerLabs automatically maps standard user_traits and event_properties to Meta Conversions API parameters. Custom field mapping is only required for non-standard properties that fall outside the default schema — for example, mapping a custom order_ref property to Meta’s order_id parameter.
Event Match Quality (EMQ)
Section titled “Event Match Quality (EMQ)”What is Event Match Quality (EMQ)?
Section titled “What is Event Match Quality (EMQ)?”EMQ is a score assigned by Meta to each event type that reflects how well CustomerLabs event data matches Meta user profiles. A higher score leads to better attribution accuracy and ad performance.
| Score | Quality |
|---|---|
| 7–10 | Excellent |
| 4–6 | Moderate |
| 0–3 | Poor |
How do I check my EMQ score in CustomerLabs?
Section titled “How do I check my EMQ score in CustomerLabs?”Navigate to Monitoring → Destination Snapshot, select the Facebook destination, click an event name, and open the EMQ Score tab.
How do I improve a low EMQ score?
Section titled “How do I improve a low EMQ score?”- Send more user identifiers with each event — email, phone, first name, last name, city, state, zip code, and country all contribute to the score.
- Ensure
fbp(Facebook browser cookie) andfbc(Facebook click ID) are being captured from client-side events and unified with server-side events. - Check the Unification Coverage tab under Monitoring → Events Manager — a low unification rate means server-side events are not being matched with browser events that carry click IDs and cookies, which directly lowers EMQ.
Audience Sync
Section titled “Audience Sync”What audience sync methods does Meta support?
Section titled “What audience sync methods does Meta support?”CustomerLabs supports two methods:
| Method | Best For |
|---|---|
| Event Sync | Anonymous and known users; recommended for broader reach |
| List Sync | Known users only (requires at least one identifier such as email or phone) |
How do I sync an audience to Meta?
Section titled “How do I sync an audience to Meta?”Event Sync:
- Open the audience, go to the Event Sync tab, and click Settings.
- Configure the audience name, retention days, and description.
- Click Create Audience — CustomerLabs will forward
added_to_segmentand optionallyremoved_from_segmentevents to Meta.
List Sync:
- Add user trait fields to the audience Schema tab.
- Go to the List Sync tab, locate Meta, and click Map Schema.
- Select or create a Meta customer list and map the schema fields.
- Save, enable the toggle, and click Instant Sync.
Can I create a value-based audience for Lookalike campaigns?
Section titled “Can I create a value-based audience for Lookalike campaigns?”Yes. Include a known value field (e.g., LTV or purchase value) in the audience schema and map it as the Value field during List Sync schema mapping. This creates a value-based source in Meta that can be used to generate high-value lookalike audiences.
How long does it take for a synced audience to appear in Meta?
Section titled “How long does it take for a synced audience to appear in Meta?”For List sync, allow up to 10–15 minutes after running Instant Sync for the audience to appear in Meta Ads Manager. For Event sync, Meta usually takes 24-48 hours to populate the audience subject to confirmation of the custom event created during audience sync.
I see “Error Fetching Data” in the audience sync — how do I fix it?
Section titled “I see “Error Fetching Data” in the audience sync — how do I fix it?”This means the Facebook authentication has expired. Navigate to Destinations → Facebook → Configuration Settings and re-authenticate your account.
What is the difference between unlinking and deleting an audience?
Section titled “What is the difference between unlinking and deleting an audience?”- Unlink — stops the audience from refreshing but keeps the existing audience on Meta.
- Delete — removes the audience from Meta entirely.
Lead Forms
Section titled “Lead Forms”Can I import leads from Meta Lead Forms into CustomerLabs?
Section titled “Can I import leads from Meta Lead Forms into CustomerLabs?”Yes. CustomerLabs connects to Meta Lead Forms as a source. After authenticating and granting the required page access, you build a workflow that maps incoming lead fields — including email, phone, name, ad set, campaign, and lead_id — to CustomerLabs user traits and external IDs.
See the Facebook Ads lead form source documentation for the full setup.
Why is mapping lead_id important?
Section titled “Why is mapping lead_id important?”The lead_id is the unique identifier Meta assigns to each lead submission. Mapping it with the respective parameter that captures the lead id in CustomerLabs allows to send deep funnel events via CAPI that can be used to set positive lead stages in Meta CRM integration in the pixel. This will tell Meta that leads moving towards positive lead stages are important and train the campaign based on it.
What page access is required to receive lead data?
Section titled “What page access is required to receive lead data?”The user authenticating the Facebook source in CustomerLabs must have access configured in both:
- Business Manager settings (Business Settings → People → Pages)
- Facebook Page settings (Page Settings → Page access)
Both must be set up — access in only one location is insufficient.
Offline Conversions
Section titled “Offline Conversions”Does CustomerLabs support Meta Offline Conversions?
Section titled “Does CustomerLabs support Meta Offline Conversions?”Yes. CustomerLabs can forward offline event data (in-store purchases, bookings, inquiries) to a Meta Offline Conversions Data Set. This allows offline customer activity to be attributed to Meta ad campaigns.
Configure the integration under Destinations → Facebook Offline Conversion and set up an event workflow with the relevant offline events.
Limited Data Use (LDU)
Section titled “Limited Data Use (LDU)”What is Limited Data Use (LDU) and when is it required?
Section titled “What is Limited Data Use (LDU) and when is it required?”LDU restricts how Meta can process event data for users in US states with applicable privacy laws — currently California, Colorado, and Connecticut. When enabled, Meta limits the use of that data for ad targeting and measurement.
To enable LDU, configure a cookie that captures user opt-out consent on your website, then enter the cookie name and opt-out value in Destinations → Facebook → Configuration Settings.
Health & Wellness Restrictions
Section titled “Health & Wellness Restrictions”Why is my Meta ad account restricted if I run a health or wellness business?
Section titled “Why is my Meta ad account restricted if I run a health or wellness business?”Meta restricts health and wellness brands to prevent the inadvertent exposure of PII (Personally Identifiable Information) and PHI (Protected Health Information). Meta’s algorithms can infer sensitive health data from multiple signals — including URL parameters, event names, custom API parameters, and behavioral patterns — even when the data appears anonymized. When health-sensitive information is detected, Meta may automatically restrict the account to comply with HIPAA, CCPA, and GDPR.
How can I run Meta Ads for a health or wellness brand without triggering restrictions?
Section titled “How can I run Meta Ads for a health or wellness brand without triggering restrictions?”The core approach is to ensure that no health-sensitive context reaches Meta — either via the browser pixel or via the Conversions API. Key steps:
- Remove the Meta Pixel from client-side pages — browser-side tracking captures page URLs and user behavior in health-specific contexts, which exposes the sensitive nature of the visit.
- Use server-side tracking only — CustomerLabs intercepts events server-side, allowing you to filter and anonymize data before it is forwarded to Meta.
- Sanitize URLs — strip health-specific query parameters (e.g.,
/appointments?type=cardiology) before the event is sent. - Neutralize event names — replace descriptive names that reveal medical context (e.g.,
schedule_fertility_consultation) with generic event labels before forwarding. - Hash all PII — CustomerLabs automatically hashes email and phone (SHA-256) before transmission.
- Obtain explicit consent — ensure users have opted in to data sharing before any health-related activity is tracked.
All these can be done using CustomerLabs 1PD Ops, in Destinations → Configuration Settings → Toggle ON Restrict Health & Wellness data.