How to Set Up a Facebook Pixel in WordPress (2020 Step-by-Step Tutorial)

How to (and why) set up a Facebook Pixel on WordPress in 2020.

What is a Facebook Pixel and why should you care? Why would you want to install one on your WordPress website?

If you are thinking about running Facebook or Instagram ads, you NEED to have a Facebook pixel installed.

Why is that? Well Facebook ads are getting more expensive.

If you’re trying to reach a lot of cold leads, you don’t have a high chance of success (especially if you don’t have the time or money to test many variations or audiences). Did you knowthe majority of people who run Facebook Ads for their business say they don’t hit the mark or lose money?

Why do the majority of people lose money on Facebook Ads?

Rich in a tophat from running facebook ads
I just spent 45 minutes learning Facebook ads on YouTube and now I’m driving a Ferrari onto my Yacht.

First, I want to say running Facebook ads is NOT easy. There are so many “gurus” that claim you can create an easy video or text post, run Facebook ads for it and you’ll be a millionaire in no time.

Running successful ads requires a good understanding of your audience and lots of testing and tweaking.

While there is no silver bullet (sadly), a Facebook Pixel is going to give you HUGE competitive advantage. Here’s why:

A Facebook pixel lets you use remarketing your ads to people who have already visited your website.

You know when you go check out an awesome outfit, and then 20 minutes later you see a sale ad for that exact same outfit?

That’s remarketing.

And here’s the thing…IT’S SUPER EFFECTIVE.

Web visitors with retargeted display ads are 70% more likely to make a purchase.The click through rate (percent of people who click the ad) is 10x higher than for a typical display ad.

If you aren’t using a Facebook pixel, someone could visit your website and then they’d be GONE. It’s not just for bigger brands. Smaller companies need to use every single dollar as efficiently as possible. Marketing to people who’ve already visited your website is one of the most powerful ways to reach the right people and turn a profit.

OK, I’m sold: I’ll use a Facebook Pixel to get more out my photo and video ads. How do I install it?

I made this handy step-by-step tutorial just for you! If you prefer reading (or aren’t able to watch a video), I’ve included images and photo instructions below.

Not sure if you have a Facebook Pixel installed on your website or not?

Do not fear. The first 2 and a half minutes of the video tutorial (or steps 1 and 2) will show you precisely how to check whether it is installed on your website.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqkEIRNgxhE&t=330s

Step 1: Install the “Facebook Pixel Helper” on the Chrome Web Store.

There’s a few ways to do this. For each option you’ll need to have Google Chrome open. If it’s not installed, you can download it here.

#1: Search for “Google Chrome Store”

find facebook pixel helper on "Chrome Web Store"

Then search for “Facebook Pixel”. You’ll see “Facebook Pixel Helper” pop up to the right of it. You’ll then click “Add to Chrome”.

Add the Facebook Pixel to Chrome

Alternative way to open the Chrome Web Store: You can also access it by clicking in the top right corner of your browser (with the 3 dots), choosing “More Tools”, then “Extensions”.

open chrome extensions to find Facebook Pixel

That will open a sidebar to the left. Now in the bottom left hand corner you can choose “Open Chrome Web Store”.

Open the chrome web store

STEP 2: (Optional) If you aren’t sure if you have a Facebook Pixel installed, you can double check.

Go to your webpage. Click the Facebook Pixel Helper icon at the top bar (it’s the one that’s blue and with </>).

This will tell you whether or not you have a Facebook Pixel installed on your page. We’ll check this again at the end of the tutorial to make sure it was installed properly.

Facebook Pixel helper shows one pixel found on jacoblevideoproduction.com

STEP 3: Search for “Facebook Business Page Manager” and set up/log-in to your account.

Google Facebook Business Manager

Choose the top option “Facebook Manager Overview”.

Click on the Facebook Business Manager Overview

You’ll either login if you already have an account, or create a Business Manager account if you don’t already have one.

Login to Facebook Business Manager or create an account
search for Facebook Business manager to sign in

You’ll need to have a Facebook Business Page in order to create the Business Manager. If you don’t have a Facebook page here’s a tutorial on setting one up.

You can also take a look at my tutorial on how to set up and optimize your page section, I did a tutorial on that as well.

Step 4: Find the Facebook Pixel option within your Business Account Manager.

