Creating a Meta Pixel with a Business Portfolio and Connecting it to SHOPLINE

The Meta Pixel is a snippet of code you can add to your website to track visitor conversion events, such as page views, purchases, or sign-ups. It helps you better understand how people interact with your site and provides valuable data for building custom audiences and optimizing ad performance.

It is recommended to set up the Meta Pixel using a business portfolio if your business already has a business portfolio, you have someone else managing your Meta ads, you operate more than one website or offer multiple products or services, or you want to start collecting data before running ads. Setting up the Pixel this way ensures better data organization, easier access management, and greater flexibility as your business grows.

This guide explains how to create a Meta Pixel with a business portfolio in Meta Business Suite and how to connect it to your SHOPLINE store for data reporting. By following the steps, you can ensure your tracking is correctly configured and ready to support your marketing and analytics needs.

Introduction to Meta Pixel

Meta Pixel is a tracking code provided by Meta that collects data from websites to support ad tracking and optimization. By integrating this code into your webpages, Meta can monitor visitor behavior and provide insights for targeted advertising and analytics.

Key Functions

• Data Tracking: Meta Pixel tracks customer actions on your website, such as completing a purchase, submitting a form, or registering an account. This data helps advertisers identify which ads or campaigns lead to actual conversions, enabling more effective ad performance analysis and budget allocation.
• Advertising Targeting: With Meta Pixel, advertisers can target ads based on user behavior and interests. The Pixel collects data such as pages viewed, purchases made, and items added to carts, allowing advertisers to deliver highly personalized and relevant ads to potential customers.
• Advertisement Optimization: Using the collected data, Meta Pixel helps optimize ad strategies by providing performance metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and ad spend. Advertisers can fine-tune targeting, budget, and creative to improve campaign results.

Ways to Create a Meta Pixel

There are two ways to create a Meta Pixel: 

• Through Meta Business Suite (explained in this guide)
• Through Meta Ads Manager

If Meta Business Suite is blocked, any Pixel created within it will also become unavailable. However, Pixels created via Ads Manager are unaffected and remain accessible even if the Business Suite or ad account is blocked.

Getting Credentials for Meta Pixel Data Connection  

To enable data reporting from SHOPLINE to Meta, you'll need to complete data connection by adding the Pixel ID and the Conversion API access token to your website.

Creating a Meta Pixel with a Business Portfolio 

To create a Meta Pixel using a business portfolio, you must first create a dataset. Once created, a Meta Pixel is automatically generated and linked to the dataset.

1. Log in to Meta Business Suite and go to Settings.
   
2. In the left menu, go to Data Sources > Datasets, then click the + Add.
   
3. In the pop-up, enter a name for your dataset and click Create.
   
4. Optionally, add people, partners, or connect assets to the dataset.
   

Your Pixel is now successfully created and linked to your dataset. The dataset shares the same ID as the associated Pixel, which you will use to connect it to your SHOPLINE store.

Generating the Conversions API Access Token

Meta’s Conversions API (CAPI) creates a direct connection between your website and Meta. While there are several methods to set up CAPI, SHOPLINE currently does not support partner integration and recommends a direct setup. To generate the access token, follow these steps:

1. In the Datasets section, select the specific dataset, click the ellipsis icon, and click Open in Events Manager.
   
2. Go to Settings, where you can find the Dataset ID (Pixel ID).
   
3. Scroll down to the Conversions API section. Under Set up direct integration, click Generate access token. This quick setup method has included all the basic events required for reporting. If you prefer to configure CAPI manually, please refer to Meta’s official guide to complete the setup and obtain your access token.
   

   Important: Each generated access token is unique. Please avoid repeating the setup process to prevent using an incorrect token during integration.

Copy the Pixel ID (Dataset ID) and the CAPI access token, and store them somewhere safe for later use.

Adding the Meta Pixel to Your Store Website

With the Meta Pixel ID and the CAPI access token, you can now complete the data connection in your SHOPLINE admin panel: 

1. In your SHOPLINE admin panel, go to Channels > Facebook > Data tracking, then click Setup.
   
2. In the Authorizing Pixel and Conversion API section, click Add.
   
3. In the pop-up, paste the Pixel ID and the access token, then click Save And Verify.
   

The connection will then be successfully established.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I verify if the Pixel Connection is successful?

Install the Meta Pixel Helper browser extension. If the Pixel is working, the extension will show an active status when you visit your website.

2. Why is event optimization unavailable after Pixel setup?

Verify that Pixel permissions have been granted to your Facebook personal account or advertising account.

If permissions are granted, check the Pixel status in your Meta Business Suite. A red warning indicator might signify a delay. Allow some time for the Pixel status to become active before configuring event optimization.