# How to Create a Facebook Pixel for Your Website

If you are running Facebook or Instagram ads without a Meta Pixel (formerly Facebook Pixel), you are essentially flying blind. This tiny piece of code is the bridge between your social media marketing and your actual business results, allowing you to see exactly what people do on your website after clicking an ad.

For Australian small business owners, the Pixel is the secret to moving beyond "boosted posts" and into high-performance advertising. It allows you to track conversions (like contact form submissions or sales), build remarketing audiences (showing ads to people who have already visited your site), and find new customers who look just like your best existing ones.

What you’ll need before you start

Before we dive in, ensure you have the following ready:

A Facebook Business Account: You should have a Meta Business Suite or Business Manager account set up.
A Website: You need access to your website’s backend (WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, etc.) or a developer who can assist.
Admin Access: You must have administrative permissions for your Facebook Business account.
Privacy Policy: Ensure your website's privacy policy is up to date, as you are required by law in Australia (and by Meta's terms) to disclose that you use tracking cookies.

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Step 1: Access Meta Business Suite

Log in to your Facebook account and navigate to the Meta Business Suite. From there, look at the bottom of the left-hand sidebar and click on Settings (the gear icon).

What you should see: A dashboard with your business name at the top and various settings categories like 'Users', 'Accounts', and 'Data Sources'.

Step 2: Navigate to Data Sources

In the Settings menu, look for a section called Data Sources. Click the dropdown arrow to expand it. You will see several options; click on Data Sets. Note: Meta recently moved 'Pixels' into the 'Data Sets' category. If you see 'Pixels' and it tells you to create a Data Set instead, follow that prompt. They are functionally the same for most small businesses today.

Step 3: Create a New Data Set

Click the blue Add button at the top of the middle column. A pop-up window will appear asking you to name your Data Set. Pro Tip: Name it something clear like "[Business Name] Website Pixel". This is important if you ever manage multiple brands or websites under one business account.

Step 4: Open in Events Manager

Once created, your new Data Set will appear in the list. Click on it, and then look for a button in the top right corner that says Open in Events Manager. This is where the actual configuration happens.

What you should see: A more complex screen with graphs and a sidebar containing icons for 'Data Sources', 'Custom Conversions', and 'Partner Integrations'.

Step 5: Set Up the Meta Pixel

In Events Manager, you will see a prompt that says "Set up Meta Pixel" or "Finish setting up data source". Click Set up Meta Pixel.

You will be presented with two main options for installation:

Install code manually: For those who want to paste code into their website's header.
Check for partner integration: For users of Shopify, WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace.

Step 6: Choose Your Installation Method

Option A: Manual Installation (Recommended for custom sites)

If you choose manual installation, Meta will provide a block of JavaScript code.

Copy the code.
Go to your website's CMS (Content Management System).
Paste the code into the section of your website, just above the closing tag. This ensures the Pixel loads on every single page of your site.

Option B: Partner Integration (Easiest for most owners)

If you use a platform like Shopify or WordPress, select your platform from the list. Meta will walk you through a wizard-style setup. For example, on WordPress, you’ll be prompted to install the 'Facebook for WordPress' plugin which handles the technical side for you.

Step 7: Turn on Automatic Advanced Matching

Regardless of your installation method, you will see a toggle for Automatic Advanced Matching. Always turn this ON.

This feature allows the Pixel to use hashed customer data (like email addresses or phone numbers) from your site to more accurately match website visitors to Facebook profiles. This significantly improves your ad performance and attribution.

Step 8: Use the Event Setup Tool

Once the base code is installed, you need to tell Facebook what actions are important to you. Click on the Settings tab within Events Manager and scroll down to Event Setup Tool.

Click Open Event Setup Tool.
Enter your website URL and click Open Website.
Your website will open with a small Facebook overlay.
Click Track New Button to track clicks on things like "Contact Us" or "Buy Now".
Click Track a URL to track when someone reaches a specific page, like a "Thank You" page after a form submission.

Step 9: Verify Your Domain

With the changes to Apple's iOS tracking (ATT), domain verification is no longer optional for effective tracking.

Go back to Business Settings > Brand Safety > Domains.
Click Add and enter your domain (e.g., yourbusiness.com.au).
Follow the instructions to add a DNS text record or upload an HTML file to your server. This proves to Facebook that you own the site.

Step 10: Test the Installation

To ensure everything is working, download the Meta Pixel Helper extension for the Google Chrome browser.

Navigate to your website and click the extension icon in your browser bar. If the Pixel is working correctly, it will turn blue and show a green tick next to "Page View".

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Multiple Pixels: Avoid installing more than one Pixel on the same site unless you have a very specific reason. It can lead to double-counting data.
Ignoring the ABN/Business Verification: Australian businesses often forget to verify their Business Manager. While not strictly required for the Pixel, it helps prevent your account from being flagged or restricted.
Forgetting the Privacy Policy: Ensure your website mentions that you use the Meta Pixel. This is a requirement under Australian Privacy Principles if you are collecting data for marketing.

Troubleshooting

"No Activity Yet": If your Pixel status says this, visit your website yourself and refresh the page. It can take up to 20 minutes for the first activity to show in the dashboard.
Pixel Not Found: Check if you have an ad-blocker enabled in your browser. Ad-blockers often prevent the Pixel from firing, making it look like it's broken when it isn't.
Red Status Icon: This usually means there is a technical error in the code installation. Re-copy the code from Business Manager and ensure it hasn't been corrupted by your CMS text editor.

Next Steps

Now that your Pixel is active, your website is gathering data. However, the Pixel is only as good as the strategy behind it.

Wait 7 days: Let the Pixel collect data on your current traffic.
Create a Custom Audience: Go to the 'Audiences' section in Meta and create an audience of "Website Visitors" from the last 30 days.
Launch a Remarketing Campaign: Target those visitors with a special offer to bring them back to your site.

If you find the technical setup overwhelming or want to ensure your Pixel is configured for maximum ROI, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. We specialise in helping Brisbane businesses master their digital presence.

Need help with your Meta Ads strategy? Contact us today.

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