Instagram ads tracking: Meta Pixel, Conversions API and Events Manager

Reviewed by Ajay Garg, founder of MAWD Agency, 17 years in digital marketing. LinkedIn

In short: install the Meta Pixel on your website and send the same events through the Conversions API, then check both in Events Manager. Without tracking, Meta cannot find people likely to buy, and your Instagram advertising runs blind.

Pixel or Conversions API?

Why both, and what is deduplication?

Sending each event twice gives Meta a second chance to receive it. Meta then removes the duplicate: it treats a browser event and a server event as the same when they share the same event_name and event_id. If your setup does not pass a matching event_id on both, one purchase can count twice.

Standard and custom events

Standard events have names Meta already understands, such as Purchase, Lead and AddToCart, and work across Meta's ad tools. Custom events are actions you name yourself. Use standard events where one fits.

Check it in Events Manager

• Test Events: do a test purchase or form fill and watch the event arrive.
• Diagnostics: lists setup problems Meta has spotted.
• Event Match Quality: how well the customer details sent with server events match Meta accounts. Higher is better.

Why Events Manager and Ads Manager show different numbers

Events Manager counts every event received from your Pixel or Conversions API. Ads Manager counts only the events attributed to your ads. A gap between them is normal.