I received a comment on a blog post about custom events related to a potential bug or change Meta made. I looked into it, and I’m seeing this, too.
When creating a custom conversion that maps to a custom event, there is no option to refine by parameter.
I tested my custom eventsConversion events tracked by the pixel, app SDK, or API that are outside of standard events. These tend to be created to fit the publisher's needs when a pre-defined standard event will not. More to make sure that parameters are still passing, and they are.
That said, I do still have the ability to refine by parameter when creating a custom conversion mapped to a standard event. Here’s an example using the Purchase event.
I should note that after recording the video above, I realized that even refining by parameter for standard events is buggy. Notice here how the middle box that should include the parameters is empty.
Refining by parameter allows you to create custom conversionsCustom conversions let you create rules for events or URLs so that you can better track and optimize for specific actions with Facebook ads. More based on a specific segment of people who performed your event. Using the example of a purchase, you could segment people by specific product or dollar amount. This could be used for reporting or optimizationThe Performance Goal is chosen within the ad set and determines optimization and delivery. How you optimize impacts who sees your ad. Meta will show your ad to people most likely to perform your desired action. More.
In my example of the VideoWatched custom event, which fires when people watch embedded YouTube videos on my website, I could create custom conversionsA conversion is counted whenever a website visitor performs an action that fires a standard event, custom event, or custom conversion. Examples of conversions include purchases, leads, content views, add to cart, and registrations. More that segment people based on the specific video they watch or the length of time that they watch it.
This appears to be a widespread issue, but I don’t know if it’s a bug or intentional. Due to the added issues with standard events, I’m inclined to believe it’s a bug. I can’t think of a good reason to remove this option in either case.
If you work for Meta, give me a shout. Is this intentional?
