Server Side Tagging FAQ: 50+ Most Frequently Asked Questions about SST

Server Side Tagging is a new way of data collection where you set up your own server that collects data from your website. This makes you the owner of the collected data. Through this server, Google Tag Manager is then invoked. This method of data collection is called Server Side Tagging. For more information read our blog post on Server Side Tagging.

The primary purpose of Server Side Tagging is to provide a more efficient, secure and reliable way to collect and process data from Web sites.

Server Side Tagging deals with the flow of information that takes place from the website. When data flows through the Server Side it means that the collected information is forwarded to its own server. From this server, the data is then shared with the desired analysis platforms. Much of this is done through Google Tag Manager.

Server-side tagging and tracking are related concepts, but serve different purposes. While server-side tracking focuses on collecting data about user interactions with a Web site directly through the server, server-side tagging refers to implementing and managing tracking tags (which serve a similar purpose as analytics or advertising tools) on a dedicated tag manager server.

Client Side Tagging is the current data collection method where tags, or small pieces of code, are executed directly in the user's browser to monitor and record interactions and behavior on a Web site, resulting in direct data processing and transmission to various analytics platforms. Due to legislation and tracking prevention, this method of data collection is working less and less well.

Client Side Tagging is the current method of data collection. Server Side Tagging is the new method. Server Side Tagging involves an additional link - the server.

Server Side Tagging offers a wide range of options for collecting and processing website data, allowing organizations to gain advanced insights about user behavior, exercise better control over data, and better ensure user privacy.

Server Side Tagging is of interest to several types of organizations. First, high-traffic websites benefit because they can gain more detailed insights into their visitors' behavior through more efficient data collection. Companies that rely heavily on online marketing, such as e-commerce platforms, find in Server Side Tagging a valuable tool for accurate conversion tracking. In addition, it is an important technology for organizations seeking to comply with privacy laws, such as the AVG, because it provides greater control over the data collected and its processing. Server Side Tagging is also useful for companies that want to improve their website's performance and user experience, as it can reduce load time by moving data processing to the server.

Server-side tracking is essential for anyone collecting data online. The value of server-side tracking increases as more data is collected. As third-party cookies are phased out, it will become necessary for anyone who wants to continue collecting data to eventually switch to server-side tracking.

Server Side Tagging is increasingly seen as an important development in the world of digital data collection and analysis. Although no one can see into the future, there are strong indications that it will play an important role in the future.

You don't need permission to send data server side. Are you currently using Consent Mode V2 in GTM? Then you need to set this up server side.

Many people think that Server Side Tracking means you no longer need a cookie banner. This is incorrect - you still need a cookie banner to comply with privacy regulations!

Server Side Tagging uses First Party Cookies instead of Third Party Cookies, which ensures that the data remains the property of the user. This approach ensures control over the data, as First Party Cookies are directly connected to the user's own domain, unlike Third Party Cookies that come from external sources.

Complexity comes into play. Setting up tags, triggers and variables for SST is less well documented than for traditional methods, making the process more complicated. There is also the cost. SST via Google Tag Manager requires server space, which incurs a cost. This while the current method is free.

At TAGGRS, we help you get started with Server Side Tagging with a comprehensive SST checklist.

Despite being technical, we believe that anyone can install Server Side Tagging. We have written a blog for each implementation process that explains step by step how to set up Server Side.

There are many case studies available showing successful implementations of Server Side Tagging. For more details, check out our case study page.

Browser tracking prevention mechanisms are designed to limit or prevent tracking of user activity across multiple sites. These features protect users' privacy by minimizing the amount of data that trackers can collect. Google introduced the "Tracking Protection" feature in Chrome on Jan. 4, which blocks third-party cookies for a select group of users. This is a test within the Privacy Sandbox, aimed at reducing third-party cookie use. The short-term impact is limited, but the test provides insight into the future impact on Web sites and marketers that rely on these cookies.

Google Tag Manager does not function as a store for visitor information, but rather facilitates the transfer of data to external tools (third party). One possible approach for data storage would be to deliberately create Regex or Lookup tables that link user IDs to specific user data. However, this would mean storing sensitive, personally identifiable information within GTM, which goes against Google's terms of service. So if you go this route, with or without regard to the GDPR, you will run into problems.

Server Side Tagging offers benefits such as more data collected, improved data quality and support for AVG compliance. Read our blog on all the benefits of Server Side Tagging to learn more.

Due to the Chrome Third Party Cookie phase-out, Server Side Tagging provides a solution by using first-party data.
This reduces reliance on third-party cookies and aligns with new browser restrictions and regulations, making it a reliable and privacy-friendly method of data collection.

Server Side Tagging improves page speed by loading fewer scripts, which speeds up website load time. We tested the difference between Client and Server Side pagespeed for several clients.

Server Side Tagging is effective against adblockers by moving data collection from the browser to the server, making it less detectable. Essential ad data can thus continue to be collected and transmitted. The TAGGRS Enhanced Tracking Script further optimizes this by making the standard Google Tag Manager script less recognizable to adblockers.

TAGGRS Cookie Recovery, designed specifically for iOS 16.4 or newer, allows you to extend the life of cookies. This feature stores a unique user ID as an ITP-compliant first-party cookie. With each visit, this cookie is checked and, if necessary, marketing cookies are restored. This extends the effective lifetime of cookies, which is crucial for accurate tracking and attribution in marketing campaigns.