Choose “Business Settings” in the top right corner.

Choose Facebook Business Settings

Now, look over to the left: Click on “Data Sources” (Right Underneath “Accounts”).

Click on data sources to access the Facebook pixel

This will drop down an arrow. You’ll choose the 2nd option: “Pixels”.

Pixels will let you create a facebook pixel

Step 5: Set Up Your Facebook Pixel

If you’ve never set up a Pixel before, it will probably be blank. Click the “+ Add” button in the top right corner.

Click the Add button Under "Pixels"

This will bring up a window for “Create a Facebook Pixel”. Give it an easy to remember name, then punch in your Website url.

Give your Facebook pixel a name and website url

Once you click “Create”, this new window will pop up. The easiest way to install it with a plug in is by choosing “Connect a Partner Platform”. If you’d prefer not to add a plug in, you can add the pixel’s html code to the header by choosing the option “Manually Install Pixel Code Yourself”.

Install the pixel by connecting to a partner platform

Choose the WordPress Option in the bottom right corner.

Select install on WordPress

Step 6: Download the Facebook Pixel WordPress extension.

Here, you will download the plug in. Click the green download button. If you are using Safari, control-click or right-click the download button and select “Download linked file”. This will ensure it downloads as a .zip file.

Connect to your wordpress account: download plugin

Step 7: Open up WordPress and install the new plugin.

Log into your admin account on WordPress.org, then click “Plugins” over to the left side.

Select plugins from wordpress menu

Click: “Add New”.

Select wordpress plugins, then add new

Now, select “Upload Plugin”, to the right of “Add Plugins”.

Upload the pixel plugin to wordpress

Now you can upload the .zip file that you downloaded in step 6. Click “Choose File”.

Select choose file, then pick the Pixel .zip file

Then select the Facebook Pixel zip file (from your downloads folder, or wherever you chose to save it).

find the facebook .zip file in downloads

Once installed, you’ll just hit “Activate Plugin”.

Click activate Facebook pixel plugin on WordPress

Step 8: We’re in the endgame now: Finish things up in Facebook Business Manager.

Go back to Facebook Business Manager. You’re actually ahead of the game (look at you), and we’ve just completed steps 2, 3, and 4. For verify connection, you can send test traffic to make sure things are working correctly.

Verify the pixel is working correctly

Success! You should get a confirmation that says “Setup Complete”.

Facebook pixel setup complete

Step 9: Test to make sure your Pixel is installed on your website correctly.

Thankfully, we already installed that “Facebook Pixel Helper” in step 1. How forward thinking of us! Go to your website and it should say “one pixel found on (your website).

facebook pixel helper found on jacoblevideoproduction.com

Troubleshooting: If you receive an error, try going back through the steps again. Make sure the pixel is activated. If you still are running into issues, feel free to send me an email at jacob@jacoblevideoproduction.com or through my CONTACT FORM

Step 10: See your Facebook Pixel at work

You did it. Log back into your Facebook Business Manager

You can access your pixel by doing the same steps as before: “Business settings in the top right Corner”. Then click “Data Sources” to the left (below accounts). Then click “pixels”. Select the pixel you just created. Then click “Open in Events manager”.

Open Facebook pixel under Business Manager, events manager
Facebook Pixel data

Conclusion: You’ll crush your competition, now that you’ve installed a Facebook Pixel on your WordPress website.

You did it! Give yourself a high-five. Having a Facebook pixel may not pay off immediately, but once you start gathering data and running ads, it will be PIVOTAL to your success. I’ll keep this blog post up to date if the process changes. Rest assured, you’ll always have the most accurate, updated process for installing a Facebook pixel (for 2020 and beyond). Whether you’re running video ads or photo ads, remarketing is going to lead toward much better results.

If you need help creating compelling images for Facebook check out my favorite tool – Glorify it is also super easy to use! Here are my other favorite social media tools.

Leave a comment: was there any part of this article that could have been more clear? What bit of knowledge do you want to know next? Feel free to make a request for an article.

Did you know I actually have done a whole Facebook marketing course on my website HERE?

Or, I have a FREE COURSE on finding the right online strategy here as well

For anyone that made it to the very end of the article, here’s a cute dog for you. No looking if you skimmed or skipped to the end 😉

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