Conversion Pixel: How to Install & Reporting

Install the Conversion Pixel via Google Tag Manager (GTM)

Create RegEx Matching Trigger

Always configure pixel triggers in GTM to match URLs with regex instead of exact match. Regex ensures the pixel fires even if parameters are added.

Note: Google Tag Manager uses the RE2 regex engine, which does not support lookaheads/lookbehinds. Remember to replace example.com with your actual domain.

1. In GTM, navigate to Triggers in the left menu.
2. Click New.
3. Name the Trigger (e.g., Page URL RegEx Match)
4. Click into the Trigger Configuration box and select Page View as the Trigger Type.
5. Change selection from All Page Views to Some Page Views.
6. In the conditional settings that populate:
   1. Select the (+) image and choose Page URL
   2. Click the next drop-down menu (default shows contains) and select matches RegEx
   3. In the last blank field, paste your RegEx Pattern. See examples above for reference.
7. Click Save in the top right corner.
8. Follow the steps below to add/set the created trigger to your tag setup. For reference, example below shows use case #1.

Create a New Variable

1. Navigate to Variables in the left menu
2. Scroll to the User-Defined Variables section, click New
3. Name the variable Timestamp
4. Click into the Variable Configuration box
5. Choose Custom JavaScript
6. Copy and paste the below code snippet into the text box

function() {
  return Date.now();
}

7. Save

Implement the Variable into the Tag

1. Navigate to Tags in the left menu
2. Select the created tag you wish to connect (e.g., GroundTruth PageView)
3. In the Tag Configuration box navigate to the Image URL field
4. Move the cursor to the end of the pasted Image URL
5. Click the (+) button at the end of the box to add
6. Select the new variable (e.g., Timestamp)
7. Save

Implement the Pixel as a New Tag

1. Add the GTM container to your site. If Google Tag Manager (GTM) has not been installed, you can follow Google's setup guide.
2. Create a new tag in GTM.
   • In GTM, go to Tags in the left menu.
   • Click New.
   • Click into the Tag Configuration box.
   • Select Custom Image as the tag type.
   • In the Image URL field, paste the pixel image tag provided in your pixel sheet (exported from Ads Manager).
3. Add Timestamp (Cache Busting).
   • Replace {TIMESTAMP} in the pixel code with GTM’s built-in cache-busting macro.
   • If {TIMESTAMP} variable doesn’t exist, then you'll need to create it and add it to the required tag. See instructions for Create a New Variable and Implement the Variable into the Tag below.
4. Set the Trigger.
   1. Click into the Triggering box.
   2. Select the RegEx trigger previously created.
5. Finalize the Tag
   • Name your Tag (e.g., GroundTruth - PageView Pixel).
   • Click Save.
   • Publish your GTM container to make the changes live.
6. Confirm that the pixel is firing on all site pages where you want tracking using the Validation Steps. Use Preview/Debug Mode to test and confirm the pixel fires correctly on target pages.

Reporting

Track and report on the actions of users who visit your page(s) after viewing or clicking on your ad

In Ads Manager

1. In your campaign dashboard, click the Report Name drop-down menu and select Web Conversions. Note: this report is only available at the campaign and ad group levels.
2. You have the option to view conversions for all of your tracking pixels or for individual pixels by using the Pixel drop-down on the left-hand side.
3. The graph above the table will show one line tracking web conversions per day.  You can change the start and end date of the report using the Duration feature.
4. Option to export all pixel data using the export function within the dashboard, choosing Report Data. The report will include: ID: Pixel ID | Name: Pixel Name | Campaign Name: Shown at campaign level | Ad Group: Shown at Ad Group Level | Date: Only shows when row is expanded | Web Conversions: Total of both view and click conversions | View Conversions | Click Conversions

Difference between click-through conversion and view-through conversions

Click-Through Conversion: Often referred to as post-click conversion occurs when a user clicks on an ad and then takes a desired action on the advertiser's website or landing page. This action is typically a conversion goal, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. Click-through conversions are directly attributed to the ad click, meaning that the user's action is directly tied to the initial click on the ad. Conversions are tracked with a 14-day look-back window.

View-Through Conversion: Also known as a post-impression conversion, occurs when a user is exposed to an ad (typically in the form of an impression or display ad) but does not click on it. Instead, the user later converts by taking the desired action on the advertiser's website. View-through conversions are attributed to the ad impression rather than the click. The time frame within which a view-through conversion is tracked on our ad platform is 14 days after the ad impression.

<html>
  <body>
<!-- Page Content -->
 
<!-- Conversion Pixel -->
document.write('<img src="https://bidagent.xad.com/conv/XXXXXX?ts=' + new Date().getTime() + "width="1" height="1" style="display:none;"/>');
  </body>
</html>