Create a conversion with a CSV file manual upload

Last updated: 4 days ago

CSV conversions are connected to LinkedIn using a CSV file that you manually upload. If you choose to upload a CSV file, a few things to keep in mind: 

  • Data will need to be updated regularly using the CSV template. We recommend daily or weekly for the best results.   
  • When filling out the CSV template, the way you format your data must be identical to the template.   
  • The currency used in the template must be the same as the ad account currency.

Prerequisite: Before you create a CSV conversion

Before you can create a CSV conversion in Campaign Manager, we recommend you: 

Here's a tip

You can also choose to set up a Conversions API integration, which allows you to import data continuously and automatically into Campaign Manager.

To create a conversion using a CSV file: 

Step 1: Select CSV conversion as your source

  1. Go to your ad account in Campaign Manager.

  2. Click Measurement on the left menu, then click Conversion tracking.

  3. Click the Create conversion button and select CSV conversion.

Step 2: Create a conversion rule

  1. Name your conversion rule. This name will only be visible in Campaign Manager. 

    Here's a tip

    Name your conversion in a way that defines the key conversion behaviors you'll be tracking, like filling out a lead form or downloading a white paper. Use naming conventions that will easily keep track of different conversion events.

  2. Click the Select the category of the conversion dropdown menu and select a behavior (for example, Download or Lead). 

  3. Click the Set the value of the conversion dropdown and select either:

    • Use the same value - The same value will be applied for each conversion.
    • Use a dynamic value - The value will be determined from your connected source.
    • No value (not recommended) - A zero value will be used for each conversion event. Note, if you select no value, you can’t measure the impact of your ads.

  4. Add a Default Value for your conversion. If you selected:

    • Use the same value - Enter the value to be used for all conversions.
    • Use a dynamic value - Enter a default value. This is required in case we don’t receive a value from the connected source.

  5. Click the dropdown menus below Clicks and Views to select a time frame for when your clicks and views can be counted.

  6. Below Select the attribution model to specify how each ad interaction is credited, use the dropdown menu to select either:

    • Last Touch - Each ad set
    • Last Touch - Last ad set 

  7. Click Next step. 

Step 3: Upload your CSV file

  1. Below Select the file to use as the conversion source, select the circle next to either:

    • Upload a CSV list to upload a new list.
    • Select from previously used CSV lists to use a previously uploaded list.

  2. To upload a new list:

    1. Below Source name, give your list a name.
    2. Click the Select file button and select your list.

  3. To select from a previously used list:

    1. Search for your list using the search bar, or click Next to review your lists.
    2. Select the circle next to the list you'd like to use.

  4. Click Next step.

Step 4: Review and update the ad sets selected for your conversion  

After you set up your conversion, we’ll automatically select ad sets to associate with your conversion. You can review, add, or remove ad sets as needed. Ad set selection is determined by the category chosen in the Select the category of the conversion dropdown in Step 2 above.

Important to know

We’ll only automatically associate ad sets that are either Active, Draft, or Paused.

To review and update the ad sets selected: 

  1. On the Review page, review the details of your conversion. To see the selected ad sets, scroll to the Ad sets section and click below Selected ad sets.

  2. Optional: To edit the selected ad sets:

    1. Click Edit in the upper-right corner of the section.
    2. Select or clear the checkboxes next to the ad sets where you’d like to either apply or remove your conversion. To find a specific ad set, use the search bar at the top or filter using the Status or Objective dropdown menus.  
    3. Click Save.

  3. Click Create.

Step 5: Check the status of your conversion

After you’ve completed the set up, you can check the status in Campaign Manager.

  1. On your Conversion Tracking page in Campaign Manager, find your conversion rule. 

  2. Check the Status column. If you have any issues with your CSV upload, review the CSV conversions template requirements.

  3. When you’re reviewing your conversion status, you can also see the number of ad sets that are associated with your conversion in the Ad sets selected column. This number only includes ad sets that are Active, Draft, or Paused.

Optional: Add conversions when you create an ad set 

Once you’ve set up a conversion, you can add ad sets to your conversion from your Conversion Tracking page, or you can add conversions when you’re creating your ad set. If you’re adding conversions when creating your ad set, keep in mind, we’ll automatically select conversions to associate with your ad set based on your conversion category and objective selection. You can review, add, or remove conversions as needed.

Here's a tip

Conversions will only be tracked when attached to an ad set.

CSV conversions best practices 

We recommend you review the following best practices when creating a CSV conversion.

Topic Best practice
Choose the right conversion window for your conversions

For most conversions, choose a longer conversion window to help increase your chances of attributing a tracked conversion. We typically recommend a 90-day click, 90-day view window.

For long sales cycles or infrequent conversions, you can choose a 365-day conversion window for the following conversion events: Submit Application, Purchase, Add to Cart, Qualified Lead, and Lead.

Learn more about conversion windows.
Maximize conversions in your ad sets  You generally want to associate your conversions to as many applicable ad sets as possible to maximize chances of attributing a conversion.
Choose the right attribution model 

Use the Last Touch - Each Ad Set model, which gives credit to all ad sets that had an ad interaction within that window.

With this model, each conversion event will count across all ad sets that served an impression within the conversion window to the converting member.

Learn more about LinkedIn's conversion attribution models.

Related tasks 

Learn more