Question from Reddit:
So I’m curious if people are using UTm links for their Facebook ads. If so, do you set them up at the ad level upon building the ad or do you use a third party like “Campaign URL Builder”.
All help appreciated
Answer from Nabil:
The short answer is:
Yes, you absolutely should use UTM links for your Facebook ads to improve tracking, but the most efficient method is to use Facebook’s dynamic URL parameters directly within the ad creation interface, rather than a separate tool like the Campaign URL Builder.
This allows Facebook to automatically populate values for source, medium, campaign name, ad set name, and ad name using placeholders like {{campaign.name}}.
However, the only way to get truly robust, resilient, and accurate conversion tracking that overcomes browser and app limitations is to adopt a server-side solution that combines the Facebook Conversions API and the Google Analytics Data API.
The long answer is:
Using UTM parameters is essential because it provides a layer of attribution data that your analytics platform, such as Google Analytics 4, can use directly, independent of the Facebook-to-GA integration.
While the native Facebook Ads integration with GA is generally good for session-level data, it often falls short on accurate, multi-touch conversion path reporting due to the increasing restrictions from browsers (like Safari) and operating systems (like iOS) that limit client-side tracking, resulting in underreported conversions or misattributed sources.
You should set up the UTMs directly within the URL Parameters section at the ad level when building your Facebook ads.
This is where you can enter the static values for utm_source (e.g., facebook) and utm_medium (e.g., cpc or paid_social), and use the dynamic value placeholders like {{campaign.name}} for utm_campaign, {{adset.name}} for utm_content, and {{ad.name}} for utm_term.
This method saves you from manual tagging and ensures consistency.
However, even with perfect UTMs, the client-side pixel method remains fragile.
To achieve reliable, first-party data collection and close the attribution gap between Facebook Ads Manager and your analytics, the definitive solution is to implement server-side tracking using the Facebook Conversions API combined with the Google Analytics Data API, facilitated by Google Tag Manager and a server-side host like Stape or Google Cloud Platform.
In this setup, GTM on your website captures user events and sends them to your server container.
The server container then forwards that data, including your UTM parameters and a unique user identifier, to GA4 via the Measurement Protocol, ensuring the session data is accurately logged.
Simultaneously, the server container uses the Facebook Conversions API to send the same conversion data (like purchase or generate_lead) directly to Facebook’s server.
This server-to-server connection is unaffected by browser-side ad-blockers or privacy changes, drastically improving Facebook’s ability to attribute conversions and optimize your ads.
By using the Google Analytics Data API, you can then pull this rich, validated conversion data into a unified reporting layer, giving you a single, accurate source of truth for your campaign performance that is resilient against future privacy changes.
About The Author
