Creating Facebook Newsfeed ad with Website Conversions as a goal

Question

I'm trying to create an ad for an unpublished page post (link type) via FB Ads API with goal set to WEBSITE_CONVERSIONS. I was a bit puzzled by api docs, so I checked hwo FB Ad Manager does this and notices it send "OBJECTIVE" parameter to FB - something that doesn't exist in API Docs at all

I have a php script in cURL that does the job, sending the following to act_xxxx/adgroups endpoint:

method=post
access_token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
name=CURL 001
campaign_id=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
targeting={"countries":["US"],"age_min":13,"broad_age":1,"page_types":["feed"]}
bid_type=ABSOLUTE_OCPM
bid_info={"ACTIONS":25}
adgroup_status=ACTIVE
creative={"type":27,"object_id":"XXXXXXXXXXXXXX","story_id":"XXXXXXXXXXX"}
objective=WEBSITE_CONVERSIONS
conversion_specs={"action.type":["offsite_conversion"],"offsite_pixel":["XXXXXXXXXXX"]}
redownload=1

When I go to FB Ad Manager and open the campaign, I can see the ad with correct objective set. Everything looks OK even if I open it with FB Ad Manager.

However, when I send the same request using the application I work on, things get messy. From FB Ad Manager campaign view, everything looks OK, but when I open the ad for editing, I get the following error for my Objective: You've entered a destination that can't be used with the Website Conversions objective. Edit Objective.

So, am I missing something, is there a point in API where this is explained?

Thank you and sorry for the long explanation.

EDIT: After inspecting the ad I created via FB Ads Manager, I noticed that creative it generated had (among other) title, image_url and link_url fields, even though creatives of type 27 shouldn't have those (according to https://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/ads-api/adgroup/). Maybe it's something new?

Answer 1

After noticing the same issue arises when using the Power Manager, I reported a bug and was explained that this is by design, i.e. currently it's not an option available via API. Users who use API should define their goals implicitly by setting the correct bid info (e.g. "Clicks to website" is set by selecting bid_type=CPC or ABSOLUTE_CPM and setting appropriate bid_info.