Facebook Pixel: What Is It and How Do We Use It?
If you use Facebook ads or plan to use them in the future, there’s one key tool you should start using right away. The Facebook Pixel will help you get the most out of your ad budget. Here’s everything you need to know about how it works.
What is the Facebook Pixel?
The Facebook Pixel is a piece of code that you place on your website. It collects data that helps you track conversions from Facebook ads, as well as optimize your ads, build an audience for future campaigns, and retarget people who have already taken some kind of action on your website.
It works by placing and activating cookies to track users as they interact with your website and your ads on Facebook.
There were several different types of pixels: the Facebook conversion pixel and the custom audience pixel. Facebook discontinued the conversion tracking pixel in 2017. If you’re using this conversion pixel, you’ll need to replace it. If you’ve been using the old Custom Audience pixel, these instructions explain how to upgrade to the current pixel.
Why should you set up the Facebook Pixel?
The Facebook pixel provides important information that you can use to create better Facebook ads and target your ads more effectively. Tracking data from the pixel helps ensure that your ads are seen by the people most likely to take the actions you want them to take. This allows you to improve your conversion rate and achieve a better return on investment.
Even if you aren't running Facebook ads yet, you should install the Facebook Pixel now. It will start collecting data right away, so you won't have to start from scratch when you're ready to create your first Facebook ad.
How can you use the Facebook pixel?
Here are a few ways the pixel can help improve your marketing results on Facebook:
Use Facebook conversion tracking
The Facebook Pixel lets you see how people interact with your website after viewing your ad on Facebook.
You can even track users on their devices. This allows you to determine whether people tend to view your ads on mobile devices but switch to a desktop before making a purchase—or perhaps the other way around. This information can help you refine your advertising strategy and calculate your return on investment.
Use Facebook retargeting
Data retargeting and dynamic ads allow you to show ads to people who have already visited your website. For example, you can show people an ad for the exact product they left in their shopping cart or added to their wish list on your website.
Create lookalike audiences
Facebook can use its data to help you build a lookalike audience of people who have similar likes, interests, and demographics to those who already interact with your website. This can help you expand your potential customer base.
Optimize Your Facebook Ads for Conversions
You can use tracking data to optimize your Facebook ads for specific events related to conversions on your website. Without the pixel, the only conversion you can optimize for is link clicks. With the pixel, you can optimize for conversions that are closer to your business goals, such as purchases and sign-ups.
Optimize Facebook Ads for Value
Since Facebook collects data on who is making purchases on your website and how much they’re spending, this can help you optimize your ad audience based on value. This means that your ads will automatically be shown to the people most likely to make high-value purchases.
Get access to more advertising tools and metrics on Facebook
Do you want to use web conversion campaigns, custom audiences from your website, or dynamic ads? You can only do this if you’ve installed the Facebook pixel. You also need the pixel to track metrics such as cost per lead or cost per conversion.
How do you use the Facebook Pixel?
You can use the Facebook pixel to collect data on two different types of events. Facebook has predefined a set of 17 standard events. You can also set up custom events yourself.
„An event“ is simply a specific action that a visitor takes on your website, such as making a purchase.
Standard Facebook Events
The 17 standard Facebook events for which you can simply copy and paste the standard code are:
- Purchase: Someone has made a purchase on your website.
- Lead: Someone signs up for a trial period, for example.
- Full registration: Someone fills out a registration form on your website, such as a subscription form.
- Adding payment information: A customer enters their payment information during the checkout process on your website.
- Added to Cart: Someone added a product to their cart on your website.
- Add to Wish List: Someone adds a product to the wish list on your website.
- Someone is about to complete their order: Someone has started the checkout process to buy something from your website.
- Search: Someone uses the search feature to look for something on your website.
- Table of Contents: Someone is viewing a specific page on your website.
- Contacts: Someone is reaching out to your business.
- Product customization: A customer selects a specific version of the product, such as a particular color.
- Donation: Someone makes a donation to your cause.
- Location: Someone is looking for the physical location of your business.
- Schedule: Someone books an appointment.
- Start a trial: Someone signs up for a free trial of your product.
- Submit an application: Someone is applying for your product, service, or program, such as a credit card.
- Subscribe: Someone subscribes to a paid product or service.
You can also add more details to standard events by using additional codes called parameters. These allow you to customize standard events based on:
- How much does a conversion cost?
- Currency
- Content type or identification number
- Content that is converted, such as a product category or tags
- Number of items included in the conversion
Custom Events
If there isn't a standard event that meets your needs, you can set up a custom event to track actions that are unique to your business.
How do you set up the Facebook Pixel on your website?
Setting up the Facebook Pixel is easy; here are the main steps:
- Create your Facebook pixel in Facebook Business Manager and give it a name that describes your business (not a specific campaign).
- Place the pixel code in the section of every page on your website. If you use platforms such as Squarespace, Shopify, Google Tag Manager, or others, you can do this without writing any code by adding the pixel through integrations or plugins.
- Select which standard events you want to track and add them to the pages or buttons on your website.
- Test whether the pixel is working properly using the free Facebook Pixel Helper extension for Google Chrome.
- Publish your website and start collecting data.
Changes and Restrictions Regarding the Use of Pixels and Cookies
Since 2018, Facebook has supported the use of third-party cookies, which allow for the tracking of user behavior, even in browsers such as Safari and Firefox that restrict certain types of tracking. However, depending on regulations and the industry you work in (such as healthcare or finance), you may need to restrict or disable the use of the pixel due to privacy requirements.
Real-world examples
AdEspresso has found that optimizing campaigns for conversions using a pixel is much more effective than simply running click-based ads.
The Spanish company Brava Fabrics uses dynamic ads with the Facebook Pixel for remarketing, which increases its return on investment.
Wolford has been experimenting with lookalike audiences based on real customers, which has doubled their advertising results.
The fashion brand Revolve achieves 28% higher ROI and lower costs by using pixel and high-quality audiences.
Conclusion: The Facebook Pixel is a powerful tool that allows you to understand customer behavior and optimize your ads in a way that boosts results and reduces costs. Don't overlook it!
