How do I send MQLs and SQLs from my CRM to LinkedIn as conversions?
TofuAnswer by the Tofu team · checked
Use one of two routes. The Conversions API (CAPI) sends each lead stage change to LinkedIn, either through your own build or a partner such as HubSpot's ad conversion events, Zapier or Salesforce Data 360. CRM Sync connects the CRM itself: per LinkedIn's help center, Salesforce directly in Campaign Manager, HubSpot and Dynamics 365 through Business Manager. Since API version 202608, CAPI has separate Marketing Qualified Lead and Sales Qualified Lead conversion types, and both feed LinkedIn's qualified leads optimization goal. Pick one route, not both, and send each qualified lead within 30 days.
As of October 2026.
Should I use the Conversions API or CRM Sync?
Use CAPI if you want separate MQL and SQL conversions you control. Use CRM Sync if you want LinkedIn to build conversions for you and also show pipeline and revenue in Campaign Manager. LinkedIn recommends you don't send qualified leads through both.
| Conversions API | CRM Sync | |
|---|---|---|
| How data gets to LinkedIn | Server to server, from your build or a partner | A connection to your CRM account |
| Who creates the conversions | You, on the Conversion tracking page | LinkedIn auto-creates them from Leads, Qualified Leads or Contacts in your CRM |
| CRMs | Any, through a direct build or partners (LinkedIn lists HubSpot, Salesforce Data 360, Segment, Tealium, Zapier and others) | Salesforce (directly in Campaign Manager); HubSpot and Dynamics 365 (through Business Manager) |
| MQL and SQL as separate types | Yes, from API version 202608 | Not listed. Auto-created conversions are based on Leads, Qualified Leads or Contacts |
| Longest conversion window | 365 days for qualified lead types | Not stated on LinkedIn's CRM Sync pages |
| Extra you get | Match rate and event details in the status panel | Revenue Attribution Report, pipeline and revenue metrics |
If both sources send qualified lead events, LinkedIn uses the CAPI events for optimization. Both still show up in the event list, and picking events from both sources for one ad set double counts conversions. CRM-based conversions carry an "auto-created" label, so check that the events on an ad set either all have it or all don't.
How do I do it from HubSpot?
The quickest route is HubSpot's ad conversion events, which use LinkedIn's Conversions API. You map a HubSpot lifecycle stage (for example, Marketing Qualified Lead or Sales Qualified Lead) to a LinkedIn conversion.
- Connect your LinkedIn Ads account to HubSpot.
- In HubSpot, go to Marketing > Ads and click Create event.
- Choose LinkedIn as the ad network, pick the ad account and the lifecycle stage, and set a value.
- In Data sharing settings, choose the contact data to send (HubSpot hashes email addresses with SHA256) and which contacts to share. HubSpot recommends sharing all contacts that move to the stage.
- Click Create event. The LinkedIn status shows Unverified until data syncs, then Active.
What to know, from HubSpot's help page (updated October 7, 2026):
- Only lifecycle stage changes that happen after you create the event count.
- LinkedIn takes events from the last 90 days, attributed within a lookback window that defaults to 90 days. You can't set a longer window in HubSpot, but you can change it in Campaign Manager after the conversion exists.
- Event limits: 5 on Marketing Hub Starter, 50 on Professional, 100 on Enterprise.
- HubSpot maps the lifecycle stage to the matching LinkedIn conversion type. To use a different type, edit the conversion rule in LinkedIn.
The other HubSpot route is CRM Sync through Business Manager. LinkedIn's page for it requires a HubSpot Sales Hub Pro or Enterprise license and admin access in both tools.
How do I do it from Salesforce?
You can connect Salesforce directly in Campaign Manager with CRM Sync:
- Go to your ad account, click Data, then Signals manager.
- Under Sources catalog, select Salesforce, then choose CRM Sync.
- Click Connect and sign in. When it works, CRM Sync shows Active.
You need an ad account owned by a Business Manager, account manager or billing admin access in Campaign Manager, and admin access in Business Manager. LinkedIn recommends a Salesforce Integration User with API Enabled turned on.
If you want separate MQL and SQL conversion types, use CAPI instead, through a direct build or a partner. LinkedIn lists Salesforce Data 360 and Salesforce via Zapier as options.
