Set up a Pinterest tag

Setting up the Pinterest tag might seem like a quick task: you copy a code, paste it into your website, and you're done.

But here's the problem: just because the tag is installed doesn't mean it's tracking properly.

Many companies believe they already have Pinterest “set up” because the pixel appears to be active. However, when you review events, purchase values, forms, or shopping carts, errors appear: conversions that aren’t being tracked, duplicate events, purchases with no monetary value, or data that doesn’t match GA4.

And if you're investing in Pinterest Ads, this matters a lot.

Because Pinterest needs reliable data to understand which users convert, which products are of interest, and which campaigns deserve a larger budget.

In this guide, I'll explain How to Set Up a Pinterest Tag Step by Step, which metrics you should track, what mistakes to avoid, and when it makes sense to seek technical assistance to ensure everything is set up properly from the start.

What is a Pinterest tag?

The Pinterest tag, also known as Pinterest Tag, is a tracking code that is installed on your website to measure user activity.

For example, it can help you determine whether a person:

• You have visited a page.
• You've viewed a product.
• You have added an item to your cart.
• You have started the purchase process.
• You have completed a purchase.
• You have submitted a form.
• You have registered.
• They used your website's internal search engine.

Simply put: the Pinterest tag connects your website to Pinterest Ads.

Thanks to that connection, Pinterest can track what happens after someone views or clicks on an ad.

Why should you set up the Pinterest tag?

The Pinterest tag is used to track conversions and improve performance of your campaigns.

Without it, Pinterest can still show ads, but it will have much less information to determine which users are most likely to make a purchase, sign up, or contact you.

Proper configuration allows you to:

• Track sales.
• Track leads.
• Create audiences.
• Do remarketing.
• Optimize campaigns.
• See which ads are generating results.
• Better analyze the return on investment.
• Make decisions based on more reliable data.

This is key for e-commerce, SaaS, and businesses that prioritize performance.

If you don't track your results properly, you won't know what's working. And if you don't know what's working, it's very easy to waste your budget on campaigns that seem promising but aren't.

Why simply installing the codebase isn't enough

One of the most common mistakes is thinking that setting up the Pinterest tag is just a matter of installing the base code.

The codebase is important, but it's not enough.

The code base allows Pinterest to detect activity on the web. But it is the events that indicate what specific action the user has taken.

For example, A visit to the homepage is not the same as a purchase.

It’s not the same to simply view a product as it is to add it to your cart.

Therefore, a complete setup should include the base tag and the events that are important to your business.

Before setting up a Pinterest tag: what you need

Before you begin, I recommend gathering a few basic items.

This prevents errors and makes the implementation cleaner.

Pinterest Business Account

You need a Pinterest Business account to access Pinterest Ads Manager and create your tag.

From there, you can check the tag ID and verify whether the events are being received correctly.

Access to your website or Google Tag Manager

You can install the tag directly in your website's code, but I recommend using Google Tag Manager instead.

Google Tag Manager lets you manage tags, events, and triggers in a more organized way.

It also makes it much easier to test changes before publishing them.

Pinterest Tag ID

The Pinterest Tag ID is the unique identifier for your tag.

This is the data that lets Pinterest know that the events sent from your website belong to your advertising account.

You'll find it in the Pinterest Manager, under the "Conversions" section.

List of events you want to track

Before installing anything, determine which actions are important for your business.

In an e-commerce business, I would typically measure:

• Product views.
• Views by category.
• Add to cart.
• Start checkout.
• Purchase complete.
• Internal searches.

In a service-based or SaaS business, I would measure:

• Visits to key pages.
• Form submissions.
• Records.
• Demo requests.
• Clicks on important buttons.

Not all businesses need the same types of events. That’s why, before setting them up, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the conversion funnel.

How to Set Up a Pinterest Tag Using Google Tag Manager

Now let's go through the process step by step.

Step 1: Go to Pinterest Ads Manager

Log in to your Pinterest Business account and go to Pinterest Ads Manager.

In the dashboard, look for the section on conversions or tags.

From there, you can create a new tag or view an existing one.

Step 2: Find your Pinterest Tag ID

Pinterest will display a tag ID.

Copy and save it, because you'll need it to set up the tag in Google Tag Manager.

Step 3: Log in to Google Tag Manager

Access the Google Tag Manager container for your website.

Before creating new tags, check to see if any Pinterest tags are already installed.

