Improving Event Match Quality (EMQ)

Last updated: January 30, 2026 • 5 min read

Guide to improving Event Match Quality scores in Facebook by providing complete and accurate user data.

Introduction

Event Match Quality (EMQ) measures how well Facebook can match your server-side events to Facebook users. Higher EMQ scores lead to better conversion tracking and more accurate attribution. This guide explains how to improve your EMQ scores.

Note: EMQ is specific to Facebook Conversions API. Similar principles apply to TikTok and other platforms for better event matching.

What is Event Match Quality (EMQ)?

EMQ is Facebook's measurement of how well they can match your events to Facebook users:

High EMQ: Facebook can match most events to users (better tracking)
Low EMQ: Facebook struggles to match events (poorer tracking)
Range: EMQ scores range from 0 to 10
Goal: Aim for EMQ scores above 7-8

EMQ Factors

Facebook considers multiple factors for EMQ:

User Data Quality: Complete and accurate user information
Email & Phone: Most important identifiers for matching
Cookie Data: fbc and fbp cookies improve matching
IP Address: Client IP address helps with matching
User Agent: Browser/device information
Additional Data: Names, location, and other fields help improve EMQ

User Data Requirements

To maximize EMQ, include comprehensive user data:

Essential Fields

Email (em): Most important for matching - include whenever available
Phone (ph): Second most important - include with country code
Client IP Address: Automatically captured by ServerTrack
User Agent: Automatically captured by ServerTrack

High-Value Fields

First Name (fn) & Last Name (ln): Improve matching accuracy
City (ct), State (st), Zip Code (zp): Location data helps matching
Country: Always include country code
Date of Birth (db): Additional identifier for matching

Email & Phone Collection

Email and phone are the most critical for EMQ:

Collection Timing: Best collected at checkout/registration
Format: Use proper formats (lowercase email, phone with country code)
Validation: Validate email format and phone number format
Consistency: Use same email/phone format across all events

// Example: Collect email and phone at checkout
const userData = {
    em: orderData.email?.toLowerCase().trim(),
    ph: orderData.phone?.replace(/\D/g, ''), // Remove non-digits
    fn: orderData.firstName?.toLowerCase(),
    ln: orderData.lastName?.toLowerCase(),
    country: orderData.country?.toLowerCase().substring(0, 2)
};

Hashing Standards

ServerTrack handles hashing automatically:

SHA256 Hashing: PII is hashed using SHA256 (Facebook standard)
Normalization: Data is normalized (lowercase, trimmed) before hashing
Automatic Processing: You send raw data, ServerTrack handles hashing

Important: Send raw, unhashed data to ServerTrack. We handle hashing automatically using SHA256.

fbc and fbp Cookies

Facebook cookies improve matching:

fbc (Facebook Click ID): Tracks users who clicked Facebook ads
fbp (Facebook Browser ID): Identifies browser sessions
Automatic Capture: ServerTrack automatically captures these cookies
Client-Side: Ensure Facebook Pixel is installed to generate these cookies

EMQ Monitoring

Monitor EMQ in Facebook Events Manager:

Events Manager: Navigate to Events Manager → Data Sources → Your Pixel
Event Match Quality: View EMQ scores for each event type
Trend Analysis: Monitor EMQ trends over time
Identify Issues: Low EMQ indicates missing or poor-quality user data

Improving EMQ

Strategies to improve EMQ:

Collect More Data: Include email, phone, names, location
Data Quality: Ensure data is accurate and properly formatted
Consistent Formatting: Use consistent formats across all events
Install Facebook Pixel: Ensure browser pixel is installed for fbc/fbp cookies
Focus on High-Value Events: Prioritize data collection for Purchase events

Best Practices

Always Include Email: Email is the single most important field
Include Phone When Available: Phone significantly improves EMQ
Complete User Profiles: Include names, location when possible
Proper Formatting: Normalize data before sending (lowercase, trimmed)
Monitor Regularly: Check EMQ scores in Events Manager

Summary

Improving EMQ requires:

Collecting comprehensive user data (email, phone, names, location)
Ensuring data quality and proper formatting
Including fbc/fbp cookies (via Facebook Pixel)
Monitoring EMQ scores in Events Manager
Focusing on high-value events (Purchase, InitiateCheckout)

Higher EMQ scores lead to better conversion tracking and more accurate attribution in Facebook Ads.