Do you need a pixel, and how to tell it's firing

Who this is for

Anyone connecting a website to their ads for the first time, and anyone whose campaigns are getting clicks but reporting zero conversions.

A pixel is a small snippet of code on your website that quietly reports back what visitors do: pages they view, forms they submit, purchases they complete. That's what lets an ad platform learn who converts and find more people like them.

Before you begin

• A connected ad account on the platform you're advertising on
• A live website, and the ability to edit it or someone who can
• Admin access to the business account that owns the pixel

Steps

• Follow this guide to install your Meta Pixel.
• Follow this guide to install your Google Pixel.

If you've already installed the pixel and want to check if it's properly firing, you can:

• Use the Meta Ads Data Advisor extension in Chrome to check that conversions are firing correctly.
• Head over to the Google Ads 'goals' area to check if conversions are firing correctly (you need to be running paid ads for conversions to be triggered).

Common questions

• Do I need a Pixel to run ads: No, conversion tracking is one among many different possible advertising goals. If you've got an ecommerce or are promoting web purchases, installing a website pixel is strongly advised. For lead generation there are multiple high performing alternatives like Meta Instant Lead Forms.
• The base pixel fires but no conversions appear: This is the most common confusion. The base pixel loads on all pages; conversion events only fire on the specific action, like reaching a thank-you page. Trigger that action yourself to confirm.
• A consent banner is blocking it: Many banners hold tracking until a visitor accepts. Accept cookies during your test, or you'll see nothing.
• An ad blocker is suppressing your test: Test in a private window with extensions disabled before concluding the pixel is broken.
• Conversions aren't matching sales: Meta, Google and all advertising platforms only report on the conversions that they themselves bring into your website. They cannot attribute for users who might be returning visitors coming organically, though referrals or through another ad platform.
• The event exists but has never fired: A brand-new event stays empty until someone genuinely converts. Low traffic means a longer wait.