Table of content
In Switzerland, advertising on LinkedIn is a luxury sport. With CPCs (Cost Per Click) often nearing 10, 15, or even 25 CHF in the finance, industry, or tech sectors, every click counts.
Yet, most B2B agencies manage these budgets with an incomplete dashboard. The LinkedIn Insight Tag (the classic pixel) suffers from the same issues as Facebook's: it is blocked by browsers (ITP) and AdBlockers.
The result? You spend thousands of francs generating leads, but LinkedIn only "sees" a fraction of the conversions. The algorithm doesn’t learn, and your cost per lead (CPL) skyrockets.
The solution to regain control of your B2B campaigns is called LinkedIn CAPI (Conversion API). At A-Track, this is the standard we impose for any serious B2B client.
What is LinkedIn CAPI? (Definition)
Like Facebook, LinkedIn CAPI allows you to send conversion data directly from your server (via Google Tag Manager Server-Side) to LinkedIn, bypassing the user's browser quirks.
It’s a direct and secure tunnel between your client's site and the advertising platform.
Why it’s Vital for the Swiss Market (High Ticket)
In B2B, unlike e-commerce, the conversion volume is low but the value is enormous. Missing a "Quote Request" conversion worth 50,000 CHF because the prospect uses Firefox with enhanced protection is a costly mistake.
1. Save the Signal on Long Cycles
B2B decision-makers (CEO, CTO, HRD) often use secure environments (VPNs, private browsers) that block third-party cookies.
The Problem: The user clicks on your ad on Monday, browses the site, and fills out the form on Thursday. If the cookie has been purged by Safari in the meantime, LinkedIn does not attribute the conversion.
The CAPI Solution: Server-side tracking extends the lifespan of first-party cookies and maintains the link with the click ID (li_fat_id).
2. Optimize for "Quality" and not "Quantity"
The classic Pixel only sees "a form filled out". It doesn’t know if it’s a qualified lead or spam. With CAPI, we can filter events server-side before sending them. You feed the algorithm only with "good data".
Technical Implementation: How Does It Work?
The ideal architecture for LinkedIn Ads relies on Google Tag Manager (GTM) Server-Side.
Step 1: Capture First-Party Data When a user arrives via a LinkedIn ad, the URL contains a li_fat_id parameter. The server must capture this identifier and store it in a secure first-party cookie (HttpOnly).
Step 2: Data Enrichment (Enhanced Conversion) For LinkedIn to recognize the user, we need to send hashed (encrypted) data: Email, User ID, or Company ID.
Note nFADP: This data is hashed in SHA-256 before leaving your server. It’s secure and compliant, provided you have consent (via Cookie-Script).
Step 3: Configuration via Stape.io Using a GTM Server-Side template via Stape.io simplifies authentication with the LinkedIn API. No need to code complex HTTP requests. The official LinkedIn CAPI tag in GTM handles everything.
The "Game Changer": Offline Conversions (CRM)
This is where you transform your agency into an indispensable strategic partner.
LinkedIn CAPI also allows you to report events that do not happen on the website, but in the CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive).
Scenario: A prospect fills out a form (Lead). 3 weeks later, after 2 meetings, they sign the contract (Sale).
With CAPI: We can send the "Contract Signed" event back to LinkedIn.
The Benefit: You can finally calculate the true ROAS of your LinkedIn campaigns. "I spent 5,000 CHF, I generated 3 contracts worth 20,000 CHF".
Expert Advice from A-Track
Beware of deduplication! Unlike Facebook, which handles automatic deduplication very well (Pixel + CAPI), LinkedIn is more temperamental. It’s crucial to send a unique and identical eventId via the Pixel (Insight Tag) and via the API. At A-Track, we systematically test this deduplication to avoid artificially inflating your reports.
Are Your B2B Leads Too Expensive?
Stop managing your LinkedIn campaigns blindly. A robust tracking infrastructure is the only way to make clicks at 15 CHF profitable.
At A-Track, we are experts in complex B2B tracking (CRM + Web).