This is important to avoid duplication.

If there is already an old label, you should check it before adding another one.

Step 4: Create your Pinterest base tag

In Google Tag Manager, create a new tag for the Pinterest base code.

You can use a Pinterest template if one is available, or a custom HTML tag.

The important thing is that this base tag is loaded on every page of the website.

You can name it this:

Pinterest – Base Tag

Next, add an "All Pages" trigger.

This will allow Pinterest to track users' general browsing activity.

Step 5: Test the tag before publishing

Before publishing the container, use Google Tag Manager's preview mode.

Go to several pages on the website and check that the base tag is working properly.

At the very least, check the following:

• Home.
• Category.
• Product.
• Shopping cart.
• Checkout.
• Thank You Page.
• Important landing page.

If the base tag isn't working properly, the events won't be tracked correctly either.

Step 6: Publish the changes

Once you've verified that everything is working, publish the Google Tag Manager container.

Then, go to Pinterest Ads Managerand check to see if the tag starts receiving activity.

Don't consider the implementation complete just because GTM says the tag has fired.

You should also verify that Pinterest is receiving the data.

Which events to set up in the Pinterest tab

Events are the most important part of the implementation.

Each event tells Pinterest what action the user has taken.

These are the most common events.

PageVisit

The PageVisit event is used to track page views.

It can be used on important pages such as:

• Home.
• Categories.
• Products.
• Landings.
• Blog posts.
• Service pages.

It's a basic event, but it's useful for building audiences and analyzing navigation.

View Category

The ViewCategory event is used to track visits to categories.

In an e-commerce setting, this is particularly useful because it helps you identify which product categories generate the most interest.

For example:

• Sofas.
• Sneakers.
• Facial cosmetics.
• Accessories.
• Business software.

This event helps provide a better understanding of the user's intent.

ViewContent

The ViewContent event is used to track views of specific content.

In an online store, I would typically use it for product pages.

For example, if a user visits a product page, Pinterest may record that they have viewed that specific product.

Ideally, you should send information such as:

• Product ID.
• Product name.
• Category.
• Price.
• Currency.

This gives Pinterest more context and makes the metrics more useful.

AddToCart

The AddToCart event tracks when a user adds a product to their cart.

This event is very important because it indicates a clear intention to purchase.

Not everyone who sees a product wants to buy it. But anyone who adds it to their cart is much closer to making a purchase.

For this event, please submit:

• Product ID.
• Product name.
• Value.
• Currency.
• Quantity.

InitiateCheckout

The InitiateCheckout event tracks when a user begins the checkout process.

This event is typically triggered when the user reaches the checkout page or clicks the "Checkout" button.

This is a very valuable event because it indicates that the user has moved from the shopping cart to checkout.

If many people reach this step but don't make a purchase, there may be a problem with the checkout process.

For example:

• Unexpected shipping costs.
• Limited payment methods.
• The form is too long.
• Lack of trust.
• Technical issues.

Checkout

The Checkout event tracks a completed purchase.

This is one of the most important events for an e-commerce business.

It should be activated only after the order has been successfully placed, typically on the thank-you or purchase confirmation page.

Here, it is essential to send dynamic data such as:

• Order ID.
• Total amount.
• Currency.
• Items purchased.
• Quantity.
• Categories.

This event should not be triggered until the purchase is complete.

If you enable this at the start of the payment process, you will be counting purchase attempts as if they were actual sales.

Lead

The Lead event is used to track submitted forms or contact requests.

It is very useful for B2B businesses, professional services, training, SaaS, or companies that do not sell directly through their website.

You can use it to measure:

• Contact forms.
• Requests for quotes.
• Demo requests.
• Resource downloads.
• Records of interest.

Sign Up

The Signup event tracks sign-ups.

It may be useful for:

• SaaS.
• Online platforms.
• Newsletters.
• Communities.
• Webinars.
• User accounts.

If sign-up is a key step in your sales funnel, you should track it.

Search

The Search event tracks internal searches on your website.

In e-commerce, it can provide very valuable information.

For example, you can find out what products people are searching for and whether those searches lead to a purchase.

It can also help you identify opportunities related to content, categories, or products.

How to Set Up the Pinterest Tag on an E-commerce Site

In an e-commerce site, the Pinterest tag must be configured with special care.

It's not enough to just track visits. You need to track the entire customer journey.

My recommended structure would be this.

