Though restrictions on third-party cookies are increasing, that doesn’t need to be a cause for fear among marketers. As rules around tracking technologies tighten, server-side tracking is an excellent solution for businesses that need accurate, reliable, and privacy-conscious data collection methods.
While it isn’t yet the standard across most marketing teams, there are some key benefits of server-side tracking that enable greater control over data management while enhancing website performance and compliance efforts.
In this blog post, we explore how this tracking method can help you obtain higher quality data and uphold user privacy, as well as how to decide if it’s the right choice for your business.
Understanding server-side tracking
Server-side tracking is a method of collecting user interaction data by routing it through your own server before forwarding it to third-party platforms.
When you use server-side tracking and a visitor interacts with your website or app, your server captures their actions. It then processes this data and sends it to analytics platforms, like various Google tools (e.g. Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager) and Meta Business Suite.
Server-side tracking falls under the umbrella of first-party data collection, so it isn’t affected by tracking prevention or ad blockers imposed by some users’ browsers. It also gives you more control over what data you collect and how it’s handled, which can support compliance with data privacy laws.
Server-side tracking vs. Server-Side Tagging
Server-side tracking and Server-Side Tagging (SST) both rely on using your own server to collect and manage data rather than the user’s browser, but they are not the same thing.
“Server-Side Tagging is a mechanism where tracking tags, like pixels, scripts, analytics events, are managed and executed on a server-side environment rather than directly in the user’s browser,” says Usercentrics CMO Adelina Peltea. It often entails using tools like Google Server-Side Tag Manager.
On the other hand, “Server-side tracking is the process or activity that involves collecting user behavior data via cookies and other trackers on a company’s own server rather than relying entirely on client-side, i.e. browser-based, tracking methods like JavaScript cookies or pixel tags,” she explains.
In other words, Server-Side Tagging is a way for companies to perform server-side tracking. Both help to improve website performance by reducing the need for heavy third-party scripts, and both enhance data privacy and security for your website visitors.
5 ways server-side tracking can benefit your business
Below, we’ll take a look at five of the most relevant benefits your business will see when you start collecting data on your own server rather than relying on third-party tracking software.
“Server-side tracking enables companies to improve accuracy, reliability, and data completeness compared to client-side tracking. It reduces dependency on browser-based cookies and scripts, which can often be blocked or their function otherwise limited by users and browsers. Server-side tracking also enhances user privacy by limiting direct third-party access to user devices.” — Tom Wilkinson, Senior Marketing Consultant at Usercentrics
1. Reduced impact of ad blockers
Ad blockers pose a challenge for marketers who rely on client-side tracking methods, since they often prevent third-party cookies from working properly. For instance, a retail company using client-side tracking might find that ad blockers prevent data collection on product views or cart additions. This could lead to gaps in their analytics and missed opportunities for retargeting.
And adblockers are becoming more common. There were 912 million adblock users worldwide in the second quarter of 2023. Server-side tracking helps you get around the issues presented by this technology by shifting data collection from the user’s browser to your own server.
This enables you to bypass the restrictions imposed by ad blockers and means you can still capture critical user interaction data.
2. Better website performance and speed
Website performance and page speed have a direct impact on user experience (UX). This in turn affects your site’s rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs) and, consequently, conversions.
Traditional client-side tracking relies on multiple third-party scripts that load in the user’s browser. The more scripts you add to your website for personalization, ads, and analytics, the greater the chances of conflicts between the scripts, longer page load times, and broken pages.
Server-side tracking “improves website performance by minimizing client-side scripts,” explains Usercentrics Senior Marketing Consultant Tom Wilkinson. Because this approach shifts much of the load away from the browser and leads to fewer scripts running on the client side, your website can load faster and run more smoothly.
Faster pages lead to lower bounce rates, higher engagement, and improved conversion rates. A site that loads in one second has a conversion rate three times higher than a site that loads in five seconds, and a five times higher rate than one that loads in 10 seconds.
Consider an ecommerce brand running multiple retargeting and analytics tags via client-side tracking. During peak periods like Black Friday, those scripts can stack up, slowing load times and causing shoppers to bounce.
Server-side tracking, on the other hand, reduces the number of third-party tracking scripts running in the browser. This means faster load times, less potential frustration for the shopper, and a greater likelihood of a sale.
3. Improved data quality and conversion tracking
Patchy or inconsistent conversion tracking is a common client-side tracking issue. Browser limitations, connectivity issues, and script blocking can all make it difficult to gather data, measure performance, and make informed marketing decisions.
Server-side tracking reduces these risks by shifting data collection to your server, which is more stable and reliable than a user’s browser. This leads to higher quality, more complete datasets, which is especially important when you’re tracking high value actions like purchases, signups, or form submissions.
For instance, if you use Meta Pixel for client-side tracking, browser restrictions or ad blockers might cause some conversions to be unreported. Switching to server-side tracking tools enables you to gain a more accurate view of your campaigns’ performance so you can make smarter decisions and improve return on ad spend (ROAS).
