The Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag is Microsoft Ads’ equivalent of the Meta Pixel or Google Analytics tag. It must be installed on your website before you can track conversions, build remarketing audiences, or use automated bidding in Microsoft Ads (Bing Ads).
This guide covers what the UET tag does, how to install it, and how to verify it is working on your website.
What the Microsoft Ads UET Tag Does
The UET tag is a small JavaScript snippet that loads on every page of your website. Once installed, it:
- Tracks which pages visitors view and where they came from
- Records conversion events (purchases, form submissions, page views of thank-you pages)
- Builds remarketing lists from visitors to your website
- Enables automated bidding strategies (Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Conversions)
Without the UET tag, none of Microsoft Ads’ conversion tracking or automated bidding features can function.
Step 1: Create a UET Tag in Microsoft Ads
Log in to Microsoft Ads (ads.microsoft.com). Go to Tools → UET Tags. Click Create. Give your tag a name (e.g. your website name). Microsoft will generate a UET Tag ID and the JavaScript snippet to install.
Step 2: Install the UET Tag on Your Website
Option A: Direct code installation
Copy the UET tag JavaScript snippet. Paste it inside the head section of every page on your website, before the closing head tag. For a Shopify store, add it to your theme.liquid file inside the head tag.
Option B: Google Tag Manager
Microsoft Ads has a built-in Google Tag Manager template. In GTM, create a new tag, select Microsoft Advertising Universal Event Tracking as the tag type, enter your UET Tag ID, and set the trigger to All Pages. This is the recommended approach if you already use GTM.
Option C: Shopify App
Microsoft Ads does not have a first-party Shopify app with the same level of integration as Meta or Google. However, several third-party apps and the Microsoft Clarity integration can handle UET tag installation. The GTM method is generally more reliable for Shopify.
Step 3: Verify the UET Tag Is Working
Microsoft provides a UET Tag Helper Chrome extension (searchable in the Chrome Web Store). Install it and visit your website. The extension will show whether the UET tag is firing on the current page and display the tag status (Working, Not Verified, or Error).
You can also verify in Microsoft Ads: go to Tools → UET Tags and find your tag. After at least one page view has been recorded, the status will change from “Unverified” to “Tag Active.”
Step 4: Create Conversion Goals
After the UET tag is verified, create conversion goals for the actions you want to track. Go to Tools → Conversion Goals → Create Conversion Goal.
For ecommerce, the most important goals are:
- Purchase / Destination URL: fires when a user lands on your thank-you page URL (easiest setup, good for most stores)
- Custom Event: fires when a specific JavaScript event occurs (requires additional code but more precise)
Common UET Tag Issues
UET tag showing as “Unverified” after 24 hours
Usually means the tag was not installed on all pages. Check that the snippet is in the site-wide head template, not just on specific pages. Also check if your website has a Content Security Policy that may be blocking the Microsoft Ads domain.
Tag fires on storefront but not on checkout
If you are using Shopify, the checkout pages are separate from the storefront theme. You need to add the UET tag to the Shopify Additional Scripts setting (Settings → Checkout → Additional Scripts) to fire it on checkout and thank-you pages.
Why Microsoft Ads UET Matters Beyond Bing
Microsoft Ads serves ads on Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, MSN, and the Microsoft Audience Network. This reaches an audience that is older, more affluent, and more desktop-oriented than Google Ads traffic — which for many B2B and premium product ecommerce stores means better conversion rates and lower competition costs than Google.
Getting the UET tag working correctly is the foundation for taking advantage of that opportunity.
Get Your Microsoft Ads Tracking Set Up
Book your free Shopify tracking audit here and we will check your Microsoft Ads UET tag installation and conversion goal setup alongside your other ad platform tracking.