What is Server-Side Tagging again?
Server-Side Tagging is an advanced method for tracking and analyzing website traffic. Traditionally, websites placed tracking pixels from external parties in the visitor’s browser, allowing the companies behind these tracking pixels to collect and send data. In this setup, you, as the first party, permit a third party to collect data about your visitors on your site. With Server-Side Tagging, however, data collection occurs through a server on the same domain as the website. This means third parties can no longer directly track your visitors; instead, you, as the first party, are responsible for collecting this data. You can then decide which data to share with specific analytics or marketing platforms, provided this is disclosed in your cookie and privacy policies and that visitors can opt-out of tracking for marketing and analytics purposes via the cookie banner.
The main reason for transitioning to a first-party tracking setup, beyond compliance with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations, is the increasing inaccuracy of third-party tracking. Since 2021, accurately tracking website visitors through third-party tools has become nearly impossible. This is primarily because browsers like Safari and Firefox have implemented tracking prevention methods to safeguard their users’ privacy.
Google announced in 2021 that it would also implement these tracking prevention measures for all Google Chrome users (depending on when you’re reading this, this may not yet have been implemented, as Google has repeatedly delayed the deadline). Alongside announcing tracking prevention in Chrome, Google has shifted from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 and is developing features in its Privacy Sandbox to maintain a functional advertising platform—Google Ads—without relying on third-party cookies.
Would you like to learn more about the end of third-party cookies and what the (near) future looks like? Check out this blog article about the end of third-party cookies.
Server-Side Tagging provides website owners with greater control over what data is collected and which platforms it is shared with. However, this also means that website owners—or marketers managing these websites—are expected to have a much higher level of technical expertise to maintain a first-party tracking setup.
The main reason for transitioning to a first-party tracking setup, beyond compliance with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations, is the increasing inaccuracy of third-party tracking. Since 2021, accurately tracking website visitors through third-party tools has become nearly impossible. This is primarily because browsers like Safari and Firefox have implemented tracking prevention methods to safeguard their users’ privacy.
Google announced in 2021 that it would also implement these tracking prevention measures for all Google Chrome users (depending on when you’re reading this, this may not yet have been implemented, as Google has repeatedly delayed the deadline). Alongside announcing tracking prevention in Chrome, Google has shifted from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 and is developing features in its Privacy Sandbox to maintain a functional advertising platform—Google Ads—without relying on third-party cookies.Would you like to learn more about the end of third-party cookies and what the (near) future looks like? Check out this blog article about the end of third-party cookies.
Server-Side Tagging provides website owners with greater control over what data is collected and which platforms it is shared with. However, this also means that website owners—or marketers managing these websites—are expected to have a much higher level of technical expertise to maintain a first-party tracking setup.
Updated on: 22/11/2024
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