Goal

To create a tracking pixel for a website. This makes it possible to collect the following data from the website:

  • Number of recipients who visit an online shop or website based on a message

  • Number of recipients who complete a conversion based on a message

  • Number of total conversions completed via this tracking pixel

  • Total sales via this tracking pixel

  • Sales of a message compared to all messages that triggered conversions

Background Information​

Evaluation of conversions is possible with or without cookies:

  • With Cookies:
    The online shop system does not need to store recipient information from Engage, because it is available on the customer's PC (see Cookies-Based Conversion Tracking​). However, many recipients set their browser settings to not accept cookies. These recipients cannot be tracked with this method.

  • Without Cookies:
    Many email recipients do not allow cookies in their browsers. A cookie-less conversion tracking method is also available. It is not possible to trace interrupted shopping sessions using this method (see Cookie-Less Conversion Tracking​).

    For optimal recipient activity tracking, we recommend using cookies together with link parameters.

Prerequisites

Conversion tracking must be enabled for a message in Mapp Engage. For more information, see Activate Conversion Tracking for Messages.

Procedure

A) Create a Tracking Pixel

  1. In the main navigation​ menu, click  ​Administration​ > ​Categories​ >  Conversion Tracking.

  2. Click ​Create.

  3. In the input field ​Name, enter a name for the new conversion tracking.

  4. (optional) In the input field ​Description, enter a description of the new conversion tracking.

  5. Click Save. The Conversion Tracking is saved and activated in the ​Conversion Tracking overview window.

  6. Click on the desired conversion tracking. The ​Details​ area provides you with information about the created conversion tracking.

B) Adapt HTTP elements in the Pixel

There are four different HTTP fragments, combining cookie-based vs. cookie-less tracking and normal vs. secure conversion tracking. Before you can use these fragments on your website, they have to be adapted for use on your shop system pages.

Customizations necessary for all fragments:

  • itemcnt = Enter the placeholder for the total number of purchased articles. This value is automatically created by your online shop system.

  • amount = Enter the placeholder for the total value of all purchased articles. This value is automatically created by your online shop system.

  • random = Enter a placeholder for a random number. This prevents the pixel from being saved in the browser cache. Thus, the pixel is reloaded from the Browser each time a visitor opens the page. The random number is created by the online system when generating a page. The random number is stored for 3 minutes in Mapp's database to ensure that a reload of the page within this time is not counted as a new conversion.

    The variable random is optional. If it is used, it cannot be re-used for any calls for 2 minutes or the tracking will be ignored.
  • ecm_order_id = Enter the placeholder for the order ID. The order ID is created by the online system when generating the order confirmation page. This ID enables Engage to recognize that this conversion has already been already tracked, even when the page is reloaded within more than 3 minutes.

    The variable ecm_order_id is obligatory and must be a unique value for every call to the tracking URL. Otherwise, the tracking will be ignored.

Adjustments for all cookie-less conversion tracking:

  • UID (alternatively: uemail)=  Enter the placeholder for the ​UID​ or, alternatively, use the existing placeholder ​uemail​.

    To use the   UID​ placeholder, add the additional parameter   ​&uid=XXYour_Placeholder​ to the tracking pixel generated by Engage for conversion tracking.

    The advantage of the UID is that it is automatically transmitted to the web system when the recipient clicks on a link in the message. The UID is also retained by the webshop system during the entire shopping process, as long as you forward the UID to other pages and the process is not interrupted or canceled by the recipient. In transmitting the user email, you must ensure that the user email is manually added to individual links during message creation or, alternatively, automatically added to links using link parameters. This produces the same result as the UID. The information is returned to Engage at the end of the purchasing process.

    When using cookie-less tracking, an additional step is required: the user email must also be added to every link in the email. See  ​Cookie-Less Conversion Tracking and  Tracking & Links.

C) Add the customized tracking pixel to your website

For detailed instructions, see Cookieless Conversion Tracking.

Conversion Tracking must be activated separately for each message. This can be done by activating tracking within the message with an ​Engage Variable.

Alternatively, you can automatically the ​Engage Variable​ into the leading or closing content of the message for all messages in the group.

As adding the same tracking pixels manually for each message is prone to human error, we recommend setting the tracking pixel inside each group.