Advantage+ catalog ads enables you to show people ads based on their cross-device purchasing intent. You can collect signals of user intent from mobile apps and websites then use this data to build an audience to target prospective customers.

This document covers how to:

Set up User Signals for Events

Associate User Signals to Catalog

Create Product Audiences

Retrieve Product Audiences

Step 1: Set Up User Signals for Events

To collect user signals, use App Events for your mobile app or Meta Pixel for your website.

If you have an app and are only running ads on desktop, you should still install the Facebook SDK. This helps to capture signals and expand your target audience.

App Events for Mobile

You must add the following events to your app through the Facebook SDK for iOS and Android:

Event	iOS Event	Android Event
Search	`FBSDKAppEventNameSearched`	`EVENT_NAME_SEARCHED`
View Content	`FBSDKAppEventNameViewedContent`	`EVENT_NAME_VIEWED_CONTENT`
Add To Cart	`FBSDKAppEventNameAddedToCart`	`EVENT_NAME_ADDED_TO_CART`
Purchase	// Send through logPurchase `[[FBSDKAppEvents shared] logPurchase:(double) currency:(NSString ) parameters:(NSDictionary )];`	`EVENT_NAME_PURCHASED`

All of these events should include a content_id (or a JSON array of content_ids).

Unlike the Meta Pixel, App Events has no product_catalog_id parameter. Therefore you must make an association between your catalog and app with the external_event_sources endpoint described below.

Examples

Add To Cart event on iOS:

[[FBSDKAppEvents shared] logEvent:FBSDKAppEventNameAddedToCart
      valueToSum:54.23
      parameters:@{
        FBSDKAppEventParameterNameCurrency    : @"USD",
        FBSDKAppEventParameterNameContentType : @"product",
        FBSDKAppEventParameterNameContentID   : @"123456789"
      }
];

Purchase event on iOS with two different items purchased with quantity:

[[FBSDKAppEvents shared] logPurchase:21.97
    currency:@"USD"
    parameters:@{
      FBSDKAppEventParameterNameContent   : @"[{\"id\":\"1234\",\"quantity\":2},{\"id\":\"5678\",\"quantity\":1}]",
      FBSDKAppEventParameterNameContentType : @"product"
    }
];

Purchase event on Android with two items purchased with quantity:

Bundle parameters = new Bundle();
parameters.putString(AppEventsConstants.EVENT_PARAM_CURRENCY, "USD");
parameters.putString(AppEventsConstants.EVENT_PARAM_CONTENT_TYPE, "product");
parameters.putString(AppEventsConstants.EVENT_PARAM_CONTENT, "[{\"id\":\"1234\",\"quantity\":2},{\"id\":\"5678\",\"quantity\":1}]");

logger.logEvent(
  AppEventsConstants.EVENT_NAME_PURCHASED,
  21.97,
  parameters
);

Purchase event on Android with two items purchased:

Bundle parameters = new Bundle();
parameters.putString(AppEventsConstants.EVENT_PARAM_CURRENCY, "USD");
parameters.putString(AppEventsConstants.EVENT_PARAM_CONTENT_TYPE, "product");
parameters.putString(AppEventsConstants.EVENT_PARAM_CONTENT_ID, "[\"1234\",\"5678\"]");

logger.logEvent(
  AppEventsConstants.EVENT_NAME_PURCHASED,
  21.97,
  parameters
);

Note that either CONTENT_ID or CONTENT can be used with Advantage+ catalog ads to report product IDs. The CONTENT param will allow you to provide additional information about the products.

Using a Mobile Measurement Partner

To use Advantage+ catalog ads with a mobile measurement partner (MMP), you should trigger separate required events as someone uses your app. The key interaction points you should track are when someone searches for products, views a product, adds something to a cart and purchases items. You should select the events at your MMP that correspond to the following standard Advantage+ catalog ads events:

Name	Description
`fb_mobile_search`	Someone searches for products
`fb_mobile_content_view`	When an Accounts Center account views a product
`fb_mobile_add_to_cart`	Someone ads an item to the cart
`fb_mobile_purchase`	An Accounts Center account purchases one or more items

Also, you need two additional parameters for each of the events to be registered successfully as a valid Advantage+ catalog ads event. These two parameters represent the ID of the item being viewed, added to cart or purchased and whether the ID is a product or a product group ID. The additional parameters available are:

