🚧

Northbeam Apex is currently only available for select Enterprise customers.

To see if you qualify and enable access, please fill out the Northbeam Request Form.

👍

See the full results of our Apex Beta Test.

Featuring 25 brands and $1.5m in ad spend across a range of industries, AOVs, and attribution models.

Optimize your Meta ads to dramatically improve revenue and lower customer acquisition costs by using first-party Northbeam data. Apex is a direct integration that requires no additional setup or development and no additional interaction – just turn it on and watch your key metrics improve.

What is Northbeam Apex?

Northbeam Apex is a direct integration between Northbeam and Meta that allows Meta’s ad algorithm to optimize using Northbeam performance data.

With Apex, Meta can integrate first-party, multi-touch performance signals into their algorithm’s optimization process. This means you can finally optimize your ad delivery against the Northbeam MTA data you already trust.

With a more informed end-to-end signal that includes conversions and the ads leading up to purchase, Meta's algorithm's can better understand how your ads affect the entire customer journey and optimize more effectively than ever before..

This integration requires no development work or technical expertise to operate. If you have confirmed access to Northbeam Apex, please see the How to Enable Northbeam Apex section.

🚧

Once again, please note: at this time, Apex is available at no cost for select Enterprise-level Northbeam customers by request only.

If you have not confirmed Apex access with a Northbeam account executive, you will not be able to activate this integration. If you wish to request Apex, please do so here.

How does Apex work?

Folks who work on the day-to-day management of Meta Ads are familiar with the idea that “Meta will look to optimize any campaign’s spend around the best performing ad sets / ads within a campaign.”

That powerful optimization process from Meta still occurs while Apex is turned on, but there’s a key difference.

Apex passes proprietary Northbeam MTA data to Meta, providing a holistic and more accurate view of how your ads are performing.

📘

With Apex, more spend is allocated to the true top performing ads rather than what Meta identifies as top performing ads.

To explain how Apex works, below is an example that uses anonymized data from one of our brands doing a beta test. The beta test uses the top 3 performing ads from this brand’s campaigns and illustrates a singular example of what was observed in aggregate.

Follow along with the bulleted numbers in the chart:

1. In these campaigns, Meta's algorithm was attempting to spend budget (the "mix") most efficiently based on ROAS. In the Control campaign where Apex was not applied, the mix was distributed based on Meta-reported ROAS. You can see that in the control, Meta's ad algorithm gave ads #1 and #2 the most budget mix.
2. Ads #1 and #2 received the most budget mix in the control because they show the highest Meta-reported ROAS. In this way, we can see that Meta's algorithm is working as expected. However, according to Northbeam-reported ROAS, ad #2 was NOT the highest ROAS performer, even though it collected the most budget.
3. In the test campaign where Apex is applied, Ad #1 earned a much larger share of budget mix. You can see it got this budget share because it's Northbeam Reported ROAS is so much higher than the other ads. In this way we can see that Northbeam Apex is functioning as expected.
4. However, Meta reports that Ads #2 and #3 outperformed Ad #1. We know this is not true because Northbeam data captures such a wider context of performance. Once again, it is clear that Northbeam Apex will allocate budget mix to the ads that are actually driving real performance in your ad account.

Northbeam Apex vs CAPI and other tools

Apex is radically different from typical conversion enrichment tools leveraging Meta Conversions API (CAPI).

These tools primarily focus on something called “enrichment.” They attempt to gather information on individual users by building identity and device graphs on your site. They then attempt to “enrich” Meta’s data with previously-unavailable parameters like website behavior or email campaign touchpoints.

In theory, this is supposed to give Meta's algorithm additional signals on user behavior. The rise of ad blockers, new privacy restrictions, and blocked third-party cookies are limiting Meta’s ability to collect touchpoints along the customer journey.

Apex is different. Rather than enriching user-level data, Apex summarizes your Meta performance at the ad level and passes that back to Meta. Meta’s ad algorithms optimize your ads based on what Northbeam reports as the true performance of those ads.

