In this guide
- The TikTok Events API is the server side of TikTok tracking. Use it with the pixel and a shared event ID.
- TikTok matches on hashed e-mail and phone, the
ttclidclick ID and the_ttpcookie. - Test in Events Manager, Test Events before you go live.
TikTok ads depend on conversion data like any other platform, and TikTok traffic is mostly mobile, which means a lot of in-app browsers and Safari. Browser-only tracking loses much of it. The Events API lets your server report conversions directly. This page covers the set-up with a Tag Manager server container, which also lets you reuse the same data for Meta and Google. For the general picture see Conversions APIs explained and TikTok conversion tracking.
What you need
| Item | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Pixel ID | TikTok Ads Manager, Events, your web event source |
| Events API access token | In the same event source settings, generate an access token for the Events API |
| A server container with the TikTok tag | The TikTok Events API tag template from the Tag Manager gallery |
| Event ID and customer data | Your data layer and checkout form |
Brands that grow on cleaner data
Stores and agencies use Open Tracked to see which ads earn the sale.
Set up
Get the pixel ID and access token
Copy both from your TikTok event source. Store the token securely.
Add the TikTok tag to the server container
Install the template, then add the pixel ID and the token.
Choose how event names are set
Map your events to TikTok's standard events: Purchase, AddToCart, InitiateCheckout, ViewContent, SubmitForm and so on.
Add the event ID
Pass the same event_id from the browser pixel and the server tag so TikTok counts the event once.
Pass customer data
Hashed e-mail and phone, the ttclid from the landing URL and the _ttp cookie, IP address and user agent.
Test
Use the test event code in TikTok Events Manager, Test Events, then remove it before you go live.
The identifiers that matter
ttclid
The click ID TikTok adds to ad links. Capture it on the landing page and keep it for later conversions. Safari may strip parameters, see Safari removes click IDs.
_ttp
TikTok's browser cookie. Keep it alive from your server. Open Tracked's Cookie Keeper (every plan) can restore it for returning visitors.
Hashed e-mail and phone
The strongest matching signal for logged-in or purchasing visitors.
IP and user agent
Send them plain, as TikTok asks. The Visitor Location and Device Info power-ups add location and device details.
Ask Ari instead of digging through reports
Ari reads your tracking and ad data and answers in plain words.
Common problems
ttclid and _ttp.A note on consent and in-app browsers
TikTok visitors often arrive in TikTok's own in-app browser, which has its own rules for cookies and storage. Test your set-up inside the app on a real phone, not only in Safari or Chrome. Respect the visitor's consent choice for both the pixel and the server tag.
What TikTok advertisers should check first
Start with the match rate and the deduplication. In TikTok Events Manager, open the web event source and look at the event quality for Purchase. If the server and browser events are not being paired, you will see two copies of every order and inflated numbers. If the match rate is low, the events are probably missing the click ID, the cookie or the hashed customer data. Fix those two before you touch campaigns.
After that, compare the purchases TikTok reports with your store for a week, and read the results as a trend, not an exact count. TikTok's attribution window and view-through settings differ from other platforms, so its numbers will not match Meta's or Google's. What you want is a gap between TikTok and your store that is stable and explainable. A stable gap lets you judge campaigns against each other, which is the real purpose of the tracking.
Terms you will see
- Events API
- TikTok's server endpoint for conversions.
- ttclid
- The click ID TikTok adds to ad links.
- _ttp
- TikTok's browser cookie used for matching.
- Event ID
- The value shared by pixel and API events for deduplication.
- Test events
- A tool in TikTok Events Manager that shows events as they arrive.
Raw events in. Clean events out.
Open Tracked collects each event on your own domain, removes the noise and sends what is left to TikTok, Meta, Google Ads.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TikTok Events API?
A server-to-server way to send conversions to TikTok, used together with the pixel.
Do I need the pixel as well?
Most advertisers use both. The pixel gives browser signals and the API recovers lost events.
How do I avoid duplicates?
Send the same event ID and event name from the pixel and the Events API.
What is ttclid?
The click ID TikTok adds to ad links. Keep it so conversions can be tied to the ad click.
Can Open Tracked send TikTok events?
Yes. Open Tracked hosts the server container where the TikTok tag runs, from the free plan upwards.
Do I need spreadsheets to read my results?
No. Once tracking is live, the Open Tracked analytics shows spend, revenue, ROAS and profit, and you can ask Ari, the built-in AI assistant, questions about your own numbers in plain words. Ari's allowance depends on your analytics plan.
Is Open Tracked different from Open Track or Open Space Track?
No. Open Tracked is the official name of our server-side tracking platform, and the website is opentracked.io. Many people search for it as Open Track, OpenTrack or Open Space Track. All of them lead to the same product: server-side Google Tag Manager hosting, first-party analytics and a CRM pipeline.
Fix your tracking at the source
Open Tracked hosts your server-side Tag Manager, keeps first-party cookies alive and shows what each ad is really worth.
The Open Tracked team
We build Open Tracked: server-side tracking hosting, analytics and the tools around them, for stores that spend on ads. Questions about this guide, or an idea for the next one?
Comments
Loading comments...
Integrations · 5 min read
