Meta Pixel (formerly Facebook Pixel) is a analytics tool that allows you to measure the effectiveness of your advertising by understanding the actions people take on your website. It works by placing a piece of code on your website that enables Facebook to collect data and track conversions. Sometimes you may need to remove a data source that is connected to your Meta Pixel if it is no longer needed or providing accurate data. Here are the steps to remove a data source from Meta Pixel.
What is a Data Source in Meta Pixel?
A data source in Meta Pixel refers to the external system that passes data into the Meta Pixel. This could be your CRM, email marketing platform, affiliate network etc. When you set up the Meta Pixel, you can connect it to different data sources to enable the pixel to receive conversion and customer data from those sources. The data sources allow Meta Pixel to attribute conversions more accurately.
For example, if you connect your email service provider as a data source, when someone signs up for your newsletter through your website, that conversion data can be passed to the Meta Pixel through that data source integration. This allows Facebook to record it as a conversion from their ad exposure, even if the user doesn’t complete the conversion on your website.
Common Data Sources for Meta Pixel
Here are some common data sources that can be integrated with Meta Pixel:
- CRM platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho
- Email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor
- Affiliate marketing networks like CJ Affiliate, Rakuten, ShareASale
- Webinar/online course platforms like ClickMeeting, Teachable, Podia
- Ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento
Integrating these platforms as data sources allow all the conversion events like sales, registrations, downloads etc. on them to be tracked through the Meta Pixel.
Why Remove a Data Source from Meta Pixel?
There are a few reasons why you may need to disconnect or remove a data source from Meta Pixel:
1. The integration is broken or not working:
Sometimes the data source integration may stop working due to issues like changes in API, loss of authentication etc. This can prevent any data from being passed to Meta Pixel. In such cases it is better to remove the non-functional data source.
2. You are no longer using the platform:
If you deactivate an integrated platform like your email service or CRM, it makes sense to remove it from Meta Pixel as well so no defunct connections remain.
3. You want to re-integrate the data source:
At times removing a data source and re-integrating it can help resolve persistent issues or setup the integration properly again. So removing it may be a temporary troubleshooting step.
4. The data source is providing inaccurate conversions:
A data source that is passing incorrect conversion data to Meta Pixel should be removed as it will skew your Facebook campaign results and attribution.
How to Remove Data Source from Meta Pixel
Here are the steps to remove a data source from Meta Pixel:
1. Go to the Meta Pixel settings
Log in to your Facebook Ads Manager account and go to the Meta Pixel settings under the Measurement section. Alternatively you can go directly to business.facebook.com/pixels.
2. Click the data source you want to remove
Under the Data Sources column on the right, click on the data source you want to remove integration for.
3. Select “Disable” option
In the window that opens for that data source, click on the button that says “Disable”. This will remove the integration.
4. Confirm disabling the data source
A popup will appear asking you to confirm disabling that data source. Check the box and click “Disable” to complete removing the integration.
5. Check it is removed from Active Data Sources
Go back to the Pixel page and see if the data source you removed is no longer listed under the Active Data Sources column.
That’s it! The data source will no longer pass conversion data to your Meta Pixel. Keep in mind that this will not remove any historical conversion data that is already tracked.
Removing Data Source through API
Apart from the UI steps above, you can also programmatically remove a data source from Meta Pixel using the Marketing API:
Make API Call
Make a DELETE call to the following endpoint with page access token and data source ID:
DELETE /{page_id}/offline_conversion_data_sets/{data_source_id}
Check API Response
Check the API response to confirm successful removal of the data source. It will return a 204 No Content status when deleted.
Update Pixel Settings
Go back to Pixel settings UI to see data source removed from the active list.
Troubleshooting Data Source Removal Issues
In some cases, removing a data source from Meta Pixel may not succeed on the first attempt. Here are some troubleshooting tips for it:
Confirm Pixel Access Token
Use the latest page access token when making the API call to remove data source. Check the token has not expired.
Check Data Source ID
Verify you are passing the correct data source ID in the API call that matches the source you want to remove.
Disable from UI
Try disabling the data source directly from the Meta Pixel settings user interface as well.
Clear Browser Cache
Sometimes the change may not reflect immediately due to cached files. Clear your browser cache and cookies.
Check Server Cache
For an application like WordPress, clear the server cache and recheck the Pixel settings.
Seek API Support
Consult Facebook Marketing API technical support if the issue persists across methods.
Impact of Removing Data Source from Meta Pixel
What happens when you remove a data source from Meta Pixel? Here are some key impacts:
Historical data retained
Removal only stops future conversion data from that source. Any historical conversion data already collected via the source remains in Pixel.
New conversions not recorded
Once disabled, any new conversions happening on that source will not be tracked or attributed by Meta Pixel.
Ad performance data changes
Campaign performance metrics like CTR, CPM, ROAS etc. may see a dip if a key data source is removed affecting conversion counts.
Attribution model affected
Disabling a data source impacts the attribution model and lowers attribution for that source in campaign analytics.
Need to redo integration
To pass conversion data again from that source, you will have to redo the data source integration with Meta Pixel.
Best Practices
Here are some best practices to follow when removing data sources from Meta Pixel:
Document impacts before removing
Note down campaign metrics baseline before removing data source to compare impact.
Only remove faulty sources
Avoid removing well-functioning data sources without good reason as it loses conversion data.
Re-test after removal
Test conversion tracking from other sources to ensure they remain unaffected.
Inform stakeholders
Let your analytics team or stakeholders know when removing a key data source and the expected impact.
Update attribution model
Optimize the attribution model to rely more on active data sources until you reintegrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing a data source delete collected data?
No, historically collected conversion data is not deleted when a data source is removed from the pixel. Only new conversions will not be tracked.
Do I need to update the pixel code if I remove a source?
No, you don’t need to make any changes to the base pixel code. Just disabling the data source from the interface is enough.
Can I pause a data source instead of completely removing?
Yes, some sources allow you to pause the connection temporarily instead of fully disabling it from the pixel.
Will campaigns be affected by removing data source?
Campaigns will likely see a drop in attributed conversions once you remove an active data source from the pixel.
Is it advisable to remove the main ecommerce data source?
No, you should not remove the primary ecommerce platform data source as it will stop all purchase conversion tracking.
Conclusion
Removing unnecessary, outdated or inaccurate data sources from Meta Pixel improves conversion tracking and attribution for your campaigns. Follow the steps outlined to cleanly disable sources via UI or Marketing API. Document the impacts to campaign analytics. Reintegrate any key data sources once issues are fixed on their end. With the right data sources tracked, Meta Pixel can help optimize your ads and unlock valuable insights.