Server Side Tagging can indeed have a positive impact on SEO. This method speeds up your website by reducing the amount of code on the client side, resulting in faster load times and better user experiences, both crucial for SEO. In addition, it helps bypass ad blockers, preserving the integrity of your data for more effective SEO strategies. With the accurate data that Server Side Tagging provides, you can fine-tune your SEO strategy, leading to better rankings and optimization of your website performance. This approach allows you to make more informed decisions, maximizing the efficiency of your SEO efforts.

Server Side Tagging is an effective method to increase the amount of measurable GA4 data. This is made possible by two key features the first is bypassing Ad Blockers: Many users install ad blockers that block tracking mechanisms such as GA4, META and Google Ads cookies. Server Side Tagging helps bypass these blockers, making more data available for analysis. The second reason is navigating past Browser Tracking Prevention: Browsers such as Safari, Firefox, Edge and Brave have tracking prevention mechanisms that try to limit tracking of user activity across sites. Server Side Tagging makes it possible to bypass these restrictions as well, because the data stream sent to the server is not affected by these browser features.

Server Side Tagging leads to more reported conversions.
While not directly increasing conversions, adblockers, Safari's ITP and iOS's ATT reduce the effectiveness of traditional tracking methods.
Server Side Tracking can get around these limitations, resulting in higher reporting of conversions at data endpoints.
Statistics show on average 20% more reported activity on Facebook after implementing the conversion API and 7-16% more by bypassing adblockers.

Server Side Tagging gives you the ability to filter and process data before it is sent. This results in cleaner data by eliminating unwanted sources, making for more accurate analysis and better insights.

In the enrichment phase of TAGGRS is a feature that can identify webbot traffic. This feature identifies and filters webbot traffic so that the data remains clean and reliable.

Server Side Tagging is of interest to various types of anyone doing detailed data collection and needing to meet privacy requirements such as Consent Mode. For companies without strict privacy requirements or no need for detailed data collection, Server Side Tagging may be less relevant.

All data is sent and retrieved through your own first-party subdomain instead of third-party domains, which are often blocked. Your subdomain(s) will not be blocked or will be blocked to a lesser extent .

There is a big misconception that you get all the marketing data back with the new Consent Mode V2 after setting up Server Side Tracking. Although you can track much more, some of the data remains inaccessible if users reject cookies. This becomes clear with our Consent Tool.

Server Side Tagging is not free. In many cases you have to pay to collect server side information. TAGGRS does offer a free starter subscription where you can start up to 10,000 requests for free.

The cost of Server Side Tagging is mainly linked to the server acting as a conduit for the flow of data to relevant platforms. This requires hosting server space. TAGGRS offers packages based on the volume of requests, providing a customized solution. Use our pricing calculator to easily calculate which category you fall into.

Costs are determined based on the total number of requests per month. This number is directly tied to the activity on your website, such as pageviews, and the use of data clients within Google Tag Manager (gtm.js, analytics.js, gtag.js, etc.). Learn more about the cost of Server Side Tagging.

By following our blogs and instructional videos and tempos, you can implement Server Side Tagging relatively easily.

Theoretically yes, but then you have to set up your own tag structure and this is not possible for almost nobody. Suppose you have a few million lying around for your own tag structure then it is possible ;).

A website, Google Tag Manager and a TAGGRS account. Want to know more about what you need for Server Side Tagging or get started right away? Then read our comprehensive SST manual.

There are several ways to test whether your Server Side Tagging is set up correctly. At Facebook, for example, you can check this in the Business Manager. See our page on Server Side Tagging testing for more information.

To see if a website is using Server Side Tracking you can go to element inspect → Network tab → Type Collect → Refresh. Then click on the collect and you will see the subdomain at the Request URL if the website is running server side. If you don't see it then it means the website is not running server side.

Server Side Tagging comes on top of the existing setup. You can continue with what you've already built with Google Tag Manager. Tags, triggers and variables you've already created can be changed to work for Server Side Tagging.

TAGGRS clearly shows the effects of Server Side Tagging in a Server Side Analytics dashboard. This allows you to see exactly how much additional data you receive from Server Side Tagging and determine if it's right for you.

This of course depends on experience, and the number of things that need to be measured. With little experience, this can be a time-consuming process. With more experience, this generally goes fairly smoothly. TAGGRS also has blogs and instructional videos on how to implement Server Side Tagging. Should you want to outsource it completely feel free to contact us.

Setting up Server Side Tagging can be considered difficult. For this reason, we have extensive blogs and videos on our website and take you all the way through the setup process. We also have GTM templates that you can easily copy to reduce the chance of mistakes.

The most common mistakes in setting up Server Side Tagging are discussed in detail in the TAGGRS Debug Series. This series covers typical pitfalls such as configuration errors, improper use of variables and inadequate testing of tags.

When you use Server Side Tagging you are with a hosting provider that acts as a conduit for the data flow towards the relevant platforms. This provider does not initially store the data.

Not all tools are compatible with Server Side Tracking. Some tools require their code to reside directly on the user's page. For example, heatmapping tools such as Hotjar must be present on-page to function and cannot retrieve and send all user activity through the server.