These guides cover analytics and advertising tool setup independent of your website platform. Use them when your platform doesn't have a dedicated guide, or when you need a deeper understanding of how a tool works across any stack.
Advertising Pixels
Meta (Facebook)
Meta's tracking ecosystem has two components: the client-side Pixel and the server-side Conversions API.
| Guide | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Meta Pixel Setup | Base code installation, standard events (PageView, Purchase, Lead), custom events, Enhanced Conversions, and debugging with Pixel Helper |
| Conversions API (CAPI) | Server-side event forwarding, event deduplication with event_id, Event Match Quality (EMQ), and gateway services (Stape, GTM server container) |
When to use which: Install the Pixel for baseline tracking. Add CAPI when you need to recover events lost to ad blockers (typically 10-30%), improve match rates for iOS 14+ users, or meet data processing requirements for EU audiences.
Tag Management
Google Tag Manager is the recommended way to manage all tracking tags from a single container:
- Google Tag Manager Overview — container setup, tag/trigger/variable architecture, and publishing workflow
- GTM Data Layer Guide — structuring your data layer for ecommerce, user properties, and custom events
GTM vs. hardcoded tags: GTM adds a small performance overhead (~50-80ms) but saves engineering time for every subsequent tag change. Use hardcoded tags only when you need sub-millisecond timing control (rare) or your platform restricts JavaScript execution (e.g., Google Sites, AMP).
Analytics Platforms
For platform-specific setup (GA4 configuration, event tracking, ecommerce):
| Platform | Guide |
|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | GA4 Setup & Configuration |
| Adobe Analytics | Adobe Analytics Overview |
| Mixpanel | Mixpanel Setup |
| Amplitude | Amplitude Setup |
| All platforms | Analytics Platforms Directory |
By Website Platform
For implementation guides tailored to your specific CMS or website builder (theme hooks, plugin options, admin paths):
| Platform | What's Covered |
|---|---|
| WordPress | wp_head hook, Site Kit plugin, WooCommerce ecommerce tracking |
| Shopify | theme.liquid, Custom Pixels, Shopify Web Pixels API |
| Webflow | Custom Code injection in project and page settings |
| Squarespace | Code Injection panel, Commerce API for ecommerce events |
| Wix | Velo developer mode, Marketing Integrations panel |
| All 80+ platforms | Full directory with setup, event tracking, and troubleshooting per platform |
Integration Patterns
Most integrations follow one of three approaches:
1. Native Platform Integration — Built-in settings panel where you paste a Measurement ID or Pixel ID. Simplest but least flexible. Examples: Wix Marketing Integrations, Squarespace Code Injection, Shopify Google channel.
2. Tag Manager — Install GTM once, then manage all tags from the GTM web UI. Best for sites with multiple tracking tools or frequent changes. Works with any platform that allows custom <script> injection.
3. Server-Side — Your server sends events directly to analytics APIs (GA4 Measurement Protocol, Meta CAPI, etc.). Highest accuracy, best privacy control, but requires backend infrastructure. See Server-Side Tracking.