What is the TikTok Pixel?
The TikTok pixel is a piece of code provided by TikTok to track user activity on your website. According to their help article, “The TikTok Pixel is a piece of code that you can place on your website that allows you to share website events with TikTok.”
By installing the pixel code on your website, you can track user actions like page views, signups, purchases, and more. These events are then used by TikTok to build detailed audience profiles and segments. For example, if a user views a product page on your site, you can then choose to remarket to that user later with a TikTok ad.
In essence, the TikTok pixel allows you to track conversions and optimize your ad campaigns for better performance. You can create custom audiences from your website traffic and target ads at those high-intent users.
Why Use the TikTok Pixel?
The main benefits of installing the TikTok pixel on your website are to track conversions and optimize your ad campaigns, as well as build custom audiences to target with ads.
The TikTok pixel allows you to track user actions on your website such as purchases, signups, content views, etc. By tracking these conversions, you can gain insights into how your TikTok ads are performing and which types of users are more likely to convert. You can use this data to optimize your ad targeting, creative, and bidding strategies.
Additionally, the TikTok pixel captures information about visitors to your website. You can use this audience data to create custom audiences within TikTok Ads Manager to target your ads. For example, you may create an audience of all website visitors in the past 30 days and target them with remarketing ads.
Installing the TikTok pixel is crucial for businesses wanting to maximize the impact of their TikTok ad campaigns. By tracking conversions and building targeted audiences, the TikTok pixel enables more precise and effective advertising. According to TikTok’s Small Business Guide, using the pixel can boost ad performance by up to 2x.[1]
How to Create a TikTok Pixel
To create a TikTok pixel, you need to have a TikTok Ads Manager account. Here are the steps to set up a pixel:
- Go to the TikTok Ads Manager and log into your account.
- Click on “Pixels” in the left sidebar menu.
- Click the “Create Pixel” button.
- Give your pixel a name and click “Create.”
After clicking “Create,” your new TikTok pixel will be generated. You’ll see the pixel ID which you can use to install the pixel on your website or app.
Finding Your TikTok Pixel ID
Once you’ve created a TikTok pixel in Ads Manager, you’ll need to find your unique Pixel ID to install it on your website or app. Here are the steps:
1. In TikTok Ads Manager, click on the “Assets” tab and select “Events” from the dropdown menu.
2. Under “Website Pixel”, click the “Manage” button.
3. This will open the Website Pixels page. Locate the pixel you created and click on its name.
4. On the next page, you’ll see the unique Pixel ID for that pixel. It will be a 16-digit number.
5. Copy this Pixel ID number, as you’ll need it to install the tracking code on your website or mobile app. The Pixel ID connects the pixel you created in Ads Manager with the code placed on your platforms.
Once copied, you can proceed to installing the TikTok pixel using the ID number. This will enable the pixel to start collecting event data from your website or app to inform your TikTok ad campaigns.
Installing the TikTok Pixel
To install the TikTok pixel, you need to add the pixel code before the
tag on your website. There are two main ways to do this:1. Use Google Tag Manager. Create a new tag in GTM, choose the Custom HTML tag type, and paste in your TikTok pixel code. Then publish your changes in GTM to deploy the tag.
2. Directly insert the code. You can manually add the TikTok pixel code directly in your website’s HTML code, right before the tag. Be sure to place it above any other tracking pixels.
For example:
<head>
<script>
!function (w, d, t) {
w.TiktokAnalyticsObject=t;var ttq=w[t]=w[t]||[];ttq.methods=["page","track","identify","instances","debug","on","off","once","ready","alias","group","enableCookie","disableCookie"],ttq.setAndDefer=function(t,e){t[e]=function(){t.push([e].concat(Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}};for(var i=0;i<ttq.methods.length;i++)ttq.setAndDefer(ttq,ttq.methods[i]);ttq.instance=function(t){for(var e=ttq._i[t]||[],n=0;n<ttq.methods.length;n++)ttq.setAndDefer(e,ttq.methods[n]);return e},ttq.load=function(e,n){var i="https://analytics.tiktok.com/i18n/pixel/events.js";ttq._i=ttq._i||{},ttq._i[e]=[],ttq._i[e]._u=i,ttq._t=ttq._t||{},ttq._t[e]=+new Date,ttq._o=ttq._o||{},ttq._o[e]=n||{};var o=document.createElement("script");o.type="text/javascript",o.async=!0,o.src=i+"?sdkid="+e+"&lib="+t;var a=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];a.parentNode.insertBefore(o,a)};
ttq.load('C7EL5V3HK4PGANG94FLU');
ttq.page();
}(window, document, 'ttq');
This installs the TikTok pixel tracking code on your site so you can start collecting analytics data. Be sure to use the pixel ID provided in your TikTok Ads Manager account.
