How to Add Facebook Pixel to WordPress for Remarketing

When I set up a giveaway, I needed a way to track who entered and whether they came back after clicking one of my Facebook ads.

I added the Facebook Pixel to WordPress so I could build custom audiences, retarget visitors who didn’t convert, and see which ads were actually working.

If you want to do the same, I’ll show you how to add Facebook Pixel to WordPress in a few simple steps. No coding needed.

Quick Summary

• Create your Facebook Pixel
• Install the pixel on your WordPress site
• Verify it’s working
• Use it to retarget your visitors

Note: There is no physical “Pixel” as such. Instead, it’s the process where Facebook collects data from your website to optimize your ads and serve them to the right audience.

Why Add Facebook Pixel to WordPress?

A Facebook pixel helps you measure the success of your ads by tracking visitors’ actions on your website. It gives you valuable insights you can use to target users more likely to respond to your ads.

You can use this data to create similar audiences for future campaigns.

• Conversion Tracking: Track the actions visitors take after viewing your Facebook advertisement. This could include purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a form on your website.
• Retargeting: Re-engage with people who have taken action on your site. For example, target people who visited a specific product page or placed an item in their shopping cart but didn’t complete the purchase.
• Optimizing Ads for Conversions: You can ensure your ads are seen by those most likely to take the desired action.
• Create a lookalike audience: A Pixel can help you find more people similar to your best eCommerce customers.

Additionally, retargeting is an effective way to increase clicks and conversions. According to the research, Facebook ads have an average conversion rate of 9.21%.

Ready to dive in? Let’s learn how to add Facebook pixel to WordPress, step-by-step.

Step 1: Create Your Facebook Pixel in Meta Business Suite

To get started, you’ll need to log into your Facebook account and head to the Meta Business Suite.

Next, click All Tools » Event Manager.

From the left-hand sidebar, click the + Connect Data Sources button, choose the ‘Web’ option, and click the Connect button.

When the pop-up window appears, choose a name for your data set and hit Create.

In the following screen, type in your website’s URL and click the Check button. This action will see if your site is compatible with partners like WordPress, Shopify, etc.

If you get a green checkmark, your site is good to integrate, so click on Next to forge ahead.

Now you’ll need to decide how to connect your site to Facebook. For this guide, we’ll pick the ‘Meta Pixel only’ choice. However, you can add the Conversion API anytime.

Click on Next to continue.

I remember the first time I created a pixel. I was confused about whether I needed the Conversion API too.

You don’t need it to start. Just go with the Pixel-only option and add more later if needed.

You then need to decide how to add the Facebook pixel to WordPress. If you have a tech-savvy team member, you can email them the pixel code.

However, if you want to do it yourself, click the Install Code Manually button.

Next, Facebook will display the pixel base code for your site. Click Copy Code to save the pixel tracking code, and we’ll guide you on how to configure it in WordPress next.

Step 2: Add Facebook Pixel to Your WordPress Website

Adding your Facebook Pixel to WordPress is simpler than it sounds. Below we share three different methods to choose from that cater to various skill levels and needs.

How to Add Facebook Pixel Using RafflePress

Using pixel tracking in a giveaway is an excellent way to retarget site visitors with Facebook ads and RafflePress, the best WordPress giveaway plugin, has an easy way to do it.

With this plugin, you can run engaging giveaways and contests to boost your traffic, grow your social media followers, and increase brand awareness.

Using RafflePress with your Facebook pixel lets you engage users with exciting giveaways while gathering valuable visitor data. This data is a treasure chest for crafting more effective Facebook ads.

With its easy-to-use Success Tracking feature, you can monitor how visitors interact with your giveaway. This gives you the knowledge to tweak your campaigns and get the best bang for your buck.

To get started, install and activate the RafflePress plugin and create a new giveaway. If you need help with this, you can see our guide on how to create an online contest.

After setting up your giveaway, navigate to the Settings tab and click on Success Tracking. Here, you can paste your Facebook Tracking pixel into the ‘Conversion Scripts’ box and click Save.

RafflePress will now track each person who enters your giveaway through your Facebook Pixel. Based on this data, you can create custom audiences for your ads, leading to highly focused retargeting strategies.

This is what I used during one of my first product giveaways. I added the pixel here and later built a custom audience just from people who entered — it was a great way to follow up with a discount ad.

Key Takeaway: This is the best option if you’re already using RafflePress for giveaways or lead gen. You can track entries, build remarketing audiences, and run more targeted ads.

