A Pixel is a tracking asset created within an Advertiser that can be used to measure website activity, conversions, and campaign performance in Pontiac. Pixels can be placed on an Advertiser’s website or used with Creatives depending on the desired measurement or audience-building workflow.

Pixels are created and managed at the Advertiser level. Once created, they can be associated with applicable Campaigns and Lines for conversion measurement and reporting.

Pontiac Pixels can support workflows such as:

• Measuring website visits and conversion events
• Attributing website activity to Pontiac Campaigns
• Passing additional conversion information such as Order ID and Order Amount
• Creating Pixel IP Audiences for remarketing or exclusion
• Firing additional third-party measurement through Piggyback Pixels

Pixel capabilities and implementation requirements vary depending on how the Pixel will be used.

Pixel Hierarchy

Pixels are created and managed under an Advertiser:

Seat
└── Advertiser
    ├── Creatives
    ├── Pixels
    └── Campaigns
        └── Lines

Although Pixels belong to the Advertiser, they can be associated with Campaigns and Lines for conversion tracking and reporting.

Overview

With the IP based pixel, a client can place this on their website and attribute online actions (browsing a page, loading the shopping cart, purchases) to CTV, Streaming Audio, and Display campaigns run through the Pontiac platform. Typically, pixels are based on third party cookies which work on browsers, and these do not allow for attribution for CTV and Streaming Audio campaigns. Pontiac IP Conversion Pixels are a proprietary and privacy safe attribution solution for CTV & Streaming Audio that utilizes the user’s IP Address to track website traffic and online purchases driven by your campaigns.

Metrics

At the Advertiser level, IP Conversion metrics will include conversions from ALL Line Items under this Advertiser, even if the pixel was not associated to the Line. If the pixel is associated to a Line Item, you can see metrics for that Line Item by opening the Line. Detailed reporting can be pulled in the Reporting tab under Custom Reports.

IP conversion pixels have a standard lookback of 30 days in the metrics under the Advertiser. This means that the user must complete the desired action within 30 days of seeing the ad for it to count as a conversion. If you would like to pull reporting with a custom lookback window, this can be done in Custom Reporting using the IP Conversion Custom Report. You can select from ‘5’, ‘7’, ’15’ or ’30’ day as the lookback.

• Attributed Imps: The number of impressions served by a Line Item under the Advertiser to users that then converted.
• Total Convs: The number of conversions, or unique actions that were driven by all Line Items under the Advertiser. A conversion event will be defined according to the pixel placement. For example, if the pixel is placed on all web pages, a conversion event would equal a page visit. If the pixel is placed on the ‘Thank you’ page after a purchase, then a conversion event would equal a purchase.
• Total Loads: The Loads will indicate the number of times the pixel has fired on the page. This is the number of users that have visited the page in the selected time interval regardless if the Line Item drove the conversion. If the pixel is showing 0 loads, this may indicate the pixel is not properly placed or firing correctly.
• Uniques: The total number of unique visitors (loads) to the web page where the pixel is placed in the reporting interval selected.

For information about IP Conversion attribution, Lookback Windows, and reporting, see Conversion Tracking.

To create an IP Conversion Pixel, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the applicable Advertiser, or create a new Advertiser if needed.
2. Select New Pixel.
3. Enter a Name for the Pixel.
4. Configure the optional Create Custom Audience setting:
   • Select Create Custom Audience to create a Pixel IP Audience from qualifying Pixel fires for future targeting or exclusion.
   • Days to Live: Determines how long each record remains active in the Audience. The default is 180 days. Common values are 30, 60, or 90 days, with a maximum of 180 days. Users are added to the Audience only from qualifying Pixel activity that occurs after Audience creation is enabled.
5. Create Custom Audience (Optional): Check the box if wanting to create an audience for retargeting or exclusion purposes.
   • Set Days to Live: Set to 180 days by default. Set the number of days to live. Typically 30, 60, 90 days is input here. The maximum is 180 days.
   • Note that users are only added to the audience if they visit the site after the pixel is placed.
6. Select Save.
7. Allow approximately 30–60 seconds for the Pixel to generate.
8. Open the newly created Pixel to view the generated Pixel URLs and additional configuration options.

9. Configure any optional Query String Parameters:
   • Order ID: The unique order ID generated by your site.
   • Order Amount: The total order value associated with the Order ID.
   • Client IP: The visitor’s IP address captured by your site when the Pixel fires.
   • Consumer ID: A unique customer, lead, or visitor ID generated by your site.
   • GDPR Consent: The visitor’s consent string collected by your site.
   • GDPR: A flag (0 or 1) indicating whether GDPR applies to the visitor.
     1. For additional information, see GDPR Query String Macros.
   • Custom Variable 1: Adds var1=VAR1 to the Pixel URL and makes the value available as Custom Variable 1 in Custom Reporting. Additional values can be passed using var2, var3, and var4.
   • When query string parameters are included, work with your web developer to dynamically replace the placeholders with the appropriate values before the Pixel fires.
10. Select the desired Pixel implementation:
    • Pixel URL Img: Recommended for most use cases. Image pixels are widely supported and work reliably across environments.
    • Pixel URL JS: Supports additional functionality and may be used when JavaScript-based tracking is required and supported.
11. Implement the Pixel in the desired location:
    • Website Activity: Place the Pixel on the Advertiser’s website. It can be placed across the site, such as in the header, or on a specific page such as a product, checkout, or confirmation page depending on the activity you want to measure.
    • Creative Exposure: A Pontiac Pixel can also be added to a Creative as an Impression Tracker when Creative exposure tracking or Pixel IP Audience creation is desired.
12. Associate the Pixel with the applicable Campaign or Line where conversion performance should be measured.
    • For association instructions, see:
      • Campaign Creatives
      • Line Creatives

