LinkedIn Conversions API (CAPI)

Send server-side conversion events from LeadMachine to LinkedIn Campaign Manager for accurate ad attribution.

What is LinkedIn CAPI?

The LinkedIn Conversions API (CAPI) lets you send CRM events directly to LinkedIn so you can:

  • Track ad-driven leads - See which LinkedIn ads generated leads in your CRM
  • Measure deal outcomes - Report deal wins/losses back to LinkedIn for ROI measurement
  • Improve ad targeting - LinkedIn uses conversion data to optimize your campaigns
  • Bypass browser limitations - Server-side events aren't affected by ad blockers or cookie restrictions

Setup Guide

The CAPI section on the LinkedIn integration page walks you through three steps:

Step 1: Save Your Access Token

  1. Open LinkedIn Campaign Manager
  2. Go to Conversions API > Direct API
  3. Click Generate token and copy it (it will only be shown once)
  4. Paste the token in the Access Token field on the LinkedIn integration page and click Save

Step 2: Add Conversion Rules

Each rule maps a LeadMachine CRM event to a LinkedIn conversion rule:

  1. In Campaign Manager, go to Analyze > Conversion tracking
  2. Click Create conversion, choose a type (e.g. Lead, Purchase), and select Conversions API as the method
  3. Copy the Conversion Rule ID
  4. Back in LeadMachine, select the CRM Event, paste the Rule ID, give it a name, and click Save

Available CRM events:

CRM EventFires WhenTypical LinkedIn Conversion
---------------------------------------------------
lead_createdNew lead is added to LeadMachineLead, Sign Up
lead_qualifiedLead status is changed to "qualified"Qualified Lead
deal_createdA deal is created from a leadKey Page View
deal_wonA deal is marked as wonPurchase, Conversion
deal_lostA deal is marked as lost(For attribution analysis)

Step 3: Verify

  1. Click the play icon next to any rule to send a test event
  2. Check the Recent Events log to confirm it was sent successfully
  3. In Campaign Manager, go to the Conversions API dashboard to verify LinkedIn received the event (may take up to 24 hours)

How It Works

When a mapped CRM event occurs, LeadMachine automatically:

  1. Checks if the company has an active CAPI rule for that event type
  2. Hashes the lead's email address (SHA-256) for privacy
  3. Sends the conversion event to LinkedIn's API with the hashed PII
  4. Logs the result (success/failure) in the event log

All data is sent server-side - no client-side JavaScript or cookies involved.

Privacy & Security

  • Email addresses are SHA-256 hashed before being sent to LinkedIn
  • Only the hashed email is shared - no other PII is transmitted
  • Each company's CAPI configuration is isolated (company-scoped)
  • Tokens are stored securely and never displayed in the UI after saving

Troubleshooting

Events Not Sending

Check:

  • CAPI access token is saved (look for the green checkmark)
  • The conversion rule is set to Active
  • The Conversion Rule ID matches what's in LinkedIn Campaign Manager
  • Your LinkedIn Ad Account is still connected

Events Show Error Status

Common errors:

  • 401 - Access token expired. Generate a new one in Campaign Manager
  • 403 - Token doesn't have permission for this ad account
  • 404 - Invalid Conversion Rule ID
  • 422 - Missing required data (lead may not have an email)

Events Not Appearing in LinkedIn

  • LinkedIn can take up to 24 hours to process conversion events
  • Check the Conversions API dashboard in Campaign Manager for recent events
  • Ensure your conversion is assigned to an active campaign

Last Updated: February 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

The Conversions API lets you send CRM events (lead created, deal won) directly to LinkedIn for ad attribution, bypassing browser limitations like ad blockers.

You can map lead_created, lead_qualified, deal_created, deal_won, and deal_lost events to LinkedIn conversion rules.

Only a SHA-256 hash of the email address is sent. No other PII is transmitted to LinkedIn.