4. Greater control over customer data and how it’s shared
Your marketing campaigns are only as good as the data you use to shape them. But having control over your customer data isn’t just good for marketing performance; it’s also crucial for compliance.
When you know exactly what data you collect, how you process it, and who you share it with, that puts you in a better position to build accurate customer profiles, target your messaging, and align with important privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
With client-side tracking, data is often sent directly from the user’s browser to various third-party platforms. That can make it harder to monitor exactly what’s shared and whether it complies with data privacy laws. It also increases the risk of data leakage, which means more information than intended is shared.
Server-side tracking flips that model on its head. “It provides better data security and control because the business manages the tracking infrastructure,” explains Wilkinson. You can filter, enrich, or anonymize data before passing it along, which reduces risk without sacrificing performance.
For example, using server-side tracking to strip out sensitive information like IP addresses before forwarding events to Meta’s Conversions API helps keep your business remains while still delivering the performance insights you need to optimize campaigns.
5. Stronger data privacy compliance
With increasingly strict global data privacy laws coming into effect, data privacy compliance is no longer optional. For marketers, this means finding ways to collect and use data responsibly while still delivering personalized, high-performing campaigns.
Server-side tracking gives you more control over how personal data is handled, which helps you stay compliant with the data privacy laws relevant to your business.
For example, when you use client-side tags, you send raw data directly to multiple platforms. This may result in you inadvertently sharing more personal information (PI) than necessary. With a server-side setup, you can centralize consent checks and verify that only data covered by user permissions is sent to third parties.
This makes it easier to achieve compliance with data privacy laws. For instance, the GDPR requires businesses to uphold the appropriate level of security and confidentiality for the personal data they share, and to share data with the fewest entities necessary to complete processing.
“From a data privacy perspective, server-side tracking enables ongoing regulatory compliance because data can be managed more precisely and consistently across platforms and devices.” — Tom Wilkinson, Senior Marketing Consultant at Usercentrics
Potential challenges of server-side tracking
While there’s a long list of server-side tracking benefits, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s important to weigh the trade-offs before making the switch. Here are a few challenges to keep in mind when considering implementation:
- Technical expertise: Setting up server-side tracking isn’t as straightforward as adding a few tags to your site. It typically requires a deeper level of technical knowledge. You’ll need people on your team who understand and can implement server configuration, data routing, and infrastructure maintenance.
- Cost: Unlike free client-side solutions, server-side tracking comes with added infrastructure costs, including server hosting, load balancers, monitoring tools, database storage, and developer time. These expenses can add up over time, particularly if your website gets a lot of traffic.
- Privacy considerations: As server-side tracking operates in the background, it’s technically possible to bypass browser-level controls. This means it is crucial to use consent management software to properly gather consent properly, honor user preferences, and achieve compliance with data privacy laws.
Is server-side tracking right for your business?
There are clear benefits to implementing server-side tracking, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for every business. The decision comes down to your goals, resources, and how you use data in your marketing operations.
This tracking strategy is a great fit if your business needs high data accuracy and control, particularly if you rely on performance marketing or detailed analytics. Server-side tracking reduces data loss and provides more oversight over what’s collected and shared, making it ideal for companies that make data-driven decisions at scale.
It’s also great for large-scale businesses with the technical resources and budgets to manage servers or use third-party data management platforms. For these businesses, the long term benefits justify the cost of setup and maintenance. These include better attribution, cleaner datasets, and improved campaign performance.
Companies that prioritize privacy compliance and want to reduce their dependence on third-party cookies — which are increasingly being deprecated by major browsers — can also benefit from server-side tracking. In sectors like finance or healthcare, where user trust and data protection are critical, the additional control is well worth the investment.
That said, smaller businesses or startups without dedicated developers or the budget for infrastructure may find the technical complexity a barrier. Server-side tracking may also be less effective for businesses that rely heavily on client-side tools like heatmaps, A/B testing, or session replay, which often depend on browser-side scripts.
“Businesses considering server-side tracking need to weigh data privacy compliance requirements and the benefits of greater control over data management against increased complexity, higher initial implementation and infrastructure costs, and ongoing maintenance requirements.” — Tom Wilkinson, Senior Marketing Consultant at Usercentrics
Achieve data privacy compliance while optimizing marketing performance
Server-side tracking provides a practical way to meet data privacy standards without sacrificing performance. It helps you run smarter campaigns while respecting user privacy by improving data accuracy, reducing reliance on third-party scripts, and giving you more control over the information you collect and share.
With Usercentrics, you get out-of-the-box support for GA4, Meta, and Google Ads, making it easier to implement Server-Side Tagging and Tracking without the usual complexity. What’s more, Usercentrics helps your business stay compliant with data privacy laws and gives you tools to build user trust and drive monetization.