On all pages

It would activate the Pinterest base tag.

I would also consider whether it makes sense to enable PageVisit site-wide or only on specific pages.

On category pages

I would enable ViewCategory.

In addition, I would send the category name so that Pinterest can understand which section the user has visited.

In product listings

It would activate ViewContent.

It is important to provide product information here:

• ID.
• Name.
• Category.
• Price.
• Currency.

The "Add to Cart" button

It would activate AddToCart.

This event should fire when the user adds a product to the cart, not just when they visit the cart page.

At the start of checkout

It would trigger InitiateCheckout.

This event should be triggered when the user begins the checkout process.

Purchase complete

I would enable Checkout.

This event should only be triggered once the order has been completed.

You should also include the actual purchase amount, the currency, and the order ID.

How to Set Up the Pinterest Tag on a Service Website

On a service-oriented website, conversion doesn't usually involve a direct purchase.

Usually, the goal is to generate leads.

In that case, it would measure events such as:

• Visits to service pages.
• Clicks on contact buttons.
• Form submissions.
• Phone clicks.
• Email clicks.
• Requests for quotes.
• Document downloads.

For example, if you run a B2B company and your goal is to generate demo requests, the most important event might be "Lead" or "Signup.".

The key is not to treat everything as if it had the same value.

A visit to the homepage isn't the same as a contact request.

What data should each event send?

For Pinterest to track performance effectively, events must send useful data.

It’s not just a matter of saying, “A purchase has been made.” You also need to send information about that purchase.

When making a purchase, I recommend sending:

• Purchase amount.
• Currency.
• Order ID.
• Items purchased.
• Quantity.
• Product category.

For a product event, I recommend sending:

• Product ID.
• Name.
• Price.
• Category.
• Currency.

For a lead generation event, I recommend sending:

• Form type.
• The page from which the message is sent.
• Name of the service or resource.
• Estimated value, if applicable.

The better the data sent, the more useful the measurement will be.

The Importance of the DataLayer

The dataLayer is a data layer that allows information to be sent from the website to Google Tag Manager.

Simply put: it's like a tray where the website places data for GTM to use.

For example, when a purchase is completed, the dataLayer can send:

• Order number.
• Purchase price.
• Currency.
• Products.
• Quantities.
• Categories.

If the data layer is set up correctly, configuring events is much easier and more reliable.

If the dataLayer is incorrect, tracking often fails.

That’s why, when I review an implementation in Analytic Pixel Pro, I don’t just check to see if the pixel is firing. I also check where the data is coming from.

Consent and Cookies

If your website operates in Spain or Europe, you must take user consent into account.

The Pinterest tag is a marketing tag, so it should not be activated until the user has accepted the relevant cookies.

This means you should check:

• Your cookie banner.
• The category that includes Pinterest.
• When tags are triggered.
• What happens if the user rejects cookies?.
• Does Google Tag Manager respect consent?.
• If the privacy policy is accurate.

Accurate measurement doesn't mean measuring at any cost.

A professional implementation must strike a balance between data, performance, and privacy.

Common mistakes when setting up a Pinterest tag

Now let's look at the most common mistakes.

Install the same label twice

This can happen when someone installs Pinterest directly on the website and then someone else installs it using GTM as well.

Result: duplicate events.

Before configuring, always check to see if a label is already installed.

Making a purchase at the wrong time

The Checkout event should be triggered when the purchase is complete.

It should not be enabled in the shopping cart or at the start of checkout.

If you do it wrong, Pinterest will record sales that haven't actually taken place.

Do not send the dynamic purchase value

Always sending the same value is a serious mistake.

If one purchase is worth €25 and another is worth €300, Pinterest needs to know the difference.

The value must be taken from the actual order.

Do not send money

The currency is a basic piece of information.

If you sell in Spain, the currency will usually be EUR.

Without the currency, the revenue figure is incomplete.

Do not send product identifiers

In e-commerce, the product ID is very important.

It helps link events to specific products and improves the quality of the analysis.

Treat all forms equally

Not all forms are equally important.

A newsletter sign-up form isn't usually as valuable as a quote request.

It is important to categorize events based on their actual value to the business.

Do not use GTM Preview

Publishing without testing is a bad practice.

Before implementing changes, review each event in preview mode.

Do not check events on Pinterest

GTM may show that a tag is firing, but that doesn't mean Pinterest is receiving everything correctly.

