Benefits of Server-Side Tracking
Are you noticing a decrease in the amount of data you're receiving from your Facebook pixel, Pinterest pixel, or Google Analytics (4) reports? This could be due to a significant number of your website visitors blocking third-party cookies, either intentionally or through browser settings.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small data files that store information about your preferences on your computer, mobile, or tablet. There are two types of cookies:
- First-party cookies: Created by and stored on the webshop you visit.
- Third-party cookies: Created by third parties, such as Google and Facebook, and can be used by multiple advertisers. Data captured by third-party cookies is not only available to the webshop owner but also to other advertisers and can be passed on to other parties.
Why is Blocking Third-Party Cookies a Problem?
Advertising platforms rely on algorithms that require training, accomplished by tracking conversion-enhancing actions, such as purchases or adding items to a shopping cart. However, if third-party cookies are blocked, less data is collected, leading to a less well-trained algorithm and ultimately poorer performance.
Our Solution: Server-Side Tracking
With server-side tracking, you can create your own tracking server where data is collected first before it is passed on to third parties. By setting up the tracking server on your own subdomain, such as data.yourdomain.com, browsers recognize this as first-party data collection, which reduces the likelihood of cookies being blocked. With server-side tracking, you have more control over which information is shared with third parties. Our comprehensive server-side tracking solution includes setting up a GTM Server Side container, registering it on our dedicated data collection servers (with fallback servers in case of downtime), making necessary changes to your current GTM Client Side container (if applicable), and providing documentation to create a subdomain for data collection.
Full Service
Our total server-side tracking solution includes:
- Setting up a GTM Server Side container for you.
- Registering your GTM Server Side container on our dedicated data collection servers, with one or more fallback servers (in case our primary server is down).
- Making necessary changes to your current GTM Client Side container (if applicable).
- Providing you with documentation to create a subdomain where the data is collected.
Pros & Cons
- Pros:
- More comprehensive data collection
- Increased control over shared data
- Enhanced performance for your website or webshop
- Future-proofing against the blocking of third-party cookies
- Cons:
- Our solution incurs a cost while Client Side Tagging is free
- While our solution does offer more control over data sharing and can ensure GDPR compliance, it may not be an immediate privacy-friendly solution.