Microsoft Ads Conversions API goes GA

How the Conversions API works

Microsoft describes CAPI as working "alongside your Universal Event Tracking tag," sending conversion signals from more touchpoints and "capturing activity that may be missed due to browser limitations."

You can integrate directly, through Google Tag Manager, or through a technology partner. The partners named in the post are Adobe Real-Time CDP, Commanders Act, Freshpaint, Invoca, MetaRouter, Segment by Twilio, Stape.io, Switch Growth, Tealium and Zeotap.

The post doesn't say whether CAPI conversions are deduplicated against UET conversions.

The rest of the October update

Performance Max targeting. Age and gender targeting is now generally available on Performance Max. Device targeting is "rolling out to all advertisers in the coming weeks."

Performance Max reporting. Search term reporting and auction insights reporting are now available. Search term landing page reporting is rolling out starting mid-November.

Performance Max exclusions. Audience exclusions are in open pilot. Microsoft is refining brand exclusions so you can choose to apply them to text ads only, while still showing on product ads for those brand searches. To join either pilot, Microsoft says to contact your account team or Support.

Messaging guidelines. You can give up to 40 guidelines to steer AI-generated ad copy, such as claims, themes, tone or language to avoid. They're in open pilot for Performance Max campaigns and for Search campaigns with AI Max enabled.

AI-powered campaign creation. New advertisers can share a website plus optional files like brand guidelines and images. Microsoft builds an editable business snapshot, then a Performance Max campaign draft to review before launch. The help page notes the bid strategy defaults to Maximize Conversions, and switches to maximize clicks if you don't set up conversion tracking.

What I'd do this week

These are my suggestions, not steps from Microsoft.

1. Map your offline conversions. If leads close in a CRM or sales happen in store, those are conversions a website tag may not capture. Start there.
2. Pick the easiest route. If you already use Google Tag Manager or one of the listed partners, check that option before building a direct integration.
3. Watch for double counting. Before you make CAPI conversions primary, compare them with your UET numbers for a few days.
4. Check the new PMax reports. Look at search terms and auction insights in your Performance Max campaigns, and decide whether age and gender targeting fits any of them, and device targeting once it reaches your account.
5. Write your guidelines down. If you run PMax or AI Max on Search, draft the claims and words your brand avoids, even before you join the messaging guidelines pilot.