Think of it this way: both Meta and Northbeam are generating numbers on how well your ads are performing. Meta’s reported performance calculations (CAC, ROAS, etc) are based on what data Meta has access to, like in-app behaviors, anything passed back via the CAPI, and Meta Shops purchases. Meta optimizes their ad algorithm using their own data when determining how to deliver your ads to users.

Northbeam performance data is much more comprehensive. Because of Northbeam’s state-of-the-art machine learning models, identity and device graphs, and ability to measure customer touchpoints across multiple channels at the same time, Northbeam data provides a clearer picture of how your Meta ads are actually performing in the context of your entire marketing strategy.

With Apex, Meta can optimize delivery of your ad campaigns using laser-accurate Northbeam data instead of Meta’s inherently limited data.

Apex-empowered campaigns consistently outperformed identical non-Apex campaigns in our beta test. It makes sense: providing a better performance signal back to Meta’s powerful ad algorithms results in more effective delivery of ads. That’s why digital marketers have been asking for this feature for years.

See the below graphic for a visual explanation.

In this example, Meta does not have enough information to properly attribute the $100 purchase to a Meta first-touch. With a conversions API tool, Meta is able to attribute that a conversion happened, but the enrichment tool overestimates Meta’s contribution, resulting in ad delivery optimizations that are inaccurate.

1. In this hypothetical customer journey, the customer has a Meta touchpoint followed by two other touchpoints. Perhaps the user clicked a Meta ad, clicked a YouTube ad, then Googled your brand and clicked a branded search listing before making the $100 purchase.
2. Most CAPI or enrichment tools would be able to properly track that Meta first-touch and will report back to Meta the value of the conversion, meaning Meta would report $100 in ad-attributed revenue.
3. This gives the digital marketer running the ad zero insight into how the other paid touchpoints actually affected the conversion. It also means that Meta’s algorithm will optimize future ads as if Meta’s ads are the only touchpoints in the journey, which we know is not true in this hypothetical scenario.
4. Northbeam Apex, however, has the ability to track all those touchpoints with multi-touch attribution. Northbeam data can understand that the first two touchpoints are the most important, as the branded search ad click is basically equivalent to an organic search in this scenario. The search touchpoint doesn’t deserve credit for generating the purchase - it only assisted the user in finding your site and purchasing.
5. As a result, Apex assigns only 50% credit to the Meta ad, and 50% credit to the other paid platform. This is a more conservative (but more accurate) view on ad performance, usually. Apex then passes that information back to Meta. This means that Meta’s algorithm understands your Meta ads were only 50% responsible for the conversion, and can optimize the rest of your ads accordingly.

How to request Northbeam Apex

👍

Please fill out the Apex Request Form and we will reach out with next steps.

At this time, Apex is only available for Enterprise-level Northbeam customers. If you are not an Enterprise-level customer but wish to be added to the waitlist, please fill out the form.

How to enable Northbeam Apex

🚧

This section is still under construction. Please contact us directly with any questions on setting up Apex.

Note: you will not be able to access Northbeam Apex until our team turns it on for you. Please fill out the Request Northbeam Apex form and we will be in touch with next steps.

If our team has confirmed that you have access to Northbeam Apex, please follow the instructions below to activate.

1. While logged into Northbeam as your account’s admin user, click the “Settings” button represented by a gear in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
2. Scroll down to the “Onboarding Tasks” section and click on “Connections.”
3. Scroll to the top of Connections and find the section pertaining to the Facebook Ads integration.
4. Click the “Share Northbeam Attribution Data with Meta” toggle as seen in the screenshot below. The toggle will turn purple when activated.

This will activate Northbeam Apex. You can expect a delay of about an hour between flipping the switch and Apex taking effect on your algorithm.

📘

As with any campaign level performance media test, it is best to leave Apex running for a week or two before making any conclusions about how well it is performing.

Northbeam Apex Beta Case Studies

After months of promising alpha testing, the official Apex Beta went live in Q2 2024. Our goal was to run diverse tests to get a strong sense of expected impact of Apex on a brand’s ad performance.

Beta testers each created two identical campaigns in their Meta accounts using real, proven ads. One campaign had Apex applied to it’s ad algorithm by Meta, the other did not. This A/B test gave direct, measurable results about the effectiveness of Apex at a granular and distinctly measurable level.

