Traditional client-side tagging faces growing limitations, such as evolving data privacy laws and cookie blocking tools. But there’s a viable alternative: Server-Side Tagging.
This setup means you can continue collecting data without interference from ad blockers and browser restrictions while achieving compliance with international data privacy laws.
Server-Side Tagging enables you to run tracking activity through your server instead of relying on each visitor’s browser.
By adopting this setup in Google Tag Manager, you can significantly enhance website performance, gain more control over customer data, and improve the quality of your marketing insights.
In this guide, we’ll clarify how Server-Side Tagging works and what results to expect. We’ll explore who it benefits most and how, plus best practices for implementing it within Google Server-side Tag Manager (sGTM).
A brief overview of Server-Side Tagging in Google Tag Manager
“Server-Side Tagging is the process of collecting user behavior data via cookies and other trackers on a company’s own server rather than relying entirely on client-side tracking methods like JavaScript cookies or pixel tags,” explains Usercentrics’ Senior Marketing Consultant, Tom Wilkinson.
In other words, this setup acts as a buffer between the user’s browser and third-party platforms. The data is first sent to your server, where you manage and filter it before sending it off to its destination.
Google Tag Manager supports this setup by enabling you to create a container inside your website server. This container can capture data from a user’s browser and process it within your own infrastructure.
You can then filter, adjust, or enrich the data before deciding whether to pass it on to third-party tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Ads.
Let’s unpack what exactly happens during this process and who should use this approach.
How does GTM Server-Side Tagging work?
When you implement Server-Side Tagging in sGTM, every website interaction triggers the following sequence:
- A browser-based tag sends user activity data to the server-side container.
- The container receives the data and runs the tracking scripts.
- It then processes and filters the data according to your settings.
- If configured, the server sends relevant data to the appropriate third-party platforms.
While this sequence might appear similar to client-side tagging, there’s a key difference. In client-side setups, the browser runs the tracking scripts and sends the data directly to the third-party tools.
If you want to access the data, you must log in to each tool’s dashboard and view their reports and analytics.
Who should use GTM Server-Side Tagging?
While Server-Side Tagging gives you greater control over data flows, the setup does require more time and resources than some alternative methods. This makes it better suited for certain types of businesses than others.
Organizations that would benefit from Server-Side Tagging include:
- Those that have teams with strong in-house support for coding and website development
- Large enterprises with complex data streams and the capacity to configure a server and implement rules and triggers
- Companies with users in regions like the EU where stringent data privacy laws govern how their data must be protected
- Organizations that frequently handle sensitive data — such as financial and health information — and rely on building strong trust with customers
- Brands that depend on customer data for accurate attribution and outreach
However, the decision to use a server-side setup often comes down to whether it helps you meet your unique business goals, even if your organization doesn’t match the above categories.
Tom Wilkinson also notes that businesses making a decision about adopting Server-Side Tagging “should look at the potential improvements in data accuracy for their marketing operations compared to their current tracking setup.”
He adds, “Companies need to determine technical capacity, internal expertise, and scaling of their reliance on data for marketing and business decisions” when deciding whether to make the switch.
Benefits of adopting GTM Server-Side Tagging
“Businesses can benefit from using Google’s Server-side Tag Manager for a wide variety of reasons,” says Wilkinson. These include “improving data security, accuracy, and management; enhancing user privacy; achieving compliance with privacy regulations; and boosting website performance.”
He notes that “if a company has been struggling with browser restrictions, Google’s Server-Side Tag Manager can also minimize those impacts.” Here’s a closer look at some benefits you’ll see when adopting sGTM:
- More control over customer data: As the data flows through your own server, you won’t have to rely on third-party providers. That means you get the ultimate say in what information to collect, modify, and exclude from your analytics.
- Better data quality: Server-Side Tagging lowers the risk of data being blocked or altered by user browser settings or extensions. This helps keep tracking consistent and accurate across sessions, meaning your data is of higher quality overall.
