AdTrace AI, 2022-2025
From Simple Plugin to $1M ARR Analytics Platform on Shopify
The Challenge
In August 2022, Adtrace AI (PixelTok) was a simple pixel-tracking plugin (TikTok Pixel) for e-commerce stores, generating $8K MRR from ~1,000 shopify stores. The founder had built a functional tool, but it lacked the sophistication and user experience needed to compete in the growing e-commerce analytics market.
I joined Conner to help out on the product, eventually helping redesign not only the TikTok pixel app but also Facebook Pixel, Snapchat Pixel support, introducing cross-sells, reduce the churn, increase retention and rebrand the whole identity from PixelTok to AdTrace.
Key challenges:
- Limited product functionality beyond basic pixel tracking
- No clear product strategy or roadmap
- Minimal brand presence and marketing infrastructure
- Low conversion from free to paid plans
- Single developer handling all product & technical aspects
My Role
As the solo designer, I partnered directly with Conner to transform Adtrace AI from a basic utility into a comprehensive analytics platform. I owned:
Product Design & Strategy
Reimagining the entire user experience and feature set
Brand & Visual Identity
Creating a cohesive, professional brand presence
Marketing Website
Building brand presence on the web and SEO infrastructure
Growth Experiments
Designing and implementing growth strategies
The Transformation
1. Product Evolution: From Plugin to Platform
I led the strategic redesign that expanded Adtrace from a simple pixel installer to a full-featured attribution and analytics platform:
Data Attribution Engine
Designed intuitive dashboards for multi-touch attribution tracking
Analytics Suite
Created visualizations for customer journey mapping and ROI analysis
Integration Ecosystem
Developed seamless connections with major e-commerce platforms
User Experience
Reduced time-to-value from 20 minutes to under 5 minutes
After trying a few different adjacent verticals to data attribution & tracking, we wanted our users to have actionable insights. Actions that would result in higher ROAS for our users. So we dove deep into customer journeys, ad creation, and campaign management.
Reimagining Onboarding
The onboarding experience was the most critical touchpoint—it determined whether users would become customers or abandon the product. Here's how we transformed it from a technical hurdle into a delightful first impression.
The Problem
High Drop-off Rate
Nearly 1 out of 3 users abandoned the product during onboarding, primarily due to the confusing UX of installing a pixel
Key Issues Identified
Technical Complexity
Switching b/w tabs to find the right pixel, and no way of confirmation of successful installation.
No Progress Indication
Users didn't know how many steps remained or if they were doing it right
Delayed Value
Users percieve that once a pixel is installed their event data (page views, add to carts, etc.) would appear instantly. Seeing no data left them thinking the app doesn't work.
Generic Experience
Flow needed to be adjusted for different channels as we expanded from just supporting TikTok to Facebook, Google and Snapchat
My Approach
Research Phase
- •We went through several support tickets to isolate the issues.
- •Analyzed 100+ session recordings of failed onboardings
- •Created journey maps for different user personas
- •Benchmarked top SaaS onboarding experiences
Design Principles
Show Value Immediately
Demo data and instant gratification at every step
Reduce Cognitive Load
One action per screen, clear progress indication
Personalize the Journey
Adapt based on where the user left off during drop-off.
The Design Evolution
Before: Complex technical setup with no info about billing
The Solution
Educating users on value
Instead of jumping straight to technical setup, we start with educating the user about tracking & attribution. This step was necessary to improve retention
One-Click Integration
Replaced manual code installation with Shopify's native OAuth flow. Users can connect their store with a single click, no technical knowledge required.
Improvements:
- Automatic pixel injection via Shopify ScriptTag API
- Real-time connection status with visual feedback
- Automatic webhook setup for order tracking
2. Brand & Marketing Infrastructure
Built a professional brand presence that established trust with high-end e-commerce businesses:
3. The Game-Changing Upsell Strategy
In Jan 2024, we updated our pricing and introduced Tier based pricing. But we still weren't seeing any significant bump from users on free plan to Tier 1 plan ($27/mo). While brainstorming we came up with an idea to gate a bunch of features behind these tiers. Tier 3 became our lowest tier with all feature unlock (detailed product analytics + Enhanced Tracking & Attribution). We knew people really wanted the product analytics because we were watching users with dead clicks on product items on the Product overview page.
Although this led to growth for the business, we did encounter some upset users who couldn't understand how the billing worked for these features. Thankfully our support (Theresa) was there to handle these cases and helped customers resolve their queries.
The Results
AdTrace Growth over past 3 years
Growth Metrics
Conversion Metrics
Customer Growth — Jan 2025
TAM
Insights
Design-Led Growth Works
Focusing on user experience before features accelerated adoption
Strategic Upsells > Aggressive Sales
Smart, helpful upgrade paths outperformed traditional sales tactics
Brand Matters in B2B
Professional design established trust with high-end customers
Small Teams Can Win
With clear roles and strong collaboration, a 2-person team competed with funded competitors
Technologies & Tools
Development
Design
Analytics
Marketing
Want Similar Results?
I help SaaS founders and e-commerce businesses transform their products through strategic design and development. Whether you're looking to improve conversion, scale your platform, or create a market-leading user experience, let's talk.