---
title: Advertising Pixels | Avara
description: Connect Google Analytics and Meta pixels to your public booking page — funnel events, conversions, and campaign tracking without custom code.
---

## Overview

In the digital age, many healthcare organizations use **Google Ads** and **Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads** to drive awareness of their services and fill appointment slots. To measure what works, those campaigns need to know when someone views your booking page, moves through scheduling, and completes an appointment.

Avara includes built-in advertising pixel support on your [public booking page](/clinical-platform/self-serve-booking/index.md). Enter your Google and/or Meta pixel IDs under **Settings → Branding / Marketing** (Edit Pixels), and Avara automatically loads the tags on your booking URL and fires standard funnel events as visitors progress — no manual script installation on the booking flow.

Pixels are optional per organization. If neither ID is configured, the booking page works normally; ad events simply do not fire.

## Setup in Avara

1. Enable **[self-serve booking](/clinical-platform/self-serve-booking/index.md)** and set your **public booking URL** under **Settings → Organization configuration**.
2. Open **Settings → Branding / Marketing** and add your pixel IDs in **Edit Pixels**:

| Platform   | ID format                                                  | Example            |
| ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ |
| **Google** | Measurement ID `G-` followed by 10 alphanumeric characters | `G-XXXXXXXXXX`     |
| **Meta**   | 15–16 digit numeric pixel ID                               | `1234567890123456` |

You can configure **Google only**, **Meta only**, or **both**. Each platform loads independently — if only Google is set, only Google receives events, and vice versa.

When a visitor opens your public booking page, Avara injects the appropriate tags and begins tracking for that clinic.

## Setup in Google Ads and Meta Ads

Pixels in Avara track the **booking page funnel**. Your ad platforms need two things aligned with that flow:

### Send traffic to your public booking page

Your ad **destination URL** should ultimately bring visitors to your **public booking page** — the same URL you configure in Organization configuration (for example `avarasoftware.com/booking/{your-clinic-slug}`). That is where Avara loads your pixels and records funnel events.

**For the most accurate tracking**, point ads **directly** at the booking page. Every step from first click through conversion stays on the URL where your pixel IDs are active, so Google and Meta see the full funnel with the least attribution loss.

**Many organizations send ads to their main website first** instead — so potential patients can learn about services, providers, and offerings before they schedule. That approach works too: add clear **“Book now”** links on your site that route to your public booking URL. Be aware that on **some browsers**, cross-site journeys are **less reliable** for ad platform attribution than a direct ad → booking path; early funnel events only fire once the visitor reaches the booking page, not on your marketing homepage.

Most practices choose the website-first path for patient education and trust, and accept slightly noisier mid-funnel tracking. Choose based on whether you prioritize **measurement precision** or **brand discovery** before booking.

### Register primary conversions in each ad platform

Avara fires a full funnel of events (see below). For **campaign optimization**, mark the **completed booking** as your primary conversion in each platform:

| Platform       | Primary conversion event   | Where to configure                                                                                                    |
| -------------- | -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Google Ads** | **`purchase`** (GA4 event) | Link your GA4 property (same **G-** measurement ID), then import or mark **`purchase`** as a conversion in Google Ads |
| **Meta Ads**   | **`Purchase`**             | In **Events Manager**, select your pixel and optimize campaigns for the **`Purchase`** standard event                 |

Secondary funnel events (checkout started, payment info added, appointment type selected, and so on) are available for **retargeting audiences** and **reporting** but are usually not the main optimization target.

Exact menus in Google and Meta change over time; your marketing team or agency configures conversion goals against the events Avara already sends — you do not need to define custom event names in Avara for the core funnel.

## Booking Funnel Events

Public booking is a **three-step flow**. When pixel IDs are present, Avara sends **parallel events** to Google (`gtag`) and Meta (`fbq`) at each step. **Currency is USD.** **Value** reflects the selected appointment type price (zero for free appointment types).

Tracking runs in a **safe, non-blocking** way — if a pixel fails to load, booking still completes.

### Step-by-step mapping

| Booking step              | What the patient does           | Google (GA4)                                   | Meta                                                     |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Page load**             | Opens your public booking URL   | `page_view`                                    | `ViewContent` (Meta also fires `PageView` on pixel load) |
| **Step 1 (Selection)**    | Chooses appointment type        | `select_item`                                  | `AddToCart`                                              |
| **Step 1 (Selection)**    | Chooses date and time           | `booking_step_completed` (time selection)      | `Schedule`                                               |
| **Step 2 (Patient info)** | Enters the patient details step | `begin_checkout`                               | `InitiateCheckout`                                       |
| **Step 2 (Patient info)** | Completes valid patient form    | `booking_step_completed` (patient information) | `CompleteRegistration`                                   |
| **Step 3 (Payment)**      | Enters payment step             | `add_payment_info`                             | `AddPaymentInfo`                                         |
| **Complete**              | Appointment successfully booked | **`purchase`** ★                               | **`Purchase`** ★                                         |

★ **Primary conversion:** use these when setting up Google Ads and Meta campaign goals.

Some steps fire **once per session** (for example time slot selected, patient step started) so duplicate noise is reduced if a user navigates back. Appointment type selection can fire again if the user switches types.

### Custom Google events

`booking_step_completed` is a **custom GA4 event** for mid-funnel steps (time selection, patient information). You can register it in GA4 for reporting or secondary conversions; most practices still optimize paid campaigns on **`purchase`**.

## Privacy and Data Sent to Ad Platforms

- **No patient PII in ad payloads** — name, email, and phone from the booking form are **not** sent to Google or Meta event parameters.
- **Client-side only** — events are fired from the browser via `gtag` and `fbq`; Avara does not send server-side Conversion API payloads to Meta or Google from this flow today.
- **Optional** — clinics without ad pixels receive no third-party marketing tags on the booking page from this feature.

Marketing teams should still follow their organization’s policies for healthcare advertising and audience building.

## CRM Leads vs Ad Pixels

**Advertising pixels** (this page) send **anonymous funnel and conversion signals** to Google and Meta for campaign measurement.

**Incomplete booking leads** are separate: when a visitor enters contact info but does not book, Avara saves that for your **internal CRM** — not to ad platforms. See [Self-Serve Booking — Incomplete Bookings and CRM](/clinical-platform/self-serve-booking/#incomplete-bookings-and-crm/index.md).

## Checklist for Marketers

1. **Public booking URL** live and linked from ads
2. **Google** `G-` ID and/or **Meta** pixel ID saved in **Settings → Branding / Marketing**
3. **Google Ads** — GA4 linked; **`purchase`** marked as primary conversion
4. **Meta Ads** — pixel verified in Events Manager; campaigns optimized for **`Purchase`**
5. Test by walking through a booking in a test environment and confirming events in GA4 **Realtime** / Meta **Test Events**

Pixel configuration requires admin access to organization settings. See [Inviting Users — Is Admin](/clinical-platform/inviting-users/#is-admin/index.md) for who can manage clinic branding and marketing settings.