The TL:DR
There’s a quick and easy way to check if the Meta Pixel is functioning correctly on your website and it’s a Chrome extension called the ‘Meta Pixel Helper’. This isn't the only way to check your installation but it is really user friendly and a great place to start!
If you’re looking for how to set up the Meta Pixel, check out our other blog post on exactly that, here!
First up, what is the Meta Pixel? Well, it’s a piece of code you add to your website which enables Meta to track and collect data on website visitors, helping you to improve your Meta advertising performance. It can be setup to track valuable actions such as page view, add to basket, initiate checkout and checkout.
The Meta Pixel Helper is a browser extension that helps you validate your Meta Pixel implementation. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use the Meta Pixel Helper:
1. Install the Meta Pixel Helper:
- Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for the 'Meta Pixel Helper'.
- Click 'Add to Chrome' and then 'Add extension'.
2. Check Your Website:
- Once you have installed the Meta Pixel Helper, go to your website where the Meta Pixel is installed.
- The Meta Pixel Helper icon in the browser toolbar will turn blue if it finds a Meta Pixel on that webpage.
- Click on the Meta Pixel Helper icon to see an overview of the Meta Pixel(s) found on that page and any events that have been fired.
3. Identify Issues:
- The Meta Pixel Helper will identify any errors or warnings associated with your pixel.
- Click on each error or warning to get more detailed information about the issue and how to fix it.
4. Test Events:
- Navigate to different pages of your website or take specific actions (e.g., add to cart, purchase) to trigger events.
- The Meta Pixel Helper will list each event as it's fired, allowing you to confirm that your events are working as expected.
5. Debug Events:
- If an event is not firing as expected, you can use the information provided by the Meta Pixel Helper to debug the issue.
- Make sure the event code is installed correctly on your website and that there are no errors or warnings associated with the event.
6. Confirm Event Parameters:
- The Meta Pixel Helper will also show you the parameters that are being sent with each event.
- Confirm that the parameters are correct and complete.
Remember, the Meta Pixel Helper is a debugging tool and should not be used as your only method of validating your Meta Pixel implementation. It's always best to also check the data in your Meta Events Manager to ensure everything is working as expected.
And that's another thing done.
Any problems? Just shoot me an email at laura@wegrowstartups.co