This article will show you all you need to know about the Facebook Pixel Helper, how it works, its installation, and what to do if you notice that Facebook Pixel (Meta Pixel Helper) is not working.
What is the Meta Pixel Helper
The Facebook Pixel Helper is a troubleshooting tool for validating your pixel implementation.
The Facebook Pixel Helper searches for conversion or Facebook pixels in the background and provides real-time feedback on implementation.
As such, the number of pixel events will be indicated by a small number on the Facebook Pixel Helper icon. When a panel is clicked, it expands to show a detailed overview of the page’s pixels, including warnings, errors, and successes.
The usefulness of Facebook Pixel Helper
The Facebook Pixel is the primary tool for tracking website events. The data from the pixel can then be used with the Marketing API to:
- Create custom audiences based on website activity.
- Analyze conversion activity and
- Identify which ads result in outcomes such as purchases.
Requirements for using Facebook Pixel Helper
The pixel’s base code must already be installed on every webpage where you will be tracking events.
How to Install and uninstall the Facebook Pixel Helper
You must have the Chrome web browser installed before you begin the installation process.
Install the Chrome browser if you don’t already have it, and then proceed with the steps below.
Installing the Facebook Pixel Helper
Follow the simple steps below to install the Meta Pixel Helper:
- Go to the Chrome web store.
- Search for Facebook Pixel Helper in the search bar.
- Click Add to Chrome.
- Click Add extension in the pop-up.
- To confirm Pixel Helper installation, click the Pixel Helper icon in the address bar.
- Check the pop-up to see if any Facebook pixels were found on that page and if they were successfully set up.
Important Notice:
- Suppose your pixel’s PageView event (automatically included as part of your pixel base code) and all of your standard events load successfully (on the desired pages only). In that case, you’re ready to attach the Facebook pixel to your ads.
- You can troubleshoot your error messages if you see a notification that no pixels were found on your site or that there is an error.
- If you add standard events to your pixel code on specific pages, you must perform a test conversion for each one. Add an item to your cart, for example, to test an AddToCart event and ensure that each event loads on the desired page or action.
See the Extension install link here.
How to Uninstall the Facebook Pixel Helper
To uninstall the pixel helper, do the following:
- In the address bar of your Chrome web browser, type chrome:/extensions.
- Under Facebook Pixel Helper, select Remove.
- To confirm, click Remove again in the pop-up window.
Why isn’t the Facebook Pixel Helper working?
The Facebook Pixel Helper may not be working, most probably because of one of the following reasons:
1. Pixel failed to load
This error indicates that your site’s Pixel Helper detected what appears to be Facebook pixel code, but the actual HTTP request was not made.
This is usually due to a coding error, but it can also happen if the pixel fires on a dynamic event, such as a button click. In that case, when you click the button, the error will be gone.
2. The pixel ID is invalid.
This error indicates that a defined pixel ID in the Facebook system did not match the pixel ID sent.
Log in to FB Ads Manager and navigate to the Events Manager to find the correct ID of your pixel.
3. Can’t find Catalog of products
This means that the Product Catalog ID entered in the pixel fire’s Product Catalog ID field could not be found in the system.
Navigate to Business Manager and look for the Product Catalog ID under Settings > Product Catalogues.
4. Pixel active many times
This error indicates that Facebook received multiple requests for the same ID and event name for a pixel.
That is almost always an error. An event must occur only once when a page is loaded.
If these parameters are sent with separate custom data parameters, they should be aggregated into a single-pixel event.
5. Not a standard event
This error means that an event found by the Pixel Helper is not one of the Standard Events.
For instance, the event is named “Bought” instead of “Purchase.”
Always use one of the standard events to avoid this error.
6. Encoded characters
This warning indicates that the Pixel Helper has discovered characters that appear to have double encodings.
It’s usually caused by a tag encoding previously encoded information.
For example, encoding & into && is incorrect. Try changing & to &, which will ensure that characters are not being encoded twice.
That’s all for the Facebook Pixel Chrome extension.
If you have any questions, please make use of the comment box. Thank you.
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