How to Optimize For and Track Facebook Custom Events

Publishers who install the Facebook pixel (a unique snippet of code) to their website can track and optimize for specific events that occur on ... GenericselectorsExactmatchesonlyExactmatchesonlySearchintitleSearchintitleSearchincontentSearchincontentSearchinexcerptHiddenHidden478SHARESFacebookTwitterBufferLinkedinThankstoarecentupdate,advertiserscannowoptimizeforandtrackFacebookcustomevents—withoutneedingtofirstcreateacustomconversion.Ifthisdoesn’tmakesensetoyou,allowmetoexplain…WhatareCustomEvents?First,whenwespeakof“events”inthiscontext,I’mreferringtopixeleventsPixeleventsallowyoutotrackspecificactionsonyourwebsitethatcanbeusedforreporting,targeting,andoptimization..PublisherswhoinstalltheFacebookpixel(auniquesnippetofcode)totheirwebsitecantrackandoptimizeforspecificeventsthatoccurontheirwebsiteusingFacebookads.Therearetwokindsofevents:1.Standard:FacebookhaspredefinedeventsthattheycaneasilyrecognizefortrackingandoptimizationHowyouoptimizeimpactswhoseesyourFacebookad.Facebookwillshowyouradtopeoplemostlikelytoperformyourdesiredaction.purposes.ExamplesincludePurchase,CompleteRegistration,VieContent,andSearch(amongmanyothers).2.Custom:Maybeyouhaveeventsthatcan’tbedefinedwithin“standard”constraints.Youcanusecustomcodetodefine“custom”eventssothatFacebookcantracktheseaswell.Anexampleofacustomeventonmywebsiteisthe“TimeonPage”event.Thisallowsmetosendaneventwhensomeonehasspent60secondsormoreonapage.(YoucanreadmoreabouthowIcreatedthiscustomeventhere.)TheProblem(Before)Onceyoucreateacustomevent,youcancreateanaudienceofpeoplewhohaveperformeditfortargetingpurposes.Here’sanexampleusingthecustomeventIcreatedforTimeonPage.Afterthat,however,customeventshadsomeweaknesses.YoucouldoptimizeforstandardeventswhencreatingaconversionscampaignThecampaignisthefoundationofyourFacebookad.Thisiswhereyou'llsetanadvertisingobjective,whichdefineswhatyouwantyouradtoachieve..Youcouldalsotrackstandardeventconversionsbyaddingacolumn(ifyoudidn’tdefineitastheconversioneventintheadsetAnadsetisaFacebookadsgroupingwheresettingsliketargeting,scheduling,optimization,andplacementaredetermined.).Butcustomeventsneededanotherstep.Inordertooptimizeforortrackacustomevent,youneededtofirstmapthateventtoacustomconversion(sinceyoucouldoptimizeforandtrackcustomconversionsCustomconversionsletyoucreaterulesforeventsorURLssothatyoucanbettertrackandoptimizeforspecificactionswithFacebookads.,butnotcustomevents).WhatThisUpdateMeansMappingacustomeventtoacustomconversioninordertooptimizeforortrackitseemedlikeacompletelyunnecessarystep.Anditwas.Withthisupdate,youwillnowbeabletoselectacustomeventwhenchoosingyourconversioneventwithintheadset.Facebookdoesn’tdoaverygoodjobofdifferentiatingbetweenwhat’sastandardevent,customevent,orcustomconversionduringthisprocess,butthere’soneindicator.Standardandcustomeventsdon’thaverules,whereascustomconversionsdo.Youshouldrecognizeallstandardevents.Ifyouareuncertainwhetheraneventisacustomeventorcustomconversion,hoveroverittoseeifrulesweresetupforit.Here’sacustomconversionwhererulesweresetup…Andhere’sacustomevent,showingnorules…Ifyouselectacustomeventasaconversionevent,itwillbetrackedinthe“Results”column.But,youcanalsonowaddacolumnforacustomeventnow.Clicktocustomizecolumns…Ontheleft,you’llseea“Conversions”sectionthatincludesstandardevents,customconversions,andcustomevents.Youcanthenaddacolumnforthatcustomevent,regardlessofwhetheryoudefineitasyourconversionevent.iOS14ConsiderationsSomethingtoconsiderhereisthatyoucurrentlycannotconfigureyoureightrankedeventstoincludecustomevents,onlystandardeventsandcustomconversions.Rankedeventswillresultinmorecompletereporting,assumingyouhaveasubstantialaudienceusingiOSdevices.MyassumptionisthatFacebookwilleventuallyallowustoaddcustomeventsasourrankedevents,butuntilthenthisissomethingtokeepinmind.YourTurnHaveyoustartedoptimizingforandtrackingcustomevents?Letmeknowinthecommentsbelow!478SHARESFacebookTwitterBufferLinkedinNew10Tipsfrom10Years10importantlessonslearnedaboutFacebookadsduringthepast10years.Receiveaseriesof10emails,oneeveryday.FirstNameEmailYes,Iwouldliketoreceive'10Tipsfrom10Years'emailsfromJonLoomerIagree.Clickheretoviewourprivacypolicy.NewTheBasicsThefivebasicstepstosettingupasuccessfulFacebookadcampaign.Receivealinktoadifferenttipeveryday.Eachtipincludesavideoandwrittenlesson.FirstNameEmailYes,Iwouldliketoreceive'TheBasics'emailsfromJonLoomerIagree.Clickheretoviewourprivacypolicy.TrainingBundle:Tracking,Targeting,andOptimizationTrainingBundle:Tracking,Targeting,andOptimizationJonLoomerLearnhowtothriveinaneraoflesstrackingandgreaterprivacyinthismulti-focusbundle,thatincludespre-recordedvideosandaliveevent.Signup!PHCPowerHittersClubJonLoomerBOOSTyourFacebookMarketingSkillsThePHCprovidesmemberswithaccesstohundredsofadvertiserswhohavedonewhatyou’retryingtodo,haveworkedinyourindustryandwhocanpullfromvaluableexperience.ClickhereOne-on-OneOne-on-OneTrainingScheduleone-on-onetimewithJontodiscussyourFacebookadvertisingstruggles,obstacles,andstrategies.ClickHereSignuptomyNewsletterJoinmorethan100,000marketersandsubscribetomymailinglisttokeeppaceintheworldofFacebookadvertising!Yes,IwouldliketoreceiveemailsfromJonLoomerFirstName*Email*SignUpClick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