If you’re tracking ad performance and conversions on your Facebook ads, you may have noticed some changes:
- Some users are unable to create new Facebook Pixels the usual way
- Old pixels have been moved to ‘Datasets’ under Meta Events Manager
- Datasets are the new place to view and manage event data from website, mobile, and offline sources.
But what is this new Dataset? Are Meta Pixels still in use? Will ads stop working now? Did I lose my Pixel data?
I’m sure you have these and many more questions. This article will explain what datasets are and the changes to Meta (Facebook) Pixels.
Let's start by answering the most pressing question.
My Meta Pixels have disappeared. What has changed?
If your Facebook Pixel has gone “missing” in your Business Manager account, don’t worry! You haven’t lost your pixels or data; they are now housed under ‘Events Manager’ → ‘Data sources’ or in Meta Business Suite (‘Data Sources’ → ‘Datasets.’)
💡 The core functionality of Facebook Pixels remains the same, but expect changes in how you access and view event data.
You don’t need to do anything; your data remains intact. There are no changes to how you manage campaign performance, measure data, and report. Instead of having multiple IDs for Pixels, apps, and offline events, they will now come under one Dataset ID.
Note: These changes are being rolled out gradually across accounts till early 2025.
Read more: How to use Facebook Events Manger Without Tearing Your Hair Out
How do I create a new Facebook Pixel with these changes?
You can create a new Meta Pixel via Meta Events Manager.
- Go to Meta Events Manager
- Click ‘Connect data sources’ and select ‘Web’
- Click ‘Connect’
- Name your Pixel, then click ‘Create Pixel’
- Follow the steps to install and set up the Pixel on your website
Learn more: How to Create and Set Up your Facebook / Meta Pixel The Right Way in 2024
What is a Facebook Dataset?
Also known as a Meta Dataset, a dataset is a single, combined view of your website, mobile app, and offline (or business chat) event data. Each dataset has a Dataset ID, which you can use to set up integrations and APIs.
These event data used to be housed and managed in separate parts of Meta Business Suite, but Meta is merging them into a single view under Datasets.
💡 If you were using a pixel before and it automatically converted into a dataset, both the Pixel ID and Dataset ID are linked and remain the same.
- With pixels, you can only identify website visitors on Facebook.
- But with Datasets, you can identify and capture audiences from different sources like apps, offline events, and third-party sites.
How to create a Meta (Facebook) Dataset
Step 1: Create a new dataset by navigating to ‘Meta Events Manager’ → ‘Data Sources.’
Step 2: Click ‘Add.’
Step 3: Name the dataset. Click ‘Create.’
Step 4: Select your newly created dataset and click ‘Connect assets.’ Continue until you have added all the necessary data sources.
How do I delete a Meta (Facebook) Dataset?
Unfortunately, there is no way to delete your Meta/Facebook datasets currently. However, you can consider renaming or repurposing them for other uses.
Differences between Facebook Pixel and Meta Dataset
We already had Facebook Pixel; what was the need for datasets? Are they the same thing? While they now overlap, pixels and datasets are distinct tools within the Facebook Business ecosystem. This is the summary of their main differences:
Benefits of Meta Datasets for Advertisers
The iOS 15 update limited Facebook’s ability to collect audience data, severely affecting the quality of ad campaigns for many businesses. Datasets are Meta's solution that goes beyond websites to collect conversion and ad performance tracking data.
Meta Pixel's aggregated (individual) event tracking can miss valuable insights. Datasets give advertisers a more complete picture of the buyer’s journey, as well as these benefits:
- Get a unified view of audience behavior and activity from multiple data sources in one combined view.
- Datasets capture every interaction, regardless of the source. Pixels will only record a single "purchase" even if a customer explored multiple products.
- It gives you a complete picture of your audience’s interests, enabling you to create ads that resonate and drive conversions.
- Custom event tracking helps you identify top-performing ads, ROI,and optimization for social media ad campaigns.
- Increase conversion rates and reduce ad spend, which is the dream of every Meta advertiser 📈
- Get insights into customer activity across platforms, even those you don't own (like Amazon!). While domain verification still offers extra security benefits, it's no longer a barrier to data collection.
- No more need to build and maintain multiple API integrations anymore. Now, you only need to manage one Conversions API with Meta.
Share or Access a Client’s Meta Ad Assets in 2 Clicks
With all those changes to Facebook Pixels, aren’t you excited to start creating Datasets and more targeted omnichannel ads for your clients? I bet you are!
But I don’t have permission to work on my client’s Meta ad assets yet. I’ve sent an email request and am still waiting for their reply.
You can avoid the back-and-forth of onboarding with Leadsie by getting access to your client’s Meta ad assets, including Meta datasets and Facebook pixels, in two clicks.
Simply share your Leadsie link with your client; they assign assets, and you get access. It’s as simple as that!
It’s more secure for everyone and saves a ton of time! Give it a try with our 14-day free trial… enter your email in the box below!
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