When running a Facebook ad campaign, it’s important to ensure you're getting the best return on investment possible. So how can you track and maximize your ROI (return on investment)? The key: The Facebook Pixel.
What is a Facebook pixel?
A Facebook pixel is a snippet of code you embed in your website that'll track accurate data regarding your website traffic and any actions your website visitors take. This is great to help you understand the performance of your website and different advertising campaigns you may be running. The pixel also allows you to re-target anyone who has gone to your website with Facebook and Instagram ads for the next 180 days! This is very helpful in advertising to a warmer audience, as well as lowering basically every Facebook advertising indicator, especially your CPL (Cost Per Lead). There's a slew of other advantages the Facebook pixel offers.
How does a Facebook pixel work?
When a visitor lands on your website, whether from a search engine, link, Facebook ad, or any other way, the pixel is triggered. Cookies are then tracked based on what the user is doing on your website. The actions are recorded, as well as other helpful information about the user such as where they came from, what device they used, and any other demographic information. It also tracks what pages they view, if they sign up for any newsletters, make any purchases, etc.
You can see the information gathered by the pixel and analyze it. Analyzing the info helps you figure out who you want to target. The pixel allows you to re-target that audience, as well as that specific individual that was tracked. You can even set up different ads to target different audiences and ensure a truly catered ad campaign.
What’s the benefit of a pixel?
Now you know what a Facebook pixel is and how it works, but why should you ultimately bother setting it up? There are an untapped number of benefits you can reap from a Facebook pixel.
#1 Re-target your audience and increase sales
One of the main advantages is the ability to re-target people using the pixel. Re-targeting a “warm audience” is the bread and butter of Facebook advertising (or any type of sales really). Someone who's seen your website or product before is going to have more trust in your brand, and is more likely to purchase. If you've ever tried to make a cold sale, you know first hand the amount of effort that goes into getting the sale versus a sale from a warm lead. Re-targeting with an audience gathered by your pixel is a great way to save on advertising dollars and boost sales.
#2 Track sales, return on investment and scale
Another benefit is the ability to track where your sales are coming from and how many sales you're getting from different sources. This is helpful when trying to determine the ROI of your Facebook ad. If you like the return you're getting, you can confidently increase the amount you put into your ad spend and scale your business.
An added benefit of tracking your sales is knowing what works and what doesn’t when it comes time to set up another ad. Things are streamlined if you can use a similar ad (if not the same with some minor adjustments), and this can save you time and money on labor.
#3 Gather other useful information
The Facebook pixel will gather other useful information such as demographics, what device was used, and lots of other information that'll tell you exactly what type of person is interested in your product or service. With the right information, you can develop the other parts of your marketing campaign to best work for you and your target audience. Even if you aren’t currently running an ad, this feature can be extremely beneficial. The earlier you get it set up, the more time it has to gather useful information for later.
Setting up a Facebook pixel on your website can be the difference between minor results and major success for your advertising campaign. The re-targeting capabilities are unmatched and the information that a Facebook pixel provides is invaluable. If you're running Facebook ads, or want to in the future, don’t wait to set up your Facebook pixel.
You can set up your Facebook pixel through Business Manager on Facebook. If you're interested in outsourcing a professional social media advertising agency, we can embed your pixel for you, as well as create, run and optimize your Facebook ads. If your interested then contact us here and we'll be happy to help!