How to Add Facebook Pixel with MonsterInsights

If you need an easy solution to monitor and retarget Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads, MonsterInsights, the best Google Analytics plugin for WordPress, is a smart choice.

With its user-friendly interface, it lets you add, customize, and manage Google Analytics in WordPress without code. You can track your site’s performance and pageviews, learn how visitors use your site, and much more.

Plus, using the Facebook Pixel this way offers a deeper understanding of your audience. You can learn details like their age, location, and interests to refine your marketing strategy for more effective outreach.

If you’re not using it yet, you can follow this step-by-step guide to add Google Analytics to WordPress with MonsterInsights.

Once MonsterInsights is activated, you’ll need to install the Ad Tracking addon.

To do this, navigate to Insights » Addons from your WordPress admin, scroll down until you find the PPC Tracking option, and click Install.

Once the addon is installed, you’re ready to add your Facebook tracking pixel to WordPress.

Now, head back to your WordPress dashboard and go to Insights » Settings » Conversions.

Here, you’ll need to enter your Facebook Pixel ID. This is the unique identifier given to your Facebook Pixel when you first create it in Facebook Business Manager.

Locate and copy your Facebook Pixel ID and, then on the Conversions panel in MonsterIsights, scroll down until you see the Ads Tracking box.

Here you can paste the ID you just copied into the ‘Pixel ID’ field and save your changes.

I used this method on a site that already had MonsterInsights running. It was fast, and I didn’t have to mess around with code or headers at all.

It’s also handy for those running PPC ads, as it allows you to track Meta ad conversions on various platforms like WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and more.

Key Takeaway: MonsterInsights is a smart choice if you’re already using Google Analytics in WordPress. You get ad tracking, event data, and audience insights in one place.

How to Add Facebook Pixel with WPCode

If you’re hands-on and comfortable working with code, the WPCode plugin is ideal for adding the facebook pixel to WordPress.

WPCode (formerly the Insert Headers & Footers plugin) is an easy plugin that lets you drop code snippets into WordPress. That way, you can place tracking pixels for platforms like Facebook and Google ads without editing your theme files.

To get started, hover over the Plugins tab in your WordPress dashboard and click Add New.

In the search box, type ‘WPCode’ and hit enter, then click Install, then Activate.

After installing and activating the plugin, head to Code Snippets » Header & Footer from your WordPress admin and paste your Facebook pixel code into the Header box.

Now click the Save Changes button, and your Pixel should be ready.

I like using WPCode when I want to keep things lightweight. Just one plugin and you’re done. The first time I did this, I accidentally pasted the code into the footer. Make sure it goes in the header for best results.

Key Takeaway: WPCode is best if you want full control without installing extra plugins. Just paste your Facebook Pixel code once, and it’ll run on every page of your site.

If your site gets traffic from the EU, you’ll need a cookie consent plugin before the pixel fires. Under GDPR, tracking visitors without consent can result in fines.

Plugins like WPConsent or CookieYes can handle this automatically. They block the pixel from loading until the visitor accepts cookies.

Step 3: Test and Verify That Your Facebook Pixel Is Working

Now that you’ve learned how to add Facebook pixel to WordPress, it’s time to see if it’s installed correctly and communicating with Facebook.

The easiest way to test your tracking pixel is with Facebook’s Pixel Helper. This free Chrome extension detects pixels and offers handy error reports.

Here’s how to install it:

1. Install the Meta Pixel Helper Chrome extension.
2. Visit your website and look for the Meta Pixel Helper icon in the address bar.
3. Click the icon to see a dropdown showing all pixels on that page.
4. Look out for any errors and troubleshoot them.

Step 4: Use Facebook Ads to Retarget WordPress Visitors

With the Facebook pixel set up on your WordPress site, you’re ready to reconnect with your audience by retargeting your visitors with Ads. Here’s how:

Open your Facebook Ads Manager and click on the Audiences option then Create a Custom Audience.

From there, pick the ‘Website’ option.

Facebook will ask you which audience you want to target. You can choose all website visitors, people who visit specific pages, or visitors by time spent.

Next, choose a duration and give the audience a name. When you’ve done that, click the Create Audience button to finish.

Tips to Retarget with Facebook Ads:

• Create engaging ads: Build a Facebook Ad that aligns with your website visitors’ browsing habits and tastes. This personal touch helps to increase appeal.
• Define your target audience: Use your custom audience from Facebook Ads Manager, consisting of people who have visited your website. They are your primary targets.
• Do a small-scale test: Test your ad on a small audience segment before going all out. If the ad ignites interest and interaction, go ahead. If it doesn’t, take time to modify it.

