🔍 Overview
If you have installed the OTTO pixel through Google Tag Manager (GTM) and can confirm it appears in your page source, but OTTO still shows the pixel as undetected, this is expected behavior in most cases. The initial site audit crawl can take some time before OTTO registers and confirms pixel detection. No additional troubleshooting is needed during this window.
⏱️ Why Detection May Be Delayed
When OTTO is connected to a site for the first time, it runs a full site audit crawl before it begins processing pixel data. This crawl is required to map your site structure and establish a baseline. Until this initial audit is complete, OTTO will not reflect pixel detection status — even if the pixel is correctly installed and firing on your pages.
This is normal, expected behavior and not an error. The delay applies to all new site connections, regardless of how the pixel was installed.
✅ How to Confirm Your Pixel Is Installed Correctly
While you wait for the audit to complete, verify your installation is correct by checking the following:
- Open your website in a browser and right-click anywhere on the page, then select View Page Source.
- Use Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac) to search for your OTTO pixel ID or the pixel script snippet.
- Confirm the script is present in the source code.
- Open your GTM account and confirm the pixel tag is set to fire on All Pages (or the correct trigger for your setup).
- Use the GTM Preview mode to verify the tag fires on page load without errors.
If the pixel appears in your page source and fires correctly in GTM Preview, your installation is complete. You simply need to wait for the site audit crawl to finish.
📍 Where to Check Pixel Status in Search Atlas
You can monitor your pixel detection status inside the Search Atlas platform by navigating to the OTTO section and locating your connected site. Once the initial audit completes, the status will update automatically — no manual refresh or resubmission is required.
🚩 When to Take Further Action
In most cases, waiting for the initial audit to complete resolves the detection delay. However, take further action if any of the following apply:
- A significant amount of time has passed and the pixel status still shows as undetected.
- The pixel script does not appear in your page source after publishing your GTM container.
- GTM Preview mode shows the tag is not firing or is returning an error.
- You published changes in GTM but forgot to submit the container — unpublished GTM changes do not go live on your site.
If the pixel is missing from your page source, return to GTM and verify your tag configuration, trigger settings, and that the container has been submitted and published. If you have confirmed the pixel is present and firing correctly but detection still has not updated after an extended wait, please reach out for support and have the following ready: your site URL, your GTM container ID, and a screenshot of the pixel tag firing in GTM Preview mode.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.