Meta Pixel & Conversion API Setup for Unbounce Forms (Complete Guide 2026)

Introduction

Modern browsers and ad blockers are reducing the reliability of traditional Meta Pixel tracking, causing incomplete conversion reporting and inaccurate attribution.
To solve this, you need a hybrid tracking setup: Meta Pixel (Browser) + Facebook Conversion API (Server-Side) implemented using Google Tag Manager (GTM) and Stape.io.
In this complete 2026 guide, you’ll learn how to properly track Unbounce form submissions (Lead events) with:

Advanced matching
Server-side data forwarding
Proper event deduplication
Maximum tracking accuracy

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

✔ Unbounce landing page with a form
✔ Google Tag Manager (Web container installed)
✔ GTM Server container created
✔ Stape.io server container ready
✔ Meta Pixel created
✔ Meta Conversion API Access Token
✔ Meta Test Event ID
✔ Form submission listener configured in GTM

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Step-by-Step Implementation Meta Pixel & Conversion API Setup for Unbounce Forms

PART 1 – Browser Tracking (Meta Pixel via Web GTM)

Step 1: Verify Google Tag Manager Is Working

Open GTM → Click Preview → Connect to your Unbounce page.
If you see “Connected”, GTM is firing correctly.

Step 2: Confirm Form Listener Is Working

In GTM Preview Mode, submit your form.
You should see:

Custom event firing
Email captured
Phone captured
Name captured

If data appears in Data Layer, the listener is working correctly.

Step 3: Create Required Variables (Web Container)

You need to set up several variables in your Web Container to capture and send data accurately.

Create the following:

Meta Pixel ID: (Type: Constant) → Value: Your Pixel ID
Unique Event ID: (Use GTM Template Gallery) → Used for deduplication.
FBP (Browser ID): (Type: First-Party Cookie) → Cookie Name: _fbp
FBC (Click ID): (Type: First-Party Cookie) → Cookie Name: _fbc
Email Variable: (Type: Data Layer Variable) → Pull from listener.
Phone Variable: (Type: Data Layer Variable) → Pull from listener.

Step 4: Create Meta Pixel Tags

A) PageView Tag

Template: Facebook Pixel
Pixel ID: {{Meta Pixel ID}}
Event Type: PageView
Parameters: Event ID, fbp, fbc
Trigger: All Pages (Initialization)
Save as: Meta Pixel Config

B) Lead Tag

Duplicate the PageView tag and modify the following:

Event Type: Lead
Advanced Matching: Add Email and Phone variables.
Trigger: Unbounce Form Submission
Save as: Meta Pixel Lead

Step 5: Test Browser Pixel

Go to Meta Events Manager → Test Events.
Reload your page → PageView event should fire.
Submit the form → Lead event should fire.

If both appear, browser tracking is working correctly.

PART 2 – Send Data to Server via Stape

Step 6: Create Stape Server Container

In your Stape.io account, create a new server container with the following settings:

Name it: Unbounce (keep names project-specific for easy management)
Setup method: Manual
Once created, copy the Server Container URL
Go to GTM > Server Container > Admin > Container Settings
Paste the URL and save

Step 7: Create Stape Server URL Variable (Web Container)

Create a new Constant variable in your Web container:

Type: Constant
Name: Stape Server URL
Value: Your Stape server domain URL

Step 8: Create Stape Data Tags

A) PageView Data Tag

Template: Stape Data Tag
Server URL: {{Stape Server URL}}
Event Name: PageView
Parameters: fbp, fbc, Event ID
Trigger: All Pages (Initialization)

B) Lead Data Tag

Duplicate the above tag and modify:

Event Name: generate_lead
Parameters: fbp, fbc, Event ID, Email, Phone
Trigger: Unbounce Form Submission

PART 3 – Server Container Setup (Meta CAPI)

Step 9: Import Stape Data Client

Switch to your Server Container:

Go to Clients.
Import the Stape Data Client template from the gallery.
Create the client.
Run Preview mode to confirm PageView hits are appearing in the server.

Step 10: Create Server Variables

Create the following Constant Variables in your Server Container:

Meta CAPI Token *
Meta Pixel ID
Meta Pixel Test ID

Step 11: Create Meta CAPI PageView Tag

Template: Facebook Conversion API (by Stape)
Pixel ID: {{Meta Pixel ID}}
API Token: {{Meta CAPI Token}}
Test Event Code: {{Meta Pixel Test ID}}
Parameters: Event ID → Event Data, fbp → Event Data, fbc → Event Data
Trigger: All Pages
Save as: Meta CAPI Config

Step 12: Create Meta CAPI Lead Tag

Duplicate the Config tag and modify:

Event Name: Lead
Parameters to Add: Email → Event Data, Phone → Event Data
Trigger: generate_lead
Save as: Meta CAPI Lead

Testing & Deduplication Verification

Open Preview Mode for both your Server container and Web container.
Reload your Unbounce page → Confirm PageView fires on both Web and Server.
Submit the form → Confirm Lead fires on both Web and Server.
Go to Meta Test Events.
- Confirm both Browser & Server events appear.
- Crucial: Click into the event and confirm the Event ID is identical for both.
- Same Event ID = Proper deduplication ✅

Final Publish Step

Once verified, hit Publish on both your Web container and Server container. Your Meta tracking is now fully live!

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why use Meta Pixel & Conversion API Setup for Unbounce Forms?

To reduce tracking loss caused by ad blockers and browser privacy restrictions, ensuring more reliable and accurate conversion reporting.

• Why must the Event ID match?

The Event ID must match to allow Meta to properly deduplicate browser and server events and prevent double-counting in reporting.

• Can I track Purchase events the same way?

Yes, the same structure can be replicated for Purchase events or any other standard and custom events.

• Does this improve Event Match Quality?

Yes, sending advanced matching parameters such as email and phone significantly improves Event Match Quality and attribution accuracy.

• Is this future-proof?

Yes, server-side tracking through Conversion API is a long-term solution designed to remain stable despite evolving browser and privacy restrictions.

Professional Conclusion

By implementing this complete setup, you now have:

Browser + Server hybrid tracking
Advanced Matching enabled
Proper event deduplication
High-quality Meta Ads data
Protection against ad blockers

This setup ensures maximum reliability and accurate Lead attribution for your Unbounce landing pages in 2026 and beyond.

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