What are pixels?
Roku offers a JavaScript pixel solution.
Pixels and events are small bits of code that you or a web developer will place on your website to track events that are directly tied to your advertising objective, like purchases and page views.
An active base pixel is required to run campaigns with a conversion objective. If awareness is your objective, no pixel is needed.
The benefits of installing a base pixel and events
Pixels and events are extremely beneficial. They provide information to Roku that unlocks optimization and reporting features that will benefit your current and future campaigns with Roku.
Learn more about setting up a base pixels and events here.
Some more benefits:
Optimization: Pixels and events unlock conversion campaigns, allowing your ads to drive the maximum amount of online actions, like sign-ups or purchases.
Reporting: Pixels and events unlock performance-based reporting, like page views, add-to-carts, and purchases.
Future-proofing: Knowing what tactics and creatives perform best, allows you to apply those learnings to future campaigns.
Which website events can I monitor?
After you've created a base pixel, you can also create and install custom events. The more events you install, the better! It'll help Roku optimize your campaign while also increasing your visibility within reporting.
Below is a list of events you can install. The events in green be used as campaign goals while also adding visibility in reporting, while the events in blue can only be used for reporting purposes (as of June 11th 2024).
Page views | Tracks visits to your webpage; this event is automatically installed with your base pixel |
App Installs | Assesses how often your audience installs your app |
Subscribe | Captures how often your audience subscribes to a service or offering |
Sign-ups | Records how often your audience has signed up for a newsletter, updates, events, or marketing offers |
Add to cart | Gauges purchase intent by tracking how often products are added to the online shopping cart |
Purchases | Tracks purchase information and the cost of purchased items |
Achieve level | Records when users reach a certain level that you’ve defined in your game |
Add payment info | Tracks when payment details are added during the checkout process, such as saving billing details |
Add to wishlist | Tracks which products are added to wishlists |
Complete registration | Records how many finish the registration form |
Contact | Tracks when a user initiates contact with your business via telephone, SMS, email, chat, etc |
Customize product | Tracks how many users customize a product |
Donations | Tracks how many users donate funds to your organization or cause |
Downloads | Records how many downloads are made from your website |
Find location | Tracks how many users search for your store location via a website or app |
Initiate checkout | Tracks how many customers enter the checkout flow prior to completing the purchase |
Lead | Tracks when a customer submits their information in order to be contacted by your business in the future |
Schedule | Tracks when a customer books an appointment |
Search | Monitors how many times customers are searching on your website |
Sign up | Records how often your audience signs up for a newsletter, updates, events, or marketing offers |
Start trial | Records when a user starts a free trial of a product or service you offer |
Subscription cancellation | Tracks when a subscription is canceled |
Subscription renewal | Tracks when a subscription is renewed (including auto-renewals) |
Unlock achievement | Tracks when users unlock a certain achievement that you’ve defined in your app |
View content | Captures in-app views, like which movies or shows were streamed |
How does it work?
Every time someone interacts with the base pixel or custom event you've installed -- visits your website, buys a product, signs up for a newsletter, subscribes to your service, etc. -- Roku Ads Manager will receive data.
Roku uses this information to provide two key services to you:
Optimization
Pixels and events tell us who saw your ad and then completed an important action on your website. We'll use this info to optimize your campaign automatically, driving more actions and growing your business.Reporting
Pixels and events tell us how many times specific actions are happening, and we can tie that back to your reporting. Now you can track how many times your ads on Roku drove specific events, and which creatives or campaigns performed best. This helps you make smarter decisions in the future.