TikTok Pixel & Events API:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Conversion Tracking & Retargeting in 2026

Every ad pound spent on TikTok should be measurable. Yet, many advertisers still run campaigns without proper tracking in place. That means wasted budget, missed sales, and retargeting audiences that are essentially blank slates.

In 2026, TikTok offers two powerful data collection methods: the TikTok Pixel (browser-side) and the Events API (server-side). Used together, they give you the most complete picture of your customer journey — and fuel TikTok's algorithm to find more buyers like your best customers.

This guide walks you through both tools from scratch: what they are, why they matter, and exactly how to set them up — even if you've never touched a tracking pixel before.

1. What Is the TikTok Pixel?

TikTok Pixel setup in TikTok Ads Manager — the starting point for conversion tracking.

The TikTok Pixel is a small snippet of JavaScript code you place on your website. When a visitor lands on your site after seeing or clicking a TikTok ad, the pixel fires and sends event data back to TikTok — things like page views, add-to-cart actions, purchases, and sign-ups.

Think of it as a bridge between your website and TikTok's ad platform. Without this bridge, TikTok has no idea what happens after someone clicks your ad.

What the TikTok Pixel Tracks

• Page views — who visited your website and which pages they viewed
• Button clicks — specific CTA clicks like "Add to Cart" or "Sign Up"
• Form submissions — lead forms, newsletter sign-ups
• Purchase events — completed orders with revenue values
• Video views — how far visitors watched embedded videos
• Custom events — any action you define as valuable

2. What Is the TikTok Events API?

The TikTok Events API (CAPI) sends conversion data directly from your server — bypassing browser limitations.

The TikTok Events API (also called Conversion API or CAPI) is the server-side equivalent of the browser pixel. Instead of sending event data from the visitor's browser, it sends data directly from your server to TikTok's servers.

Why does this matter? Because browser-based tracking is increasingly unreliable in 2026:

• Ad blockers prevent the pixel from firing (estimated 42% of desktop users)
• iOS 14+ and Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) block 3rd-party cookies
• Firefox blocks tracking scripts by default
• Chrome's deprecation of 3rd-party cookies is now in full effect

The Events API bypasses all of these limitations because it runs on your server, not the user's browser. The result: more conversions tracked, better ROAS data, and smarter audience algorithms.

3. TikTok Pixel vs Events API: Which Is Better?

The honest answer: use both. They're complementary, not competing. Here's how they differ:

4. TikTok Standard Events: What to Track & When

TikTok has 20 standard events that work out-of-the-box with their algorithm. Prioritise these events for your vertical:

5. How to Set Up the TikTok Pixel (Step-by-Step)

Setting up the TikTok Pixel takes under 10 minutes. Follow these steps exactly:

TikTok Pixel installation options — partner integrations make setup fast for popular platforms.

<script>
  !function (w, d, t) {
    w.TiktokAnalyticsObject=t;
    var ttq=w[t]=w[t]||[];
    ttq.methods=["page","track","identify","instances","debug",
      "on","off","once","ready","alias","group","enableCookie",
      "disableCookie"];
    // ... TikTok pixel initialisation code
    ttq.load('YOUR_PIXEL_ID');
    ttq.page();
  }(window, document, 'ttq');
</script>

6. TikTok Pixel Setup for Shopify (2026)

Shopify advertisers have the easiest setup path thanks to TikTok's official Shopify integration. Here's how:

• Go to your Shopify Admin → Apps → TikTok. If not installed, search for "TikTok" in the Shopify App Store and install the official TikTok app.
• Connect your TikTok Ads Manager account by clicking "Connect" and authorising the app.
• Select your existing pixel or create a new one — Shopify automatically injects the pixel base code across all pages.
• Enable the Events API toggle (available in the TikTok Shopify app since 2023) — this adds server-side tracking automatically.
• Test by adding a product to cart and completing a test order — check TikTok Pixel Helper to confirm Purchase event fires.
• Enable Advanced Matching — this sends hashed customer email/phone data for better attribution. Shopify handles the hashing automatically.

7. How to Set Up TikTok Events API (Server-Side)

Setting up TikTok Events API — server-side tracking captures conversions that pixel misses.

The Events API requires sending a POST request to TikTok's API endpoint every time a tracked event occurs. Here's the technical setup:

// Browser pixel
ttq.track('Purchase', {
  content_id: 'PRODUCT_123',
  value: 49.99,
  currency: 'GBP'
}, {
  event_id: 'order_' + orderId  // unique ID for dedup
});

const axios = require('axios');

await axios.post(
  'https://business-api.tiktok.com/open_api/v1.3/event/track/',
  {
    pixel_code: 'YOUR_PIXEL_ID',
    event: 'Purchase',
    event_time: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
    event_id: 'order_' + orderId,  // matches pixel event_id
    user: {
      email: hashSHA256(customerEmail),  // always hash PII
      phone: hashSHA256(customerPhone),
      ip: req.ip,
      user_agent: req.headers['user-agent']
    },
    properties: {
      value: orderValue,
      currency: 'GBP',
      content_id: productId,
      content_type: 'product'
    }
  },
  {
    headers: {
      'Access-Token': 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }
  }
);

8. Advanced Matching: Improve Attribution by 30%+

Advanced Matching allows you to send hashed first-party customer data (email, phone, name) with pixel events. TikTok uses this to match events to TikTok users more accurately — even when cookies are blocked.

How to Enable Advanced Matching

1. In TikTok Ads Manager → Events → Your Pixel → Settings → click "Advanced Matching"
2. Enable the parameters you have available: email, phone, external ID
3. In your pixel code, pass hashed values using SHA-256 (TikTok accepts pre-hashed data)

// Call this when user is logged in or has provided their email
ttq.identify({
  email: hashSHA256('customer@example.com'),
  phone_number: hashSHA256('+447911123456'),
  external_id: hashSHA256('user_id_12345')
});

9. Setting Up TikTok Retargeting Audiences

With pixel data flowing, you can create powerful custom audiences for retargeting. These are people who have already shown interest in your business — they convert at significantly higher rates than cold audiences.

Custom Audience Types (Pixel-Based)

10. Video Walkthrough: TikTok Pixel Setup

Watch this complete video tutorial for a visual, step-by-step walkthrough of setting up TikTok Pixel in your Ads Manager account:

▶ How to Set Up the TikTok Pixel & View Dashboard

TikTok Pixel setup and dashboard walkthrough — official tutorial.

11. Common TikTok Pixel Problems & Fixes

12. TikTok Pixel Best Practices for 2026

• Use both Pixel + Events API — dual tracking gives you 90–99% conversion coverage vs 60–80% with pixel alone.
• Enable deduplication — always pass a unique event_id in both pixel and API calls for the same event.
• Fire events as early as possible — don't wait for third-party integrations. Fire Purchase events server-side the moment your server confirms the order.
• Pass revenue values with currency — always include value and currency with purchase events for value-based optimisation.
• Warm up with broad events first — before optimising for Purchase, collect at least 50 Purchase events. Start with ViewContent or AddToCart if volume is low.
• Segment your audiences — don't just target "all website visitors". Create separate audiences by page type, recency (7d, 14d, 30d), and intent level.
• Exclude converters from prospecting — add your past purchasers as an exclusion in cold audience campaigns to avoid wasting budget on existing customers.
• Check Event Match Quality score weekly — TikTok gives each event a quality score. Aim for 7+ out of 10. Low scores mean poor attribution and optimisation.
• Comply with privacy regulations — include TikTok in your cookie consent banner (GDPR/CCPA). Only fire events for consented users in cookie-dependent regions.