Name	Description
`fb_content_id` string	Either `fb_content_id` or `fb_content` is required. The retailer’s product or product group ID(s). This should be a string containing a JSON-encoded array of IDs. Use product IDs if possible for more accurate targeting.
`fb_content` string	Either `fb_content_id` or `fb_content` is required. A list of JSON objects that contains the International Article Number (EAN) when applicable, or other product or content identifier(s) as well as quantities and prices of the products. The `id` and `quantity` fields are the required. Example: `"[{\"id\": \"1234\", \"quantity\": 2}, {\"id\": \"5678\", \"quantity\": 1}]"`
`fb_content_type` string	Optional. Either `product` or `product_group`, which needs to sync with the type of IDs used as `fb_content_id`. If no `fb_content_type` is provided, Meta will match the event to every item that has the same ID, independent of its type. See “Choosing the right `content_type`” to learn more.
`_valueToSum` string	Optional. The total value of the products.
`fb_currency` string	Optional. The currency of the product or purchase amount.

Note: It is advisable to send the _valueToSum and fb_currency parameters when a purchase is made.

Use Meta Pixel for Websites

The following events must be added to your website, if applicable:

Search

ViewCategory

ViewContent

AddToCart

Purchase

These events should be sent with the following data parameters:

Name	Description
`content_ids` string or string[]	Either `content_ids` or `contents` is required. The retailer’s product or product group id(s). Use product IDs if possible for more accurate targeting.
`contents` object[]	Either `content_ids` or `contents` is required. A list of JSON objects that contains the retailer’s product or product group ID(s) as well as additional information about the products. The `id` and `quantity` fields are required Example:. `[{"id": "1234", "quantity": 2}, {"id": "5678", "quantity": 1}]`
`content_type` string	Optional. Either `product` or `product_group`, which needs to sync with the type of IDs used as `content_ids`. If no `content_type` is provided, Meta will match the event to every item that has the same ID, independent of its type. See “Choosing the right `content_type`” to learn more.
`product_catalog_id` string	Optional. The product catalog to be used. If this is supplied this will be the only catalog Pixel fires will be associated with. If this is not supplied, the catalog(s) associated with your Pixel will be used. See Associate User Signals to Product Catalog to learn more.

Examples

A Search standard event is shown below. We recommend providing 5 to 10 items in content_ids from your top search results.

<!-- Facebook Pixel Code -->
<script>
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
// Insert Your Facebook Pixel ID below.
fbq('init', '<FB_PIXEL_ID>');
fbq('track', 'PageView');

fbq('track', 'Search', {
  search_string: 'leather sandals',
  content_ids: ['1234', '2424', '1318', '6832'], // top 5-10 search results
  content_type: 'product'
});
</script>
<!-- End Facebook Pixel Code -->

AViewCategory event is shown below. We recommend providing 5 to 10 items in content_ids from your top results. Note that ViewCategory is not a standard event, thus the trackCustom function is used.

<!-- Facebook Pixel Code -->
<script>
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
// Insert Your Facebook Pixel ID below.
fbq('init', '<FB_PIXEL_ID>');
fbq('track', 'PageView');

fbq('trackCustom', 'ViewCategory', {
  content_name: 'Really Fast Running Shoes',
  content_category: 'Apparel & Accessories > Shoes',
  content_ids: ['1234', '2424', '1318', '6832'], // top 5-10 results
  content_type: 'product'
});
</script>
<!-- End Facebook Pixel Code -->

A ViewContent standard event is shown below. For more details on Pixel setup, see Meta Pixel.

<!-- Facebook Pixel Code -->
<script>
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
// Insert Your Facebook Pixel ID below.
fbq('init', '<FB_PIXEL_ID>');
fbq('track', 'PageView');

fbq('track', 'ViewContent', {
  content_ids: ['1234'],
  content_type: 'product',
  value: 0.50,
  currency: 'USD'
});
</script>
<!-- End Facebook Pixel Code -->

An AddToCart standard event depends on how your eCommerce platform handles adding an item to a cart. If it is done dynamically this should be placed in an onclick event handler so it is triggered on the button click. If a separate page is loaded then the Pixel event can be fired like normal.

