About the GroundTruth Pixel

Emily Truong

September 03, 2026 13:58

Overview

The GroundTruth Pixel measures post-ad engagement and website conversions driven by your advertising campaigns. This single, omnichannel pixel connects top-of-funnel awareness (CTV & Audio) directly to bottom-of-funnel web performance (Desktop & Mobile).

Key Capabilities

Omnichannel Attribution: Track both click-through (Mobile/Desktop) and view-through (CTV/Audio) engagements within a 14-day attribution window.
Automatic Engagement Tracking: Measure standard site metrics including pageviews, sessions, unique users, and time-on-site without writing custom code.
High-Intent Action Tracking: Track dynamic actions such as add-to-carts, completed checkouts, and form submissions using optional custom event snippets.
Built-In Site Retargeting: Build retargeting audiences directly from your base domain and sub-paths without deploying separate site retargeting scripts.

💡 Note: When creating a campaign in Ads Manager, pixel generation is 100% automated. Your code snippet automatically populates with your unique account identifier (gtid), and Site Retargeting can be enabled with a single click during setup.

Implementation Steps

To ensure accurate reporting, follow these four primary implementation steps:

Part 1: Generate Pixel in Ads Manager

Part 2: Install Base Pixel on your website

Part 3: Add Custom Events (Optional)

Part 4: Validate Pixel setup

Part 1: Generating Your Pixel in Ads Manager

Regardless of your website platform or installation method, every setup begins with the Base Pixel.

Navigate to the Measurement step (Step 6) during ad group creation in Ads Manager.
Toggle ON the GroundTruth Pixel.
Choose from one of two setup options:
- + Generate new pixel:
  - Website URL: Enter your destination domain (e.g., https://example.com) where web activity will be measured.
  - Tracking Pixel Name: Give your pixel a clear, recognizable name. (Note: If site retargeting is enabled, this name will also be assigned to your custom retargeting audience).
  - Enable Site Retargeting (Optional): Check this box to build an audience of past website visitors to re-engage across future campaigns.
  - Click Generate.
- Select From Existing: Search and select a previously created pixel from the dropdown menu to apply to this ad group.
Copy the generated code snippet using the Copy icon (two overlapping squares) or save it using the Download icon.

⚠️ Only one pixel can be active per ad group at any given time.

Measurement Step Generate Pixel UI

Part 2: Installing the Base Pixel

The Base Pixel must be placed globally inside the <head> section of every page on your website to capture the full post-click user journey.

While you can paste the code manually into your site’s HTML header, we strongly recommend using one of our step-by-step platform installation guides:

[Install via Google Tag Manager] (Recommended)
[Install via WordPress]
[Install via Shopify]

Part 3: Custom Events (Optional)

If you want to track specific conversions beyond standard page visits, your developer can add secondary event "signals" alongside the base pixel. These snippets should only be placed on specific post-action confirmation pages (e.g., a "Thank You" or order summary page), and should be added in addition to the Base Pixel.

🛍️ Add to Cart

Triggered when a product is added to a shopping cart. Replace XXXXX with a numerical value (e.g., gtpx('cart',{amount:49.99});).

gtpx('cart',{amount: XXXXX});

💳 Purchase

Triggered when a sale is successfully completed. Replace XXXXX with a numerical value (e.g., gtpx('purchase',{amount:139.00});).

gtpx('purchase',{amount: XXXXX});

📝 Conversion

Triggered when a specific goal is completed, such as a lead form submission or newsletter signup. Replace my_goal_name with a custom string descriptor (e.g., newsletter_signup).

gtpx('conversion',{label: 'my_goal_name'});

Part 4: Validating Your Pixel

Once installed, verify that your pixel is actively firing and sending data back to Ads Manager by following our [Validating & Troubleshooting Your Pixel Setup] guide.

⚠️ Using Classic Ads Manager? Setup workflows and UI views in this guide reflect the updated platform experience. If you are using our legacy interface, please contact a GroundTruth representative for guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a tracking pixel? A tracking pixel is a small, invisible piece of code placed on your website to help measure advertising effectiveness. When a user interacts with your ad and then visits your site, the pixel is triggered, allowing you to gather valuable data for campaign optimization and measurement.
Do I need a new pixel for every campaign? No. Pixels are managed at the account level and can be reused across campaigns driving traffic to the same domain.
Where should the base pixel be placed? Globally in the header (<head>) of every page on your site to capture full post-click user journeys.
Where should custom event code be placed? Place custom snippets (e.g., purchase or form fill confirmations) only on the specific post-action confirmation page. Do not place custom event code globally.

Need Help?

For additional support and to ensure your campaign is set up for success, please reach out to your dedicated GroundTruth representative, or contact our Self-Serve team directly at selfservehelp@groundtruth.com.