All about Facebook Pixel and why do need it
Facebook Pixel is an analytics tool that tracks what users do on a website: which pages they visit, which buttons and links they click on, which forms they fill out, and other actions. It allows for the creation of audiences for advertising campaigns on Facebook.
What is Facebook Pixel and why do you need it?
The pixel is a piece of code in JavaScript. It can be found in the Events Manager section.
The pixel code needs to be put at the bottom of the section header of the website above the </head> tag. For proper functioning, the code should be placed on all pages of the website.
Pixel tracks the site's audience and actions that users take. To enable the pixel to track actions, you need to set up the events.
Data collected by the pixel includes:
- Views of all pages and key pages such as catalogue pages, product pages, etc.
- Search queries
- Adding a product to the cart, favorites, wishlist, etc.
- Initiating the checkout process
- Adding payment information during checkout
- Completing the checkout process, making a purchase
- Submitting a form, receiving a trial version of a product, etc.
- Completing registration.
How does Pixel work?
To track user behavior, the pixel matches the website visitor with their Facebook or Instagram account. The pixel uses first-party and third-party cookies to identify users - short code snippets stored in web browsers. All collected information about user actions is transmitted to Facebook.
After the release of iOS 14.5, advertisers must get permission from users of apps from the AppStore to track data. If a user declines tracking, it will be impossible to collect their data using the pixel.
How to use the data that Pixel collects?
What you can do with the information collected by the Facebook pixel:
- Launch retargeting campaigns to show ads again to users who visited the site but did not make a purchase, and guide them towards completing a purchase. To do this, you need to create audiences. Audience segments can vary depending on user behavior, for example, those who added items to the cart but did not buy, viewed three pages in the catalog, submitted a form, etc.
- Attract new users to the site who are similar to the existing audience. You can do this by creating a look-alike segment based on the audience collected by the pixel.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of advertising. By setting up event tracking, you can understand what actions users take after interacting with the ad and whether they complete the desired actions.
- Optimize advertising. You can adjust bids up or down for specific audiences collected by the pixel.
How to create and install Facebook Pixel
Please note: to set up the Facebook pixel, you need to have a website and access to edit its code. Access can also be given to a contractor, in which case you send installation instructions to them via email.
Setting up the Meta Pixel and events on the website
- Open Meta Events Manager.
- Click Connect data sources and choose Web.
- Click Connect.
- Enter a name for your pixel and click Create Pixel. The system will make a new ID (you can see it in Events Manager). Events from Meta Pixel go to a dataset, that unites the data from different sources. The new dataset ID will match the new Pixel ID. More about datasets. Next steps depend on whether you have a website:
- If you have a website, enter its URL and click Verify. This way you will find out if you have options for easy setup using partner integration
- If partner integration is available to you, you will see it on the screen. Click Next and follow the instructions on the screen to set up the pixel and events using the partner's website.
- If partner integration is not available, click Next.
- If you do not have a website, tick I don't have a website and click Continue.
- Choose the option Conversions API and Meta Pixel or Meta Pixel only, and then click Next.
- If you are using Conversions API and Meta Pixel, choose the setup option— Set up through a partner integration, Conversions API or Set up manually. If you hesitate, compare the costs and difficulties of Conversions API setup options.
- If you are using the Partner Integration setup option, choose a partner and follow the on-screen instructions to set up the pixel, Conversions API, and events.
- If you are using Conversions API setup, choose a partner and follow the on-screen instructions to set up the pixel, Conversions API, and events.
- If you are using the Manual setup option, follow the actions described on the screen to receive individual instructions for setting up the pixel, Conversions API, and events. On the last screen, you can set up Conversions API according to individual instructions by yourself or send them to a developer. If you need help creating instructions, learn more about this Conversions API setup option.
- If you are using Meta Pixel only option, choose how to set up the pixel code — Install code manually or Find a partner. If you have a developer who will set up the pixel for you, click Send instructions via email..
Now you need to insert the pixel into the website code. This can be done in three ways..
- Manually. Select the created Pixel in "Data Sources" and click "Continue Pixel setup." Among the installation options, choose "Install code manually." Then copy the pixel code and paste it at the end of the header section before the </head> tag.
- Through partner integration. To use this method, select the Pixel and the setup method "Use partner integration." Then choose a partner from the list and follow the instructions from Facebook. This method can be used to install the code through Google Tag Manager.
- By sending instructions via email. This method is useful if a programmer works with the website code. Select the Pixel, start its setup, and choose "Send instructions." Enter the email address of the employee who has access to editing the code, and click "Send."
One pixel should be used on all pages of the website. After adding the pixel, you can set up events manually or with the help of a special tool.
Learn more — Meta Help Center.
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