<!-- Facebook Pixel Code -->
<script>
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
// Insert Your Facebook Pixel ID below.
fbq('init', '<FB_PIXEL_ID>');
fbq('track', 'PageView');

// If you have a separate add to cart page that is loaded.
fbq('track', 'AddToCart', {
  content_ids: ['1234', '1853', '9386'],
  content_type: 'product',
  value: 3.50,
  currency: 'USD'
});
</script>
<!-- End Facebook Pixel Code -->

If the event needs to be fired on button click and there is no separate page that loads:

<!-- The below method uses jQuery, but that is not required -->

<button id="addToCartButton">Add To Cart</button>
<!-- Add event to the button's click handler -->

<script type="text/javascript">
  $( '#addToCartButton' ).click(function() {
    fbq('track', 'AddToCart', {
      content_ids: ['1234'],
      content_type: 'product',
      value: 2.99,
      currency: 'USD'
    });
  });
</script>

A Purchase standard event with two items with quantity:

<!-- Facebook Pixel Code -->
<script>
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
// Insert Your Facebook Pixel ID below.
fbq('init', '<FB_PIXEL_ID>');
fbq('track', 'PageView');

fbq('track', 'Purchase', {
  contents: [
    {'id': '1234', 'quantity': 2},
    {'id': '4642', 'quantity': 1}
  ],
  content_type: 'product',
  value: 21.97,
  currency: 'USD'
});
</script>

<!-- End Facebook Pixel Code -->

A Purchase standard event with two items:

<!-- Facebook Pixel Code -->
<script>
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
// Insert Your Facebook Pixel ID below.
fbq('init', '<FB_PIXEL_ID>');
fbq('track', 'PageView');

fbq('track', 'Purchase', {
  content_ids: ['1234', '4642'],
  content_type: 'product',
  value: 21.97,
  currency: 'USD'
});
</script>

<!-- End Facebook Pixel Code -->

Choosing the right `content_type`

Note: fb_content_type is the content type for mobile.

If the page is about a specific SKU (specific size, color, and so on), then use product for content_type and pass the product IDs (that is, id column in the Product Feed) in content_ids. All AddToCart and Purchase events should use content_type=product because people buy specific products. People don’t buy an amorphous shirt of indeterminate size and color; they buy a specific shirt with a specific size and color.

If the page is about a group of related products that vary by size, color, etc. but belong to the same product group, use product_group and pass the product group IDs (that is, item_group_id column in the Product Feed) in content_ids. A common usecase is a ViewContent page where the user has not chosen a size yet. Do not use product_group with AddToCart or Purchase.

It’s important that the content_type matches the type of ID(s) included in the content_ids or contents parameter.

Passing the specific product IDs (content_type=product) allows Meta to recommend more relevant products because it knows which specific variant (size, color, and so on) the user expressed interest in. We will always show products (not product groups), even if content_type=product_group.

If no content_type is provided, Meta will match the event to every item that has the same ID, independent of its type. Sending content_type is recommended, as it will give you more control over which specific ID you want to match the event.

Step 2: Associate User Signals to Product Catalog

You need to associate your event sources with each of your product catalogs so that Facebook can get this data and display the correct product in an ad. You can do this by visiting your Business Manager’s Catalog Page⁠ and clicking the Associate Event Source button. Make sure to select the app and Pixel that will be receiving the Advantage+ catalog ad events.

Alternatively, you can make a POST API call with a list of external event sources as a UTF-8 encoded query string parameters:

curl \
  -F 'external_event_sources=["<PIXEL_ID>","<APP_ID>"]' \
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
https://graph.facebook.com/v25.0/<PRODUCT_CATALOG_ID>/external_event_sources

Note: You need to have permissions on the catalog, Pixel, and app as well as the business.

Parameters

Name	Description
`external_event_sources`	Required. An array of app and Pixel IDs to associate, as UTF-8 encoded query string parameters

Step 3: Create Product Audiences

The next step is to build product audiences based on the activity on your mobile apps and website. You can choose which events to use and target ads using your product audiences.

For standard app events, the audience will be aggregated under the ads Pixel event names:

Search

ViewContent

AddToCart

Purchase

Use these event names in your audience rules, even if it includes users on Android and iOS.

