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Why use server-side tagging with GTM?
The world of tracking is rapidly evolving. Data protection regulations are changing, platforms are adapting, and so are their users.
Bntrepreneur and the professional must therefore continuously update themselves to comply with the rules and avoid heavy fines but at the same time continue to exploit all the potential of these platforms.
Given the recent news (end of September) from Google announcing the release of Google Tag Manager's Server Side Tagging from Beta, I want to talk to you about this opportunity with Luca Sanità , content curator of the blog Data Enthusiast , to whom I asked some questions to delve deeper into an area that is still unclear.
And are you ready to change your point of view?
Table of Contents
What is Server-Side Tag in Google Tag Manager?
How does Server-side tracking work?
What are the main advantages and disadvantages?
How is it implemented and what might be the additional Philippines Phone Numbers costs?
In which cases should it be implemented?
What is the future of classic GTM tags, triggers and variables?
So, do you recommend starting today with a 100% server-side implementation?
What is Server-Side Tag in Google Tag Manager?
To understand the context of server-side tracking via GTM, we must connect to some themes that are now well-known among us professionals in the sector, namely the limitations on third-party cookies that in recent years not only Apple, but also the main Browsers, are carrying forward.
The limitations that occur client-side, that is, right in the browser used by the user, are not the same as those found with server-side tracking. To be clear, when we have the classic GTM container installed, each tag implemented makes calls to external servers, such as Google Analytics , Facebook etc., and these calls occur via the user's browser.
client side tagging gtm
Example of classic mode
For the correct functioning of the tags, cookies are also created which, in most cases, are third-party. With the continuous limitations that occur in Browsers, many data, useful for digital analytics, are not passed to the tools that we use every day such as Analytics or Facebook.
In the server-side context in GTM, things change because the information does not simply pass from the user's browser to third-party tools, but a new element is added which is the Server Container that is hosted on a server that, once set up, allows us to work in a first-party context.
server side tagging google tag manager
Example of the new server-side mode
How does Server-side tracking work?
The operation is simple from a theoretical point of view, because the basic idea is to move the HTTP requests to the server hosting the new container, manage them better there, only then send the data to the various service providers.
However, it is good to keep in mind that this type of tracking works with two containers. Yes! We do not think we need to archive the client-side container. Basically, we will have to manage the classic container that we have always used and the new server-side container.
To this, a new element called Client is added, which is the key tool of the whole system, because it is the connection that actually manages the incoming HTTP requests and defines them so that they can be used by the tags to complete the request in the server and then send the data to the service providers.
But be careful: when we talk about client-side we are not saying the same thing as when I refer to “Clients”.
We talk about client-side or web-side container when we refer to the container that works through the user's browser.
When I talk about “Clients” I am referring to this new element, which is essential for making server-side tracking work correctly.
What are the main advantages and disadvantages?
The advantages are several because by transferring the main management from the user's browser to the server, which hosts the new container, first of all we have an improvement in the site's performance . In the client-side container, to make everything work correctly, each tag adds JavaScript libraries with an obvious impact on page loading.
In the server-side container, however, I can load fewer scripts and then manage the sending of different information to third-party tools. Data quality control : we can manage the information we send to different service providers by deciding what to send and what not to send. Greater security on the PII (Personally Identifiable Information) side: the credentials used by users who navigate our website have an additional level of protection because the information management no longer passes through the browser, but through the server.
server side gtm advantages
I can extend the cookie duration for users who use iOS systems as the server becomes a first-party context. Reduction of the impact of ad-blockers which, not infrequently, also impact requests sent to and from Google Analytics. As usual, not all that glitters is gold and therefore, the pros are also followed by several cons .
The main disadvantages of this solution concern the know-how in implementing the server instance on Google Cloud Platform or on AWS. Not everyone has this expertise and often the effort increases because it is necessary to refer to the IT department to which you have to explain the needs and reasons for implementing this solution.
There are server maintenance costs that vary depending on traffic volumes and the scalability of the service (we are talking about deltas that can go from €50 to €200/month but can also go higher. A cost guide can be found here ).
While it's true that I told you earlier that you reduce the exposure of user credentials on the browser by adopting a server-side tracking solution, the downside is that what happens on the server is less controllable and more opaque.
Spam risk and high bill : another risk is that the requests sent from the client to the server could be hacked, impacting the final costs (it is true that in GCP, in the Billing > Budget&Alerts section, it is possible to insert alerts for cost monitoring, but it is important to be aware of the problem).
How is it implemented and what might be the additional costs?
If I have to summarize the main steps of the implementation, I can tell you that these are the main steps to follow:
server-side GTM container creation directly from Tag Manager ;
server-side custom domain verification and mapping: at the beginning of the implementation, a domain is provided, which hosts the server container, which belongs to Google (you can recognize it because it has the name appspot.com ). It will be necessary to create a tracking subdomain linked to your domain (e.g.: if my site is www.mysite.it the subdomain could be gtm.mysite.it or data.mysite.it )
create Clients to process incoming requests
Update GTMokies and the value they have for our business that will lead us to a very specific choice.