To edit an existing IP Conversion Pixel:

1. Navigate to the Advertiser where the Pixel was created, or search for the Pixel by Name or ID using the main search bar.
2. Select the Pixel you would like to edit.
3. Update any applicable fields:
   • Name: Update the Pixel name.
   • Create Custom Audience: Select or unselect this option to control whether a Pixel IP Audience is created from qualifying Pixel fires.
     • Days to Live: Determines how long each record remains active in the Audience. The default is 180 days. Common values are 30, 60, or 90 days, with a maximum of 180 days. Users are added to the Audience only from qualifying Pixel activity that occurs after Audience creation is enabled.
   • Query String Parameters: Select additional parameters to include in the Pixel URL:
     • Once the pixel has been generated, you can track additional parameters by selecting the corresponding boxes for:
       • Order ID: The unique order ID generated by your site.
       • Order Amount: The total order value associated with the Order ID generated by your site.
       • Client IP: The visitor’s IP address captured by your site at the time of the pixel fire.
       • Consumer ID: A unique customer, lead, or visitor ID generated by your site.
       • GDPR Consent: The visitor’s consent string collected by your site.
       • GDPR: A flag (0 or 1) that indicates whether GDPR applies to the visitor.
         • For more documentation, see here: GDPR Query String Macros
       • Custom Variable 1: This adds var1=VAR1 to the pixel URL and populates Custom Variable 1 in Custom Reporting. To pass additional values, add var2, var3, or var4 using the same format. Work with your web developer to replace the placeholders with the intended values.

When query string parameters are added or changed, work with your web developer to dynamically replace the placeholders with the appropriate values before the Pixel fires.

Update the Pixel Implementation

If an edit changes the Pixel URL or parameters being passed, update the Pixel anywhere it has already been implemented so the revised configuration is used.

This may include:

• Website Activity: A Pontiac Pixel placed on an Advertiser’s website, such as a homepage, product page, checkout page, or other conversion page.
• Creative Exposure: A Pontiac Pixel added to a Creative as an Impression Tracker to measure Creative exposure and, when enabled, build a Pixel IP Audience for future retargeting.

Save the Pixel after completing the desired changes.

Pontiac supports Piggyback Pixels so additional third-party tracking or measurement pixels can fire through a Pontiac JavaScript or Image pixel. The Piggyback Pixels tab is available when creating or editing a pixel, allowing users to add each piggyback pixel and enter its URL.

For JavaScript pixels:

• Up to 10 piggyback pixels can be added.
• When the Pontiac JavaScript pixel fires, it uses document.write to fire the associated piggyback image pixels.

For Image pixels:

• A maximum of 1 piggyback pixel can be added.
• When the Pontiac Image pixel fires, the request redirects to the configured piggyback pixel URL.

After a Pixel has been generated, optional query string parameters can be added to pass additional information with each Pixel fire. When enabled, the corresponding parameters and placeholders are added to the Pixel URL.

Work with your web developer to dynamically replace each placeholder with the appropriate value before the Pixel fires. Values passed through these parameters are available in Custom Reporting and can provide additional insight into campaign-driven conversions.

• Order ID: Passes the unique order or transaction ID generated by your site.
• Order Amount: Passes the value associated with the conversion or order. This can be used in reporting for metrics such as revenue and ROAS.
• Consumer ID: Passes a unique customer, lead, or visitor identifier generated by your site.
• Client IP: Passes the visitor IP address observed by your website when the Pixel fires. This can be useful when the Pixel is implemented through a container or another environment where the IP address detected directly by the Pixel may not represent the visitor accurately. When provided, the Client IP value is used for attribution and reporting.
• GDPR Consent: Passes the visitor’s IAB TCF consent string when applicable. This value should be populated dynamically using consent information collected by the website or Consent Management Platform (CMP).
• GDPR: Indicates whether GDPR applies to the visitor associated with the Pixel fire, typically using 1 when GDPR applies and 0 when it does not.
  • For additional information, see GDPR Query String Macros.
• Custom Variable 1: Adds var1=VAR1 to the Pixel URL and makes the value available as Custom Variable 1 in Custom Reporting. Additional values can be passed using var2, var3, and var4.
  • Applicable Report Types:
    • IP Conversion Pixel: Path to Conversion
    • IP Conversion Pixel: Page Visits
    • Cookies: Path to Conversion

Configure a Custom Pixel Domain

White-label clients can use a branded subdomain for Pontiac pixel URLs so that pixel requests display their own domain rather than the Pontiac domain.