Create a product audience by making an POST API call to the /act_{ad-account-id}/product_audiences endpoint.

https://graph.facebook.com/v25.0/act_AD_ACCOUNT_ID/product_audiences

Parameters

Name	Description
`name` string	Required. The name of the audience.
`description` string	Optional. A description of the audience.
`product_set_id` numeric string	Required. The product set to target with this audience.
`inclusions` JSON object	Required. A set of events to target. At least one inclusion is required. Each inclusion should have exactly one event.
`inclusions.retention_seconds` int	Required. The number of seconds to keep the Accounts Center account in the audience.
`inclusions.rule` object[]	Required. Website Custom Audience Rule referencing one `event`.
`exclusions` JSON object	Optional. Events for which an Accounts Center account should be excluded from targeting. For exclusions, an Accounts Center account with these events will be excluded from targeting if the event has happened on any product in the same product group (i.e., products that have the same `item_group_id in` the product feed). For example, a product audience is set to include `ViewContent` and exclude Purchase events. An Accounts Center account views product A and B and purchases product B. If product A and product B belong to the same product group then that Accounts Center account will be excluded from the product audience because A and B are just variants. If product A and B are not in the same product group, the Accounts Center account will continue to remain in the audience because he still has a `ViewContent` event for product A.
`exclusions.retention_seconds` int	Required, if exclusion is specified. The number seconds to retain the exclusion.
`exclusions.rule` object[]	Required, if exclusion is specified. Website Custom Audience Rule referencing one `event`.

Each rule must include event with the eq operator either as a top-level rule or as part of a top-level and rule.

If the same event is used in both inclusions and exclusions, any additional parameter checks must be exactly the same.

Examples

To create an audience targeting people that viewed or added products to a cart, but didn’t finish the purchase:

curl -X POST \
  -F 'name="Test Product Audience"' \
  -F 'product_set_id="<PRODUCT_SET_ID>"' \
  -F 'inclusions=[
       {
         "retention_seconds": 86400,
         "rule": {
           "event": {
             "eq": "AddToCart"
           }
         }
       },
       {
         "retention_seconds": 72000,
         "rule": {
           "event": {
             "eq": "ViewContent"
           }
         }
       }
     ]' \
  -F 'exclusions=[
       {
         "retention_seconds": 172800,
         "rule": {
           "event": {
             "eq": "Purchase"
           }
         }
       }
     ]' \
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
https://graph.facebook.com/v25.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/product_audiences

If you want target people that viewed a product on the web with iPhone, but haven’t purchased on any device, create the following audience.

This assumes that you include a userAgent parameter in your Meta Pixel.

curl -X POST \
  -F 'name="Test Iphone Product Audience"' \
  -F 'product_set_id="<PRODUCT_SET_ID>"' \
  -F 'inclusions=[
       {
         "retention_seconds": 86400,
         "rule": {
           "and": [
             {
               "event": {
                 "eq": "AddToCart"
               }
             },
             {
               "userAgent": {
                 "i_contains": "iPhone"
               }
             }
           ]
         }
       }
     ]' \
  -F 'exclusions=[
       {
         "retention_seconds": 172800,
         "rule": {
           "event": {
             "eq": "Purchase"
           }
         }
       }
     ]' \
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
https://graph.facebook.com/v25.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/product_audiences

Step 4: Retrieve Product Audiences

Once you create a product audience, you can retrieve it with the Custom Audiences API. You can get the original parameters used for audience creation with the data_source parameter.

A product audience is a specific type of custom audience that is dynamically generated from product events. The act_{ad-account-id}/product_audiences endpoint is a special POST endpoint to construct these audiences.

Examples

To retrieve Custom Audience:

curl -X GET \
  -d 'fields="data_source,subtype"' \
  -d 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
https://graph.facebook.com/v25.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/customaudiences

To retrieve a specific product audience:

curl -G \
  -d 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
https://graph.facebook.com/v25.0/<PRODUCT_AUDIENCE_ID>

Learn More

Product Catalog Reference

Custom Audience Reference

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Dynamic Product Audiences

Step 1: Set Up User Signals for Events

App Events for Mobile

Examples

Using a Mobile Measurement Partner

Use Meta Pixel for Websites

Examples

Choosing the right content_type

Step 2: Associate User Signals to Product Catalog

Parameters

Step 3: Create Product Audiences

Parameters

Examples

Step 4: Retrieve Product Audiences

Examples

Learn More

Choosing the right `content_type`