Advanced Matching
Advanced Matching improves how accurately Meta links your pixel events to real Facebook users. When enabled, Pixel Plus attaches hashed customer data to every eligible event. Meta uses this data to match events to users even when cookies are blocked or the customer is browsing in a private window. The result is better attribution, higher match quality scores, and more accurate custom audiences.
🔍 What data is sent
All data is hashed (SHA-256) before it leaves your server — Meta never receives raw personal information.
| Data field | What it contains | Available for |
|---|---|---|
em | Email address (hashed) | Logged-in customers, guest checkout |
ph | Phone number (hashed) | Logged-in customers (if stored) |
fn | First name (hashed) | Logged-in customers |
ln | Last name (hashed) | Logged-in customers |
ct | City (hashed) | Logged-in customers with address |
st | State/region (hashed) | Logged-in customers with address |
zp | ZIP / postal code (hashed) | Logged-in customers with address |
country | Country code (hashed) | Logged-in customers with address |
ge | Gender (hashed) | Logged-in customers (if stored) |
db | Date of birth (hashed) | Logged-in customers (if stored) |
external_id | PrestaShop customer ID (hashed) | All logged-in customers |
For guest checkouts, Pixel Plus can send the email address entered during checkout. Other fields (name, address) may also be available if the customer fills in the address form. No data is sent for anonymous visitors who haven't interacted with a form.
⚙️ Configuration
- Go to Modules > Module Manager in your Back Office
- Find Pixel Plus and click Configure
- Navigate to the General Settings or CAPI tab
- Find the Advanced Matching section
- Enable Advanced Matching and select which data groups to send:
- Contact data — email, phone
- Personal data — name, gender, date of birth
- Address data — city, state, country, ZIP
- Click Save
You do not need to enable all groups. Email alone provides a strong match signal. Address data adds incremental improvement but requires the customer to have a saved address on file.
Enable at least Contact data (email). This single field provides the highest lift in match quality. Personal and address data add smaller incremental gains — enable them if you have the data and your privacy policy covers it.
🔒 Privacy and GDPR considerations
Advanced Matching sends hashed personal data to Meta. Even though the data is hashed, under GDPR this is still considered personal data processing — the customer can be identified from the hash via their known email address.
What you must do:
- Update your store's Privacy Policy to disclose that you share hashed personal data with Meta for advertising purposes
- Ensure your cookie consent mechanism covers this use case — if you use a Consent Mode integration, Advanced Matching data should only be sent after the customer accepts marketing/analytics cookies
- If you use the Deferred Pixel Loading feature, Advanced Matching data is automatically withheld until the pixel loads — which respects your consent flow
Smart Modules provides the technical tools for Advanced Matching. Compliance with applicable privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) is the responsibility of the store operator. Consult your legal advisor about the appropriate consent mechanism for your market.
📈 Match quality score
After enabling Advanced Matching, you can see the impact in Meta Events Manager under Events > Match Quality.
Meta assigns a score from 0 to 10 for each event type:
- Score 4+ is considered good for non-purchase events
- Score 8+ is the target for Purchase events
Scores rarely exceed 9.5 even with all fields enabled. Typical results with email + external_id enabled:
- Purchase events: 7–9
- Other events: 4–6
The score reflects how often Meta can match your events to a Facebook user. More fields = higher score. Email is the single most valuable field.
💡 Examples
Example: Logged-in customer views a product
Pixel Plus fires a ViewContent event and attaches the customer's hashed email, name, and external_id. Meta matches this event to the customer's Facebook profile (if they're logged in to Facebook on the same device or if the email matches). The event is attributed correctly even if the _fbp cookie is missing.
Example: Guest customer completes checkout
The customer entered their email during checkout. Pixel Plus attaches the hashed email to the Purchase event via CAPI. Even without a _fbp cookie, Meta can match the Purchase to a Facebook user via the email hash — improving ROAS reporting accuracy.
✅ Final Checklist
- Enable Advanced Matching in Pixel Plus settings
- Enable at minimum Contact data (email)
- Update your store's Privacy Policy to mention hashed data sharing with Meta
- Verify your cookie consent flow covers marketing data before enabling for GDPR-regulated markets
- Check Match Quality score in Meta Events Manager 24–48 hours after enabling
- Review that Purchase events score 8+ (target) with your current data configuration
Does Advanced Matching send raw customer data to Meta?
No. All data is hashed using SHA-256 before leaving your server. Meta never receives raw emails, phone numbers, or personal details. The hash allows Meta to match events to users without exposing the original data.
Which data field has the biggest impact on match quality?
Email address has the highest impact. Enabling Contact data alone provides a strong lift in match quality scores. Personal and address data add smaller incremental improvements on top of email.
Can I use Advanced Matching for guest checkout customers?
Yes. For guest checkouts, Pixel Plus can send the email address entered during checkout. Other fields like name and address may also be available if the customer fills in the address form during the order process.
Do I need to update my Privacy Policy when enabling Advanced Matching?
Yes. Under GDPR, sending hashed personal data to Meta is still considered personal data processing. Update your Privacy Policy to disclose that you share hashed customer data with Meta for advertising purposes.
What match quality score should I aim for on Purchase events?
The target for Purchase events is a score of 8 or higher out of 10. Scores rarely exceed 9.5 even with all fields enabled. Non-purchase events are considered good at a score of 4 or above.