Retargeting pixels

What is a retargeting pixel?

A pixelis a tiny snippet of ad-network code (from Meta/Facebook or Google) that quietly tells the ad network “this person was here.” The ad network can then show that person your adsas they browse elsewhere. That's retargeting — advertising to people who already showed interest, instead of to cold strangers. Retargeting audiences convert far better and cost less, which is why marketers care.

The catch: you can normally only pixel people who land on a page you control. Share a link to a YouTube video, an Amazon product, a partner site, or a printed QR menu, and you get nothing — those visitors touch someone else's page.

How TNY does it

Because every click first passes through your TNY short link, TNY inserts a near-instant, invisible pause on your own domain and fires your pixel there — turning every link and QR scan into a pixel opportunity, even when the final destination is a site you don't own.

1. 1

   Someone clicks your link or scans your QR

   Every short link and dynamic QR code routes through TNY first, before reaching its destination.

2. 2

   TNY briefly pauses on your domain

   Instead of redirecting instantly, TNY serves a tiny "Redirecting…" page for a fraction of a second — a page that counts as your own.

3. 3

   Your pixel fires

   Your Meta and/or Google pixel runs on that page, recording the visitor into your retargeting audience — even though the link is headed to a site you don't own.

4. 4

   The visitor lands on the destination

   They're forwarded to the real destination in about 0.7 seconds. To them it feels like a normal click.

Details worth knowing

• Works without JavaScript.There's a plain fallback and a visible Continue link, so nobody ever gets stuck.
• Invisible to search engines. The redirect page is marked noindex, so it never competes with or masks your real destination.
• Fires on every visit.The page is never cached, so your click counts and audiences stay accurate and always use the link's current destination.
• Plan-gated at click time. Retargeting is a Pro & Team feature. If a plan is downgraded, pixels simply stop firing — your saved configuration is untouched.

Setting it up

In your dashboard, open Retargeting and paste your Meta Pixel ID (a numeric ID from Meta Events Manager) and/or your Google tag ID (e.g. AW-123456789 or G-XXXXXXXX). Save, and your pixels start firing on your links right away.

Go to your dashboard →

Frequently asked questions

What is a retargeting pixel?

A retargeting pixel is a small snippet of code from an ad network (Meta or Google) that records who visited. That ad network can then show your ads to those people later as they browse elsewhere. It's how you advertise to people who already showed interest, instead of to cold strangers.

Why can't I just put a pixel on the destination?

You can only add a pixel to a page you control. If your link points to YouTube, a store page, a PDF, or a printed QR menu, you can't pixel those visitors — they're on someone else's page. TNY solves this by firing your pixel on your own short link as the visitor passes through.

Does the extra step slow visitors down?

Barely. TNY shows a near-instant "Redirecting…" page for about 0.7 seconds while your pixel fires, then sends the visitor on. It also works with JavaScript disabled and always shows a visible Continue link, so nobody ever gets stuck.

Which pixels are supported?

The Meta (Facebook) Pixel and the Google tag (Google Ads / GA4). You add your Pixel ID or tag ID once in the dashboard and it applies to your links.

Which plans include retargeting?

Retargeting pixels are a paid-plan feature, available on Pro and Team. The gate is checked at click time, so if a plan is downgraded, pixels simply stop firing.