Using Dynamics 365? LinkedIn's sources disagree. A LinkedIn blog post from September 14, 2026 says you can link "Salesforce or Dynamics CRM directly inside Campaign Manager." The help page for connecting a CRM in Campaign Manager, last updated about four months ago, says only Salesforce connects directly, and Dynamics 365 and HubSpot should connect through Business Manager. Check the Sources catalog in Signals manager. If Dynamics 365 isn't there, use Business Manager.
What changed in August and September 2026?
Three things, all in LinkedIn's Marketing API:
- Version 202608 (August 2026): the
/conversionsendpoint supportsMARKETING_QUALIFIED_LEADandSALES_QUALIFIED_LEADas conversion types, next to the existingQUALIFIED_LEAD. Events on these types are used in the qualified leads optimization goal. - September 2026 (announced with 202609, works on all active versions): qualified lead types (and a few others) can use a 180-day attribution window, in addition to the existing 365-day option.
- Version 202609: CAPI accepts
hashedFirstNameandhashedLastName(SHA-256, 64 characters) as well as plain-text names for matching.
If you read an older guide that says to use QUALIFIED_LEAD only, that was right at the time. LinkedIn's changelog shows it stopped accepting MQL and SQL types for new rules in version 202408, then brought them back in 202608.
One LinkedIn help page doesn't mention the new types. Its guide to creating a qualified leads ad set still says to select Qualified lead when you set up a CAPI conversion rule. The API changelog says MQL and SQL types also feed the goal.
Can LinkedIn optimize my ads for MQLs or SQLs?
Yes, with the qualified leads optimization goal. It has limits:
- Only for the lead generation objective, and your ads must have a LinkedIn Lead Gen Form. LinkedIn says the event sources track "LinkedIn generated leads" that have qualified offline.
- It uses maximum delivery bidding by default. For lead gen ad sets that meet the requirements, the goal defaults to qualified leads.
- Share each qualified lead within 30 days, or it won't be used for optimization.
- Expect a two-week learning phase. LinkedIn recommends five or more qualified leads within two weeks.
- Your cost per lead may go up while cost per qualified lead goes down. LinkedIn suggests judging on cost per qualified lead.
You can attach several qualified lead conversions (for example, one MQL and one SQL) to an ad set, as long as they come from the same source.
How long a conversion window can I use?
For most conversions you can pick 1, 7, 30 or 90 days for clicks and for views. The default is 90-day click and 90-day view. With CAPI or a CSV upload, Qualified Lead, Marketing Qualified Lead and Sales Qualified Lead (among others) can also use 180 or 365 days. Window changes only apply to conversions counted after the change.
How long until data shows up?
| Route | What to expect |
|---|---|
| CRM Sync | Up to 72 hours for data to reach Business Manager, then another 24 to 48 hours for Campaign Manager. Auto-created conversions can take up to 72 hours |
| CRM Sync auto-created conversions | You must approve the ad sets LinkedIn assigns. Until then the conversion shows Unverified. Up to 72 hours to turn Active after approval |
| CAPI | Status shows "Awaiting activity" for 48 hours after you create the conversion, then "No activity detected" if nothing arrives. Event counts and match rate can take a few hours |
Find the status under Measure > Conversion tracking, in the Status column.
Why don't LinkedIn and my CRM show the same numbers?
They aren't expected to match. LinkedIn counts a conversion only inside its window, uses last-touch attribution, and counts one conversion per member in the window for most types. HubSpot's help page also says its LinkedIn totals won't match HubSpot's data, because of how LinkedIn calculates each metric.
Sources (12)
- Recent Marketing API Changes (Microsoft Learn), checked October 23, 2026
- LinkedIn conversion window, checked October 23, 2026
- Qualified leads optimization goal, checked October 23, 2026
- Connect your CRM in Campaign Manager, checked October 23, 2026
- Create an ad set with the qualified leads optimization goal, checked October 23, 2026
- LinkedIn Conversions API, checked October 23, 2026
- Use CRM Sync to share CRM data from Business Manager for use in Campaign Manager, checked October 23, 2026
- Connect HubSpot CRM to Business Manager, checked October 23, 2026
- Use auto-created conversions in Campaign Manager, checked October 23, 2026
- Understand your conversion status in Campaign Manager, checked October 23, 2026
- Create and sync ad conversion events with your LinkedIn Ads account (HubSpot), checked October 23, 2026
- How to Turn Company Engagement Into Customers in 3 Steps on LinkedIn (LinkedIn blog), checked October 23, 2026