For example, instead of: https://pix.pontiac.media/iap/1234

the pixel can use a custom branded domain such as: https://pixel.yourdomain.com/iap/1234

The underlying pixel functionality remains the same; only the domain displayed in the pixel URL is customized.

1. Choose your custom subdomain.
   Select the subdomain you would like to use for your pixel URLs. For example:
   • pixel.yourdomain.com
   • p.yourdomain.com
   • tracking.yourdomain.com
2. Provide the SSL certificate for the selected subdomain.
   For example, if you choose pixel.yourdomain.com, provide the SSL certificate that covers pixel.yourdomain.com. Pontiac uses this certificate to securely configure the custom hostname for HTTPS requests.
3. Pontiac configures the custom hostname.
   Pontiac will configure the branded hostname to route requests to the Pontiac pixel service. Once configured, requests such as: https://pixel.yourdomain.com/iap/1234 can be processed by the same Pontiac pixel infrastructure as the standard Pontiac pixel URL.
4. Pontiac provides the DNS target.
   After the hostname has been configured, Pontiac will provide the DNS target that should be used for your CNAME record. For example: pixel.yourdomain.com → <Pontiac-provided DNS target>
5. Create the CNAME record with your DNS provider.
   In your DNS provider, such as Cloudflare or AWS Route 53, create a CNAME record for your selected subdomain and point it to the DNS target provided by Pontiac.

Once the SSL, Pontiac configuration, and DNS setup are complete, pixel URLs can continue using the same path structure while displaying your custom branded domain.

Completed Checkout Custom Pixel

A Shopify custom pixel can be used to report completed checkouts to Pontiac. The pixel subscribes to Shopify’s checkout_completed customer event and sends a request to the Pontiac pixel endpoint when an order is completed.

The request can include:

• Pontiac pixel ID
• Event type
• Shopify order ID
• Completed order amount

Shopify typically triggers the checkout_completed event once per checkout on the order confirmation or Thank You page.

Before configuring the custom pixel, confirm that:

• You have access to the Shopify store’s admin settings.
• A Pontiac conversion pixel has been created.
• You know the Pontiac pixel ID that should receive the completed checkout event.

The example below uses Pontiac pixel ID 12345. Replace this value with the applicable Pontiac pixel ID.

Add the Custom Pixel in Shopify

1. Log in to the Shopify admin.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Select Customer events.
4. Open the Custom pixels section.
5. Click Add custom pixel.
6. Enter a name such as: Pontiac Completed Checkout Pixel
7. Paste the completed checkout code into the code editor.
8. Save the pixel.
9. Click Connect to activate it.

The custom pixel must be connected before it can receive customer events.

Locate the Pontiac Pixel Information

The Pontiac img pixel is provided in the following format:

Pixel URL Img: <img src=”https://pix.pontiac.media/pixel?id=12345&type=2″ width=”1″ height=”1″ />

For the Shopify implementation, use only the URL contained in the src attribute: https://pix.pontiac.media/pixel?id=12345&type=2

The URL is separated into the following values in the custom pixel template:

“https://pix.pontiac.media/pixel” + “?id=12345” + “&type=2”

Replace 12345 with the ID from the Pontiac pixel. Do not paste the full HTML <img> tag into the Shopify custom pixel.

Shopify Custom Pixel Code

analytics.subscribe("checkout_completed", (event) => {
  const checkout = event.data?.checkout;

  if (!checkout) return;

  const orderId =
    checkout.order?.id ||
    checkout.order?.name ||
    checkout.id ||
    checkout.token ||
    "";

  const orderAmount =
    checkout.totalPrice?.amount ||
    "";

  const pixelUrl =
    "https://pix.pontiac.media/pixel" +
    "?id=12345" +
    "&type=2" +
    "&order-id=" + encodeURIComponent(orderId) +
    "&order-amount=" + encodeURIComponent(orderAmount);

  fetch(pixelUrl, {
 method: "GET",
 mode: "no-cors",
 keepalive: true
 });
});

Update the Pontiac Pixel ID

In the custom pixel code, locate:

"?id=12345"

Replace 12345 with the applicable Pontiac pixel ID.

For example, if the Pontiac pixel URL is: https://pix.pontiac.media/pixel?id=67890&type=2

the corresponding portion of the Shopify code should be:

"?id=67890" +
"&type=2"

Do not change the type=2 value for a completed checkout conversion pixel unless instructed by Pontiac.

Information Sent to Pontiac

When a checkout is completed, the custom pixel sends:

• id: The Pontiac pixel ID
• type: The Pontiac event type
• order-id: The first available Shopify order or checkout identifier
• order-amount: The completed checkout total

Reach out through the Pontiac Help Center or contact your account manager for additional guidance or questions.