As the world of marketing evolves, it’s important to stay ahead of the game when it comes to tracking website conversions. With the current state of cookies and privacy concerns, server-side conversion tracking is becoming more important than ever before. In this blog post, we’ll explain what server-side tracking is, why it’s better than client-side tracking, how you can implement it, and why it’s crucial to make the move now.
What is Server-Side Tracking?
Server-side tracking is a method of tracking website conversions by sending them via a server to the analytics/ads tools, rather than on the client side – via browser and cookies. When a user completes a conversion, such as a purchase or a form submission, the information is sent directly from your server to your tracking tools via API. This method of tracking provides a more secure and accurate way of measuring conversions, as it is not reliant on cookies or client-side (browser) scripts.
Why Server-Side Tracking is Better Than Client-Side Tracking
Client-side tracking has been the norm for a long time, but it’s becoming increasingly unreliable as privacy concerns continue to grow. With client-side tracking, the tracking code is stored on the user’s browser, and this code can be blocked by the user or their browser (ie. Safari). This means that you may not be getting an accurate picture of the conversions on your website. Additionally, with third-party cookies being phased out, client-side tracking will become even less reliable.
On the other hand, server-side tracking is more reliable and accurate, as it is not dependent on cookies or client-side scripts. It provides a more secure way of tracking website conversions and is not impacted by ad blockers or privacy concerns.
Server-Side Tracking Using Google Tag Manager
Implementing server-side tracking is easier than you might think. One way to do it is by using Google Tag Manager. With Google Tag Manager, you can send conversion data to your server by using a server-side container. This container allows you to send the data directly to your server, bypassing the need for cookies or client-side scripts.
To implement server-side tracking using Google Tag Manager, you’ll need to create a server-side container and configure it to send the conversion data to your server. You can then use this data to measure website conversions and optimize your marketing campaigns accordingly.
Here’s a great guide by Analytics Mania showing how to do it step-by-step
Why it’s Important to Make the Move Now
With third-party cookies being phased out, it’s more important than ever to have a reliable and accurate way of measuring website conversions. By implementing server-side tracking, you can ensure that you’re getting an accurate picture of the conversions on your website, even as cookies become less reliable.
In addition, implementing server-side tracking now can help you stay ahead of the curve and be better prepared for the future of marketing. As privacy concerns continue to grow, server-side tracking will become more important, and those who implement it now will be in a better position to succeed.
In conclusion, server-side conversion tracking provides a more secure, reliable, and accurate way of measuring website conversions. By implementing server-side tracking using Google Tag Manager, you can ensure that you’re getting an accurate picture of the conversions on your website, even as cookies become less reliable. It’s important to make the move now, to be better prepared for the future of marketing, and to stay ahead of the curve.