Testing Your TikTok Pixel
To make sure your TikTok Pixel is installed correctly and tracking data, there are a couple easy ways to test it:
First, use the TikTok Pixel Helper browser extension. This will scan your website and confirm if the pixel code is implemented properly. The helper will alert you to any issues.
You can also check your pixel activity directly in TikTok Ads Manager. Go to the Events tab under Assets to see a report of your pixel data. This will show you if the pixel is actively tracking actions like page views, signups, purchases, etc. If you aren't seeing any data come through, there is likely an issue with the setup.
Testing the pixel regularly as you make changes to your website is important to ensure continued tracking. Use both the Pixel Helper and the Events report to confirm everything is working correctly.
Troubleshooting Pixel Issues
If you're having trouble getting your TikTok pixel to work properly, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take:
First, check for common installation errors. Make sure your pixel ID is entered correctly and that the pixel code is implemented on every page of your website. Refer to the TikTok Pixel Troubleshooting Guide for help finding and fixing errors.
Next, try clearing your browser cache and cookies and testing your pixel again. Cached files can sometimes interfere with proper pixel functionality. After clearing your cache, load your website and trigger some events to see if your pixel is now working.
If you still can't get your pixel to work, reach out to TikTok support for assistance. Make sure to provide your pixel ID, site URL, and specifics on any error messages you are seeing. The TikTok support team can help diagnose and resolve stubborn pixel issues.
Troubleshooting your TikTok pixel properly is important to get accurate data and optimize your ad campaigns. Following these steps can help resolve most common pixel problems.
Using Your Pixel Data
Once your pixel is installed and collecting data, you can start using that information to optimize your TikTok ad campaigns and target audiences more effectively. Here are two key ways to leverage your pixel data:
Create Audiences Based on Site Actions
Within TikTok Ads Manager, you can create custom audiences comprised of users who have taken specific actions on your website after seeing your ads. For example, you can create an audience of all users who viewed a product page or added an item to their cart after clicking your ad. Targeting these custom audiences with additional ads can help drive more conversions.
According to TikTok's blog, custom audiences created with pixel data often lead to 2-3x higher conversion rates compared to targeting all users.
Optimize Ad Campaigns for Conversions
Analyzing your pixel data allows you to see which ad creatives, placements and audiences are leading to the most conversions on your site. You can use these insights to optimize both new and existing campaigns to maximize conversion rates.
For example, if you see a specific ad creative is generating a high rate of add-to-cart actions, you may want to increase its budget allocation. Or you may find that ads served to an audience interested in cooking are converting better than a general audience, signaling the need to refine your targeting.
Regularly monitoring pixel data will reveal opportunities to improve campaign performance over time.
Pixel Privacy Considerations
While pixels can provide valuable data, they also raise privacy concerns around tracking users without consent. According to Sourcepoint, TikTok recently faced a class action lawsuit over claims that their pixel tracked users without permission on websites not affiliated with TikTok.
To avoid privacy issues, it's important to get consent before installing the TikTok pixel. TikTok's privacy policy states that they obtain data through advertiser tools like the pixel only with user consent. The best practice is to provide clear notice explaining how the pixel works and get opt-in consent from visitors before tracking begins.
You should also allow visitors to opt out of pixel tracking at any time. TikTok provides opt-out mechanisms like an in-app setting to stop personalized ads. Make sure to inform visitors of these options. Respecting user privacy choices helps build trust with your audience while remaining compliant with regulations like the GDPR.
Next Steps
After installing and testing the TikTok pixel, there are some key next steps to take to get the most value from your pixel data:
- Review pixel data regularly for insights - Check your pixel dashboard at least weekly to see how your website traffic and conversions are tracking over time. Look for trends and anomalies that may require further optimization.
- Leverage audiences for precise targeting - Build targeted audiences in TikTok based on your pixel data, such as people who visited specific pages or completed high-value actions. Use these audiences for more precise ad targeting.
- Continuously optimize based on pixel data - Let your pixel data guide your marketing efforts. If certain pages have high bounce rates, focus on optimizing those pages. If conversions from certain campaigns are low, allocate more budget to better performing campaigns.
Optimizing your marketing strategy around pixel insights will help you get the most value from your TikTok advertising and investment.
