Impact Server Side Tagging: measure it with the TAGGRS Tracking Tags

Have you ever wondered how much additional data you generate by adding server side tagging into your marketing strategy? Using our TAGGRS tracking tag (client side) and TAGGRS tracking tag (server side), you can easily measure the direct improvement of your new setup. These tags send the events to TAGGRS, where we summarize them in two graphs. Are you ready to understand more about the effectiveness of server side tagging? In this blog, we explain step by step how you can measure the difference by adding two tracking tags.

NOTE: The chart only measures direct improved measurability, as a result of overall blocking by AdBlockers and tracking prevention by browsers. This percentage is only a portion of the total benefit on your marketing campaigns. Read these 7 Benefits of Server Side Tagging to learn in what ways SST contributes to increased ROI and conversions.

To measure the impact of server side tagging, you need a TAGGRS account. Don't have an account yet? Create your free account. Furthermore, you also need to have GA4 configured. This is because the server side tracking tag uses the GA4 page_view data.

Difference measuring client and server side data

The TAGGRS Tracking Tags must be configured in both the web container and the server container.

TAGGRS Tracking tag client side

First, we are going to pass the events client side to TAGGRS. To do this, we need to install a tracking tag.

Step 1: Container ID

Within your TAGGRS container, locate the container ID and copy it.

Step 2: Add GitHub tag

Currently, TAGGRS tags are not yet in the GTM template gallery. Therefore, the tags must be added in another way. The tags can be downloaded from Github and uploaded into Google Tag Manager. GitHub is an online platform for software development where open source software is shared . First, go to TAGGRS' GitHub page. Then click on 'taggrs-tracking-tag-client'.

Then click on 'Code' and download the ZIP file.

Step 3: Tag upload Google Tag Manager

Now that the tag file has been downloaded from GitHub, we can start uploading the tag on Google Tag Manager. Go to your web container. Within your workspace, click to 'Templates' and click 'New' under tag templates.

Then click on the 3 dots at the top right and click "Import.

Make sure the downloaded zip file is extracted, you do this by opening the file.

Once this is done you can upload the file to Google Tag Manager. As shown in the example below you only need to upload 'template.tpl'. Then click 'Save' and the TAGGRS tracking tag - client side is uploaded and ready to use!

Step 4: Create new trigger all events

Before setting up TAGGRS Tracking Tags, we need to create a trigger. This trigger will ensure that all events are taken and forwarded to TAGGRS, giving you the most insight into the actual data difference. We differentiate between several events including:

• Page_view
• View_item
• Add_to_cart
• Purchase

Go to the client container in Google Tag Manager. Within your workspace, go to "Triggers ," then click "New.

Step 5: Trigger configuration

Give the trigger a name such as GA4 - All events and choose 'Custom event' as the trigger type under 'Trigger configuration'.

Step 6: Set Trigger

Under event name, enter .*. Then check ' Use matching regular expression'.Under 'This trigger is triggered for', select 'All custom events' . Then save the trigger.

Step 7: Create Tag

Now that we have created the trigger, we are going to create and set up the TAGGRS Tracking Tag. Go to the web container in Google Tag Manager. Within your workspace, go to 'Tags' and then click 'New'.

Step 8: Tag configuration

Click on 'Tag configuration'. Then under 'Custom', click the client-side tracking tag of TAGGRS.

Step 9: Set Tag

Under 'Container Identifier', enter the Container ID you copied from your container in the TAGGRS dashboard. Then click on the 'plus' at 'Event name' and select 'Event'.

Step 10: Set trigger

We want to measure the data on all pages and events to properly show the difference in data. As a trigger, choose the GA4 All events trigger you just created. Then give the tag a name and click Save.

All events in the data layer are now integrated. If you want to track additional events, such as form submissions, you need to create a specific tracking tag for this. Then choose the desired event as the trigger for this tag.

TAGGRS Tracking tag server side tracking.

The events are now passed client side to TAGGRS. To measure the difference in data we need to start doing the same for the server side. This works the same way as the client side tag.

Step 1: Create Tag

Go to the server container in Google Tag Manager. Within your workspace, go to "Tags," then click "New.

Step 2: Tag configuration

Like the client side tracking tag, the server side tracking tag must be downloaded from GitHub and uploaded to Google Tag Manager. To do this, follow the same steps as the client side tracking tag, but now download the server side tracking tag.

Once it is uploaded on Google Tag Manager, we can start installing the tag. Click on 'Tag configuration.' Then under 'Custom', click on TAGGRS ' server-side tracking tag.

Step 3: Set Tag

As with the client side tracking tag, enter the container ID under 'Container Identifier'. Then select 'Event Name' under 'Event name'.

Step 4: Set Trigger

Next, we're going to set the trigger. Not using consent mode? Choose "GA4 Client" as the trigger .

Do you use consent mode? Then add the trigger GA4 Client + Analytics storage. This way you will comply with the consent rules and avoid large data differences within the TAGGRS dashboard.

Then give the tag a name and click 'Save'. Don't see 'GA4 Client' listed? Check out this blog to create a GA4 tag with associated trigger in the server container. Once set up, the trigger will appear.

Successful? Nice going! Now go to your container within TAGGRS. The effects of Server Side Tagging are now measured per event, top!

Conclusion

You now have the TAGGRS Tracking Tags installed which allows you to measure the effects of Server Side Tagging. This allows you to see the difference in how much data you are actually getting in through Server Side Tagging. Also check out the rest of our Server Side Analytics Features.

Are you experiencing problems with your Server Side Tracking setup? Explore our debugging series to find your solution.

FAQ TAGGRS Tracking Tags