How to Connect a CRM to Facebook Lead Ads

Connecting a CRM means you no longer download a new CSV file each time you want to see new leads. Meta says your new leads then become available in the CRM automatically and in real time. A CRM isn’t required to run lead ads, but it lets your team act on new leads straight away, and Meta notes that, in general, the longer you wait to follow up, the less likely a lead is to convert.

Which kinds of CRM integration are there?

Type	How Meta describes it
Direct	Connects your CRM system straight to Meta Business Suite
Third-party	Uses tools such as Zapier and LeadsBridge; Meta says no coding is required
Custom	You build your own tool to upload leads with webhooks and the Graph API

If you’d rather not set it up yourself, Meta suggests asking a Meta Business Partner.

How do you connect a CRM in Meta Business Suite?

Meta says admins of the Facebook Page who have leads access permission can connect a CRM.

1. Go to your Facebook Page.
2. Go to More tools and click Meta Business Suite.
3. Click All tools, then Instant forms under Advertise.
4. Select the CRM setup tab.
5. Search for your CRM and select it.
6. Click Connect from website and follow the CRM’s own instructions.
7. If the CRM is listed as “through Zapier”, click Connect and follow the steps there.
8. Open your CRM provider’s website to view and manage the leads.

Meta says you can test the integration after connecting it through Business Suite.

Why might leads still not arrive?

Leads Access decides who, and which CRMs, can receive leads. If nobody has customized it, the CRM gets leads automatically. If someone with full control of the business portfolio has customized it, you must assign the CRM permission in Leads Access before leads appear. Meta adds that a CRM fetching leads with a user or Page access token fails if the people behind that token don’t have leads access.

Can you connect more than one CRM?

Yes. Meta says you can add, manage and delete multiple CRMs in Business Suite, share leads from a given form or campaign with any connected CRM, and choose which of them has lead access for a campaign.

How do you remove a CRM integration?

1. Go to your profile settings and click Business integrations.
2. Select the Active tab.
3. Find the CRM, check its box and click Remove.
4. Click Remove again to confirm.

If several Page admins connected the same CRM, each must remove it. An integration set up on the CRM’s website can only be edited or removed there.

FAQ

Do I need a CRM to run lead ads?

No. Meta says a CRM integration has benefits but isn’t required. Without one, you download the leads you collect from Ads Manager or Meta Business Suite instead. Remember that downloads only reach back 90 days from each lead’s submission, so export often if you don’t connect a CRM.

Is this the same as sending lead quality back to Meta?

No. Pulling leads into your CRM is one direction. Meta says that when you select the conversion leads performance goal, you can connect your CRM to send downstream information back to Meta. You start that connection in Ads Manager while creating a lead ad, or in Events Manager, and a direct integration uses the Conversions API.

Why can’t I edit my CRM integration in Business Suite?

Meta says that if you integrated the CRM through an external website, you can’t edit or disconnect it from Meta Business Suite. Visit your CRM provider’s website for instructions on changing or removing the integration.