After posting, check your Pinterest dashboard.

Failure to document the implementation

If you don't document your configuration, in a few months no one will know what's going on.

Good documentation should include:

• Tag names.
• Activators.
• Variables.
• Events.
• Data sent.
• Implementation date.
• Changes made.

Checklist for Setting Up a Pinterest Tag Correctly

Before finishing the setup, I would check this:

• The Pinterest Business account is active.
• The Pinterest Tag ID is correct.
• There are no duplicate tags.
• The base tag loads correctly.
• The key events have been identified.
• Each event is triggered at the right moment.
• Purchases are only counted once the order is complete.
• The purchase price is subject to change.
• The coin is being sent successfully.
• The products have IDs.
• Important forms are tracked as leads.
• Consent is respected.
• GTM Preview does not show any errors.
• Pinterest receives the events.
• The implementation is documented.

If any of these steps are not followed correctly, the measurement may not be reliable.

How to Tell If Your Pinterest Tag Is Set Up Correctly

A Pinterest board is set up correctly when you can confidently answer these questions:

• What events am I measuring?
• Where does each event take place?
• Do events trigger only once?
• Are values dynamic?
• Is the coin correct?
• Are the products clearly labeled?
• Are the important leads marked?
• Does Pinterest support events?
• Does the configuration respect consent?
• Has the implementation been documented?

If you can't answer these questions, your setup probably needs to be reviewed.

How can I help you with Analytic Pixel Pro?

At Analytic Pixel Pro, we don't just install a tag and call it a day.

Our goal is to ensure that the data is useful for decision-making.

When we set up the Pinterest tag, I review the entire tracking system:

• Business objectives.
• Conversion funnel.
• Required events.
• Google Tag Manager.
• DataLayer.
• GA4.
• Consent.
• Data quality.
• Possible duplicates.
• Verification on Pinterest.
• Final documentation.

This is especially important if you have an e-commerce site, a SaaS platform, or active campaigns.

Because if the data is wrong, the campaigns learn the wrong things.

And if your campaigns aren't performing well, you may be making decisions based on incomplete information.

When should you ask for help setting up your Pinterest tag?

You can set up the basics on your own if you just want to track simple visits.

But I recommend asking for help if:

• You have an e-commerce business.
• You want to track actual purchases.
• You need to enter the order amount.
• You want to measure specific products.
• You use Google Tag Manager.
• You have active campaigns on Pinterest Ads.
• Your data does not match GA4.
• You have questions about consent.
• You don't know if there are any duplicate events.
• Do you want to take a professional measurement?.

In these cases, incorrect configuration can directly affect your results.

Frequently Asked Questions About Setting Up Pinterest Tags

Can I set up the Pinterest tag without Google Tag Manager?

Yes, you can install it directly in the website's code.

But I recommend Google Tag Manager because it makes it easier to manage tags, events, and tests.

Does the Pinterest tag automatically track purchases?

Not always.

To track purchases accurately, you need to set up the purchase event and send data such as the order value, currency, and order ID.

Which event should I use for a purchase?

For a completed purchase, I would typically use the Checkout event.

The important thing is that it is triggered only when the order has been successfully completed.

What happens if the tag fires twice?

You can duplicate data.

That is why it is important to check for duplicate installations or misconfigured triggers.

Do I need to provide the purchase amount?

Yes, especially if you run an e-commerce business.

Without purchase data, you won't be able to properly analyze the return on your campaigns.

Should I track all forms as leads?

Not necessarily.

It is important to distinguish between primary and secondary forms.

A request for a quote is usually more valuable than a generic newsletter subscription.

Does the tag need to respect cookie consent?

Yes.

The Pinterest tag must be integrated with your consent system so that it is activated only when appropriate.

Conclusion: Setting up a Pinterest tag is easy, but measuring its effectiveness requires a strategy

Setting up a Pinterest tag isn't just a matter of pasting some code onto your website.

For the measurement to be useful, you need to define events, send accurate data, avoid duplicates, ensure consent is obtained, and verify that Pinterest receives the information.

A basic setup is a good place to start.

But if you have active campaigns, an e-commerce site, or a business that relies on online customer acquisition, you need a more carefully planned implementation.

With Analytic Pixel Pro, I can help you review, configure, and validate your Pinterest tag so your campaigns can run on more reliable data.

Because when measurement is done right, marketing decisions are no longer based on assumptions but on actual data.