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As third-party cookies slowly phase down, server-side tagging is gaining steam as one of the main alternatives for forward-thinking companies.
In this article, we cover some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about server-side tagging, to help you understand what the hype is about.
What is server-side tagging?
Server-side tagging is a method of data collection where tracking tags are executed on a server rather than directly within a user's browser.
This approach shifts the responsibility of handling tracking scripts from the client side (user's device) to the server side (organization's server). By doing so, it offers enhanced control over data handling, improved website performance, and better compliance with privacy regulations.
Visit our blog post for a more in-depth understanding of server-side tagging:
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What is the difference between server-side and client-side tagging?
The difference between client-side and server-side tagging comes down to
- In a client-side integration, everything is done on the user's browser, where tags are triggered and cookies are dropped.
- In a server-side integration, a server intermediary is added, allowing the customer to move the tag-triggering logic to a machine-to-machine workflow where cookies are no longer needed. The advantage is the ability to add complete server-to-server logic, in addition to the client-to-server-to-server logic.
Check out the following visual for a quick overview of the differences between the two, and read our full article on client-side vs server-side tagging to learn more:
Are server-side and client-side tagging mutually exclusive?
Not necessarily. Many companies use a hybrid model, leveraging both client-side for immediate user interactions and server-side for improved privacy and control.
What are the main benefits of server-side tagging?
Server-side tagging reduces the number of third-party scripts loaded on a webpage. This approach has multiple benefits:
- Improved website performance: Offloading tracking logic to the server reduces the amount of JavaScript running on a webpage, leading to faster load times and better Core Web Vitals.
- Greater data control and security: Organizations can filter, anonymize, and manage collected data before sharing it with third parties, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR.
- Minimized ad blocker interference: Since tracking happens through the website’s own domain rather than third-party scripts, ad blockers are less likely to disrupt data collection.
- Extended cookie lifespan: Server-side tagging allows businesses to store cookies as first-party and HTTP-only, making them more resilient to browser restrictions like Safari’s ITP.
- Enhanced analytics and marketing capabilities: Cleaner, more reliable data improves audience segmentation, personalization, and the effectiveness of marketing automation tools.
What role does server-side tagging play in the transition away from third-party cookies?
Server-side tagging helps businesses transition to first-party data strategies, reducing their reliance on third-party cookies for tracking and personalization. By processing data on a company-controlled server rather than in the browser, it enables more accurate attribution, longer-lasting first-party cookies, and better compliance with privacy regulations.
It is often listed as one of the main alternatives to third-party cookies, along with universal ID solutions, data clean rooms, and Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs), each offering different ways to preserve targetting and measurement capabilities while focusing on userprivacy.
How does server-side tagging improve privacy and compliance with GDPR and other regulations?
Server-side tagging enhances privacy and regulatory compliance by giving organizations more control over data collection, storage, and sharing, reducing reliance on third-party scripts and ensuring user consent is properly managed:
- Greater control over data processing: With server-side tagging, companies can filter, anonymize, or enrich data before it is shared with third-party vendors, ensuring that only necessary and consented data is transmitted, in accordance with the GDPR data minimization and purpose limitation principles.
- Stronger data security: By processing tracking data on a secure first-party server instead of directly in the user’s browser, businesses reduce exposure to client-side vulnerabilities such as unauthorized third-party access, data leaks, and malicious scripts.
- Improved compliance with consent requirements: Server-side tagging works in tandem with a Consent Management Platform (CMP) to ensure that user choices are enforced before any data is shared, thus preventing non-compliant data processing.
- Reduced reliance on third-party tracking: Since data is processed within a company’s own infrastructure, businesses can limit uncontrolled third-party data access, reducing the risk of non-compliance and improving transparency.
Check out our dedicated page to learn more about how server-side could make sense for your organization:
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What is the impact of server-side tagging on ad tracking and attribution?
Server-side tagging improves ad performance by allowing better first-party data enrichment, more reliable tracking, and higher accuracy in conversions.
What challenges should businesses anticipate when adopting server-side tagging?
The main challenges organizations should expect when getting started with a server-side implementation are:
- Infrastructure and maintenance costs: Running a server-side tagging setup requires additional cloud resources, which can be expensive to maintain compared to traditional client-side tracking.
- Technical complexity and expertise: Implementing and managing server-side tagging requires specialized knowledge, often demanding involvement from developers and data engineers.
- Ongoing management and troubleshooting: Unlike client-side tagging, which is more plug-and-play, server-side setups require continuous monitoring, updates, and debugging to ensure smooth operation.
- Transparency and auditability concerns: Since data is processed on the server before being shared with vendors, businesses need clear logging, reporting, and compliance measures to satisfy regulators like the French DPA (CNIL).
- Integration challenges: Ensuring compatibility with existing analytics, marketing tools, and consent management platforms (CMPs) may require custom configurations and additional development effort.
- Regulatory and data governance responsibilities: With full control over data collection, companies bear greater responsibility for privacy compliance, making it crucial to have strong governance policies in place.
Do you still need user consent in a server-side implementation?
Yes. User consent requirements under GDPR and other data privacy regulations remain the same whether tags are implemented client-side or server-side. The collection method doesn't change compliance obligations.
As a result, a Consent Management Platform still plays a critical role in a server-side implementation, ensuring proper consent collection and management before any data processing occurs.
To learn more, check out our article on the impact of server-side tracking on consent management, based on a webinar co-hosted with digitalinkers:
What is a server-to-server data architecture?
A server-to-server (S2S) architecture is a data processing framework where information is collected, enriched, and transmitted directly between servers, rather than relying on a user's browser or device for tracking and data exchange.
This approach enhances data control, security, and compliance, making it particularly valuable for businesses navigating privacy regulations like GDPR and looking to optimize tracking accuracy while reducing reliance on third-party scripts. By moving data processing to the backend, companies can minimize ad blocker interference, improve data consistency across channels, and ensure better governance over sensitive information.
For a real-world example of how S2S architecture works, check out how SNCF Connect & Tech implemented it to improve data reliability and compliance:
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