This study incorporated a wide array of business sizes and business contexts:

👍

Apex Beta Test, June 2024:

• 13% of the brands participating were under $50M in 2023 Annual Revenue.
• 45% of the brands participating were between $50M and $99M.
• 42% of the brands participating were over $100M+ in revenue.
• Average order values ranged from $50 to $450
  Other attributes of these beta testing brands:
  • More than eight different industries represented in the beta
  • A mixture of those who have Meta Shops enabled vs those who do not
  • Some brands who focus on subscriptions vs those who do not
  • Each prefer various optimization settings and attribution windows

In total, roughly $1,500,000 was spent on these tests across 25+ brands who participated in our initial Beta program.

The Results

Across the board, Apex-empowered campaigns showed improvements across several important metrics. These results varied depending on size and spend, but many large brands spending huge budgets still found double-digit performance improvements in their Apex campaigns.

Combining attribution and optimization is the natural future of multi-touch attribution. Additional signal into Meta’s powerful algorithm is an almost -surefire way to get improved results. We consider Apex a pivotal opportunity for any brands seeking incremental improvements on Meta. These results were generated with no additional tech or development work – Apex is activated quite literally with the flip of a switch.

The results of this beta test suggest that Apex is a powerful, low-lift integration for any brands seeking to find improved Meta performance.

Key findings

When comparing control campaigns to identical but Apex-empowered test campaigns, the test campaigns showed:

👍

Apex Beta Test Results, June 2024:

• Conversion Rate increases across the board. 100% of brands in the study saw conversion rates improve by a median of +34.0%.
• Blended ROAS improved across most brands. 91% of brands in the study saw a median +15.5% improvement in ROAS for Apex-empowered campaigns compared to controls.
• New Customer ROAS was improved across campaigns. 91% of brands saw a median NC ROAS increase of +16.6% in the test campaigns.
• New Customer CPA dropped double digits. 91% of brands in the study saw New Customer Cost Per Acquisition decrease by a median -12.9% in the test campaigns.

Note: Results vary by account. All improvements are displayed as median due to high-performing outliers.

Apex FAQs

Why is it called Northbeam Apex?

In motorsport racing, the “apex” is a point in the inside of a corner that a racing vehicle passes closest to. For drivers, “hitting the apex” is key for maximizing racing time, passing through corners quickly, and preparing for the next corner. To master an apex requires the perfect combination of expertise, execution, and efficiency.

Northbeam Apex brings those same qualities to your Meta ad account, hence the name “Apex.”

I am not an Enterprise-level Northbeam user. When will I be able to access Apex?

At the moment, Apex is only available to Enterprise customers. Please fill out the Apex Request Form to get on the waitlist.

What does it cost?

At this time, Apex is provided at no additional cost to qualifying customers.

What happens once I turn on Apex?

The Apex feature will be applied to all the campaigns in your ad account within an hour of activating the switch described in the How to Enable Northbeam Apex section.

Can I test Apex on certain campaigns before turning it on across my entire account?

Currently, Apex is enabled account-wide. It is still in early phases of availability, so more granular controls such as selecting or excluding certain campaigns is not yet available. Apex beta results show extremely promising capabilities, so at the moment it remains an account-wide enablement.

What if I have multiple Northbeam accounts for different regions?

You will need to turn on Apex for each region. You can provide consent for all these regions at the same time, as long as the Northbeam account admin is the same across all your accounts. Apex works for each specific region and ad account - it does not blend this data together across your accounts.

Are there any limitations on ad formats, buying objectives, or other campaign setups?

There are no limitations on ad formats, conversion objectives, or other campaign setups at this time. All your campaigns are eligible for Apex.

I am onboarding Northbeam right now. When will I be able to activate Apex?

Once our team has validated that your data is properly integrated into Northbeam, we will make Apex available to turn on. This is to protect the accuracy and integrity of your datasets. Stay in contact with your Northbeam representatives through the onboarding process to know when Apex will be available to you as a new customer.

Will turning on Apex send my campaigns back into learning phase?

No, activating Apex will not reset the learning phase at any level.