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Server-side tracking has becoming a major topic in 2024, initially driven by the announced deprecation of third-party cookies. Organizations, realizing they must seek alternative methods to maintain their digital operations, are increasingly considering server-side tracking as one of the top candidates for the job.
This article explores server-side tracking, how it works, and what are the main benefits of the model. We also discuss how Didomi supports this transition and how you can get started.
July 2024 update: In a press release on the Privacy Sandbox website, Google announced that it will not deprecate third-party cookies and will introduce a new experience in Chrome. Stay tuned for more details.
What is server-side tracking, and how does it work?
Server-side tracking (or tagging) allows data to flow from one server to another on the backend, identifying users with a unique ID to contextualize that data. One of the easiest way to understand it is to compare to the more traditionnal client-side tracking:
What are the key difference between the two?
- 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.
In concrete terms, what are the benefits of server-side tracking, and what are some of the reasons you might consider it for your organization?
Why choose server-side tagging?
Our team started to observe accrued interest for server-side tracking as the topic of the deprecation of third-party cookies in Google Chrome gained steam, but also because of the advantages this architecture provides, as explained by our Senior Technical Account Manager, Pierre Vanoverschelde:
“As privacy expectations evolve, it's crucial to stay ahead with robust server-side tagging solutions. This approach ensures data integrity and protects user privacy while maintaining the effectiveness of your tracking and analytics.
Our clients have reported that server-side tagging not only improved their data accuracy but also helped them leverage unique user IDs to enhance their privacy-focused initiatives."
- Pierre Vanoverschelde, Senior Technical Account Manager at Didomi
The strategy at Google regarding third-party cookies in Chrome has since changed, but organizations are still looking for alternative ways to track their users, whether to serve them ads or, in general, to build comprehensive, cohesive online experiences.
What are the benefits of server-side tracking?
At its core, server-side tracking reduces the number of third-party scripts loaded on a webpage as data is collected in a standardized format once and distributed to third parties (analytics, CRM, emailing, etc.) in the backend.
This approach has multiple benefits:
- Website performance: Reducing the amount of Javascript code on a page and running more business logic on the backend helps improve the performance of a website and its Core Web Vitals.
- Data granularity: With server-side tagging, organizations have more control over the data sent to third-parties. Because the data collected is first sent to the website's tagging server (operated by the organization itself), filtering and anonymization can be applied to the user data before it is forwarded to third-parties. For instance, server-side tagging can be used to ensure that Google Analytics does not get access to the user IP.
- Adblocker impact: With server-side tagging, all the data collection can be done through the website domain which is usually not blocked by adblockers, reducing their impact.
- Lifetime of cookies: Server-side tagging can be used to move cookies to the 1st-party domain and to HTTP-only cookies that are not impacted by Safari ITP limitations.
In spite of Google's recent change of course regarding third-paty cookies, the trend behind server-side adoption is here to stay. To learn about a concrete example of an organization moving to server-side, check out our case study with SNCF Connect & Tech.
How does Didomi enable server-side tracking?
Didomi supports server-side tracking through various methods, including the most popular one, Google Tag Manager (GTM), to efficiently transfer data between servers and minimize reliance on client-side storage like cookies.
To get started with server-side tracking, Didomi users can integrate Google Tag Manager (GTM) in 4 steps:
- Enabling the Didomi / GTM integration
- Creating the variables in GTM
- Creating triggers
- Classifying your tags
Our developers' documentation details the full process of configuring the Didomi GTM integration.
Our cross-device capabilities are another way for Didomi customers to implement server-side practices. Customers provide their own organization user IDs to successfully track users across devices, which follow server-side logic. Learn more about cross-device and how it works in our help center.
Interested in exploring server-side tracking? To discuss your challenges and how you could get started in your transition away from third-party cookies, book a call with our team:
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Server-side tracking: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What does switching to server-side tracking entail?
Switching to server-side tracking involves moving data collection and processing from the client side (browser) to the server side (server). This requires setting up server infrastructure, updating tracking codes, and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations.
What is server-side tracking?
Server-side tracking collects and processes user data directly on your server instead of in the user's browser. This improves data accuracy and security by reducing the reliance on client-side scripts.
Is Google Tag Manager (GTM) mandatory for server-side integration?
No, GTM is not mandatory. However, it simplifies the process by providing an interface to manage and deploy tracking tags, making it easier to implement server-side tracking.
Does Didomi provide a GTM template for server-side implementation?
Yes, Didomi provides a GTM template to streamline the integration process for server-side tracking. This template includes predefined variables, triggers, and tags to help you start quickly.