Common Facebook Pixel Mistakes to Avoid

I’ve run into a few issues myself when setting up the Facebook Pixel, and I’ve seen others make the same mistakes. Here’s what to watch out for so your tracking works as expected.

• Putting the pixel in the wrong place: Your pixel code needs to go in the header of your site, not just anywhere. If it’s in the footer or buried in a random widget, it won’t fire correctly on every page.
• Only installing the base pixel: The base code tracks visits, but that’s just the beginning. If you want to track things like purchases, signups, or leads, you’ll need to set up custom events too.
• Using the same pixel for multiple sites: Technically, this works. But it mixes your data and makes it hard to build accurate audiences. I always create a separate pixel for each site I manage.
• Not testing it after setup: Don’t assume it’s working. Use the Meta Pixel Helper extension to check if the pixel is firing and catch any errors before you spend money on ads.
• Getting a “No Pixel Found” error in Pixel Helper: This usually means a caching issue or wrong code placement. Clear your site cache and browser cache, confirm the code is in the header (not footer), and disable ad blockers before testing.
• Installing the pixel in two places at once: If you use a plugin and also add code manually to your theme, you’ll get duplicate PageView events in Events Manager. Check all locations and remove all but one.

Should You Also Set Up the Conversions API?

The Conversions API (CAPI) is a server-side tracking solution that runs alongside the Meta Pixel. Instead of relying on the browser, it sends data directly from your server to Meta.

That matters because ad blockers and iOS privacy settings can prevent the browser-based pixel from firing. CAPI fills those gaps, so your ad data stays complete even when users have tracking protections enabled.

Meta recommends using both together. The pixel handles browser-side events like page views and clicks, while CAPI captures what the pixel misses.

MonsterInsights added CAPI support in version 9.1, so if you’re already using that plugin, you can enable it without installing anything extra.

I wouldn’t worry about CAPI on day one. Get the pixel working first, verify it with Pixel Helper, and add CAPI once you’re running active campaigns and want more complete conversion data.

FAQs About Adding Facebook Pixel to WordPress

How do I add Facebook Pixel to WordPress without a plugin?

You can add the pixel manually by copying the code from Meta Business Suite and pasting it into your theme’s header.php file, just before the closing </head> tag. The problem is that editing theme files directly means your changes get overwritten when you update your theme. A safer approach is to use a child theme, or just use WPCode – it’s free and does the same thing without the risk.

What’s the difference between the Facebook Pixel and the Conversions API?

The Facebook Pixel runs in the browser and tracks visitor actions like page views and button clicks. The Conversions API runs server-side, sending data directly from your server to Meta without going through the browser. This makes it more reliable because it isn’t blocked by ad blockers or iOS privacy settings. Meta recommends running both together for the most accurate data.

Why does the Meta Pixel Helper show “No Pixel Found”?

This usually means the pixel code isn’t in the header, your browser has an ad blocker running, or your site’s cache is serving an old version of the page. Clear your site cache and browser cache first, then confirm the pixel is installed in the header (not the footer), and disable any ad blockers before running the test again.

Do I need a cookie consent plugin if I use the Facebook Pixel?

If your site gets visitors from the EU or other regions with privacy laws like GDPR, yes – you’re required to get consent before the pixel fires. Without it, you risk fines for collecting data without permission. A plugin like WPConsent can block the pixel from loading until the visitor accepts cookies, keeping you compliant without extra setup.

How long does it take for the Facebook Pixel to start working?

The pixel starts collecting data immediately after installation, but it can take a few hours before you see activity in your Events Manager. In my experience, it usually takes about a day for the first numbers to appear in your ad account. If you don’t see any data after 24 hours, use Meta Pixel Helper to check for errors.

Start Remarketing Visitors with Facebook Pixel

That’s it! We’ve just shown you how to add Facebook pixel to WordPress. By now, you should understand that a tracking pixel is a handy tool that can take your targeting strategy to the next level. Whether it’s for a giveaway event, PPC campaigns, or for those who enjoy working with code snippets – we’ve covered it all.

If you’re looking for more ways to level up your WordPress website, you may find the following tips and tutorials helpful:

• 7 Best WordPress Security Plugins to Defend Your Site
• How to Automate User Engagement in WordPress (15 Easy Ways)
• 7 Best Free WordPress Form Builder Plugins
• 10+ Best Free Email Marketing Tools & Services for Small Businesses

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