The document provides tips on how to effectively teach students about the Facebook Pixel, which tracks user behavior on websites to optimize Facebook ads. It recommends certifications and training programs as well as using class projects to teach students. For class projects, it suggests simulating client work by assigning student groups scenarios and having them design advertising strategies and ads. It also discusses explaining the value of Facebook advertising by comparing it to search advertising and fostering agency partnerships for extra learning opportunities.

1. How To Teach the Facebook Pixel to
Students Effectively and Efficiently
RYAN RUSSELL

2. A little about myself:
● 8 years experience in digital marketing on both the
brand and agency sides
● 3 years teaching at the Rollins College of Business
○ 10,781 undergraduate students at UTC
○ UTC Rollins COB is celebrating a $40 million
grant given by Gary W. Rollins
● I once sang “Low Rider” on stage with WAR
when I was 10 years old

3. You’ll gain:
● A firm grasp of the Facebook Pixel
● Proven examples of how to teach the
Facebook Pixel to your students
● An understanding of how to facilitate
continued learning opportunities for your
students outside of the classroom

4. Why This is Important for Students
● Wide Career Applications
○ Entrepreneurship
○ Agencies
○ Freelancing
● Wide Application of Marketing Skills
○ Data analytics
○ Marketing research
○ Creative
● Wide Application of Marketing Concepts
○ Consumer Behavior
○ Marketing Communications
○ Creative
@ryanwprussell
www.LinkedIn.com/in/RyanWPRussell

5. What is the Facebook Pixel?
@ryanwprussell
www.LinkedIn.com/in/RyanWPRussell
The Facebook Pixel is a snippet of code from your Facebook
Ads account that you insert into the HEAD tags of your website.
● It collects data to help you track conversions
● It helps you optimize ads instead of just guessing at targeting
● It helps you build targeted audiences for future ads
● It helps you remarket ads to users who have taken some type
of action on your website

6. How Can the Facebook Pixel Be Used?
@ryanwprussell
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1. Website Custom Audiences: You can tell when someone visits your website, what pages they have visited, and when
they visited. Then, you can create targeted audience groups.
2. Standard Events: You can inject additional code on specific pages of your website that will tell you when certain things
happen - searching, add to cart, initiate checkout, complete registration, etc.
See all 18 of them here: http://bit.ly/facebookcustomevents
3. Custom Conversions: Since the pixel tells when someone visits your website and what pages they visit, you can define
what a particular conversion is by simply telling Facebook the URL that will link to that conversion.
4. Conversion Tracking: Once you define what a conversion on your website is, you will then be able to track when a
conversion or a visit to a specific page on your website. You can then filter the results to make them more meaningful
and valuable.
5. Conversion Optimization: You can select what conversion you want Facebook to optimize, which then lets you
understand what type of people convert on your website.
6. Dynamic Ads: Once you insert the pixel and create standard events, you can use dynamic ad templates to show ads
depending on the user visiting your website.
7. Results: The Facebook pixel makes it possible to analyze the results to refine and track your spend.

7. Example: Evergreen Ads
@ryanwprussell
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The Problem Digital Marketers Face:
Why do ads that start out great often peak and then die out? Starting over takes too much time and
causes me to lose social proof.
Answer:
Your audience is dynamic. It doesn’t necessarily mean our ads aren’t working. It likely means that new
engagers who have entered your audience are the ones who need to see it. Simply put, you can’t
expect to convert on those who keep seeing the same ad over and over as if they haven’t moved
down or exited your funnel.
Evergreen ads allow you to do this dynamically and continuously by serving ads to unique custom
audiences based on how they have engaged with our content.

8. 2 Ways to Teach the Facebook
Pixel● Certifications and Training
○ Facebook Blueprint Training:
■ Training videos are free, certification exams are $150
○ Jon Loomer
■ Great training, his $30 membership is worthwhile for students interested in a career in social
media advertising
○ Hootsuite Academy
■ Free courses, certification is $199
○ Udacity’s Digital Nanodegree
■ The gold standard for digital training programs. More than just social training. At a cost of
$1,000, I only recommend this for students who are certain about their career path.
@ryanwprussell
www.LinkedIn.com/in/RyanWPRussell

9. 2 Ways to Teach the Facebook
Pixel to Your Students
● Class Project
○ Group Simulation
■ Assign this introduction for homework: http://bit.ly/fbpixelintro
■ After a review, break them into small groups with “strategists” and “designers” and provide real world
scenarios from small businesses that could be leveraging the pixel. Ads can be designed through
Facebook Creative Hub (you will need a mock page and ad account set up for your classroom)
■ Have students design a strategy and create ads according to their client’s goal.
■ Present to the class.
*This can really come alive if you use real world clients! I’ve seen these sold to
clients and launch careers.
@ryanwprussell
www.LinkedIn.com/in/RyanWPRussell

10. How Can I Explain the Value of
Facebook Advertising?
● Social media advertising vs. Search advertising
○ “Who you are vs. what you’re looking for”
○ Stukent provides great material on this through their Digital textbook and Mimic Pro
■ I highly recommend contextualizing Mimic Pro with Google Adwords Certification
● Agency partnerships
○ Fostering relationships with regional agencies pays dividends for the student and the agency
■ Invite them into your classroom to share their experience
■ Invite them to share problems that your students can help solve
● Continuing education
○ Consider joining a group like Jon Loomer’s yourself
○ Provide extra credit opportunities for students to gain certifications
@ryanwprussell
www.LinkedIn.com/in/RyanWPRussell

11. Questions?
Download this deck at
my LinkedIn profile!
@ryanwprussell
LinkedIn.com/in/RyanWPRussell