In Egypt and much of the region, a large share of Meta ads send people to WhatsApp or Messenger instead of a website. That changes what you can measure. Ads Manager counts the conversation; the sale happens later, in the business's chats, where Meta can't see it unless the business tells it. A good report says clearly which is which.
What Meta counts
The main result of a messaging ad is messaging conversations started: the number of times people started messaging the business after at least 7 days of no messaging activity, attributed to the ads (Meta). It covers Messenger, Instagram Direct and WhatsApp Business, and includes both people messaging the business for the first time and people returning after the 7-day gap. Meta labels this metric as in development.
Next to it, Ads Manager offers a few related metrics (Meta):
| Metric | What it counts | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging conversations started | Conversations started after 7+ days of inactivity, attributed to ads | The main result |
| Cost per messaging conversation started | Amount spent ÷ conversations started | What each conversation cost |
| New messaging connections | People added as messaging connections, attributed to ads | New people reached in chat |
| Cost per new messaging connection | Amount spent ÷ new connections (Meta) | What each new contact cost |
| New blocked messaging connections | Times people blocked the business, attributed to ads | Whether the ads attract the wrong people |
What Meta can't see
Meta counts up to the moment a conversation starts. Whether the business replied, how fast, and whether the chat turned into an order happen in the business's inbox.
That is why a messaging campaign's cost per result is a cost per conversation, not a cost per sale. 1,000 conversations at 15 EGP each look the same in Ads Manager whether they became 40 orders or 200.
Close the loop with the client
To report what the ads actually sold, combine Meta's numbers with the client's:
- Ask for orders from chat. A simple weekly count of orders that came through WhatsApp or Messenger, with their value, is enough to start.
- Tell campaigns apart. Click-to-WhatsApp ads can carry a pre-filled message that the person sends to open the chat (Meta). A different opening message per campaign lets the business see which campaign each chat came from.
- Work out the cost per order. Amount spent ÷ orders from chat. With 15,000 EGP spent and 120 orders, that is 125 EGP per order, against 15 EGP per conversation.
- Send the orders back to Meta, if the business can. The Conversions API for Business Messaging lets a business share events such as purchases and leads from Messenger, Instagram Direct and WhatsApp chats with Meta (Meta). It needs a technical setup, usually through a messaging platform, but it lets Meta see and optimise for sales instead of conversations.
What to report
- Conversations started and cost per conversation, per campaign. This is what the ads delivered.
- Blocks, when they rise. They suggest the ads are reaching people who don't want to hear from the business.
- Orders from chat and cost per order, from the client's records, clearly labelled as coming from the business, not from Meta.
- The gap between them. If conversations rose but orders didn't, the problem may be in the replies, not the ads: slow answers, no prices, or a weak follow-up.
How Adams Analytics reports messaging ads
Adams Analytics uses Meta's own Results figure for each messaging campaign whenever Meta provides it, so messages are counted the way Ads Manager counts them, with a cost per message for each goal. Messages are never added together with purchases or leads: each goal is reported on its own line. See how it works.
Questions
What counts as a messaging conversation started?
A conversation that someone started with the business after at least 7 days with no messages, attributed to the ads. It covers Messenger, Instagram Direct and WhatsApp Business.
Does a conversation started mean a sale?
No. Meta counts the start of the conversation. Whether it became an order happens in the business’s chats, and Meta only sees it if the business sends it back.
Why are there fewer conversations in Ads Manager than chats in WhatsApp?
Ads Manager counts only conversations attributed to the ads, and only one per person per 7 days of inactivity. Chats from other sources and repeat messages within a week aren’t counted.
What is a new messaging connection?
A person the business added as a messaging connection, attributed to the ads. Meta calculates its cost as the amount spent divided by new messaging connections.
How do I report sales from WhatsApp ads?
Get the number and value of orders that came through chat from the client, divide the amount spent by the orders to get a cost per order, and label it as the client’s figure. Businesses with a technical setup can also send purchases back to Meta.
Sources
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Start free trialWritten by the Adams Analytics team and checked against Meta’s documentation and our own product. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at support@buildincairo.com.
