This guide will teach you how to add tracking pixels to ad items. You will learn:

1. What tracking pixels are.
2. How to add impression tracking pixels to an ad item.
3. How to add click tracking pixels to an ad item.

Tracking pixels basics

Tracking pixels are snippets of code that allow advertisers to record how viewers interact with ads. There are three main types of tracking pixels: Impression, Click, and Conversion tracking pixels.

All three types are based on the same technology. When the tracking pixel loads - either through Javascript or an HTML element - the server to which the pixel is connected records an event. Whether that event is an impression, click, or conversion depends on the tracking pixel.

AdButler lets you add impression and click tracking pixels only into individual ad items. Conversion tracking pixels on the other hand are usually hard coded into a page. Advertisers will rarely request for conversion counts when discussing or analyzing impression counts or click through rates.

Most tracking pixels are passed along as URLs, such as https://servedbyadbutler.com/adserve/pixel. Occasionally they'll come wrapped in HTML tags like <img>, and you can easily extract the pixel by taking the src= attribute.

An impression tracking pixel is usually a 1 pixel by 1 pixel image hosted on a server. It is usually placed on a page via an HTML <img> tag, which loads the pixel whenever someone visits the page. AdButler does the same when you add an impression tracking pixel to an ad item. The impression tracking pixel's traditional 1 x 1 size is why this tracking technology came to be referred to as a "pixel", despite its slightly misleading connotation.

AdButler currently supports click tracking pixels that act as a redirect or a destination URL. These tracking pixels record clicks the same way that AdButler does - they send the user to their own server to record the click, then they send the user to the actual destination URL.

Adding an impression tracking pixel to an ad item

1. Go to the dashboard of the relevant campaign ( Advertisers > Your Advertiser > Your Campaign).
2. Create a new ad item by clicking Add Ad Item on the top right of the Ad Items table, or click on an existing one. The Assignment Details page will appear.
3. Paste the impression tracking pixel link into the Tracking Pixel field.
4. Configure the rest of the ad item parameters then click Save.

Adding a click tracking pixel to an ad item

1. Go to the dashboard of the relevant campaign ( Advertisers > Your Advertiser > Your Campaign).
2. Create a new ad item by clicking Add Ad Item on the top right of the Ad Items table, or click on an existing one. The Assignment Details page will appear.
3. Paste the click tracking pixel link into the Destination URL field.
4. Configure the rest of the ad item parameters then click Save.