- Improved website performance: By moving the bulk of tracking off the browser, you can reduce the load on your website and speed up page performance. This creates a faster, smoother experience for visitors.
- Compliance with data privacy laws: Handling tagging and tracking on your own server gives you more control over customer data, which supports compliance with data privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
5 steps for implementing SST with Google Tag Manager
Ready to set up Server-Side Tagging with GTM? Follow these steps for straightforward implementation.
1. Set up your server-side GTM container
First, create a new container for your server where you can conduct all your tracking activities. Start by creating a Google Tag Manager account if you don’t already have one.
The platform will open a form where you must provide:
- A server name
- Your country
- Your website URL
- The target platform (in this case, a server)
Next, choose whether to automatically or manually provision your tagging server. This essentially means you decide whether the server container will live in the Google Cloud infrastructure or another environment that you create and manage.
Be aware that automatic provisioning is only available for servers within the US: if you plan to host your server elsewhere, you must select manual provisioning.
Alternatively, you can use an out-of-the-box sGTM solution like Usercentrics’ to host your server container. This saves you from having to establish a new infrastructure within another platform, which can be challenging if you lack the expertise.
2. Configure GTM to use your server
If you already have client-side tagging set up in GTM, the platform will continue to forward website data to third-party tools until you reconfigure your settings.
To start sending data directly to your server, open your new web container in the GTM dashboard. You can change where the data gets sent by typing the configuration parameter ‘transport_URL’ into the form and adding your website. This tells the software to route data to your new server container instead of to a third party.
Verify that this has worked using the preview feature. If you click on your website and interact with any features, you should see HTTP requests in Google Tag Manager. You can now set triggers and assign clients if you want to forward the data to third-party tools.
3. Optimize first-party data collection
Even after setting up Server-Side Tagging, some third-party cookies you were using may still be firing.
Review your Google Tag Manger setup first to identify any remaining client-side server tags and, where possible, replace them with server-side equivalents. While it requires some coding knowledge, you can create first-party server-side trackers within your Google Tag Manager account.
Start by making a Custom HTML tag and posting in a short script to set the cookie.
Then, choose when it should run, such as after the user visits a page or clicks a button, and create a first-party cookie with the same name, so the platform can read the value and include it in your tags.
However, in many cases, you still need visitors’ permission to collect their personal data, even when using first-party tracking. Integrate Google Tag Manager with a tool like Usercentrics’ to help you manage Server-Side Tagging and consent.
The setup enables you to notify users and request consent through the CMP, pass their choices to GTM, and automatically adjust tag behavior based on what each user agrees to.
Learn more about the Google Tools available to support your marketing strategy while achieving compliance with data privacy laws.
4. Verify compliance with data privacy regulations
Review your Server-Side Tagging setup to check that it complies with all the data privacy laws and frameworks relevant to your business in order to avoid penalties.
Data privacy regulations vary across jurisdictions. For example, the EU’s GDPR requires you to obtain informed opt-in consent, while California’s CCPA only requires you to provide the option to opt out.
While Server-Side Tagging gives you more control over data collection, it doesn’t guarantee compliance with regional laws or tech partners’ specific policies.
A dedicated solution like Usercentrics’ will help you adapt your approach. The CMP registers each user’s location and adjusts your consent banner settings to meet local requirements for notification and consent.
It also connects your consent banner with Google Tag Manager so that tracking only runs once all legal conditions are met. Once consent is given, it sends compliant conversion signals to sGTM, then forwards them to GA4, Meta, and Google Ads.
5. Monitor your setup and debug as necessary
Server-Side Tagging usually requires more hands-on monitoring than client-side tagging. However, you can use sGTM’s built-in preview and debug tools to verify that everything is still running smoothly.
These tools enable you to test a new setup in a live browser environment without publishing any changes so you can catch issues — like tags firing too early or sending the wrong data — before anything goes live.
Aim to conduct these tests when your setup is most vulnerable to issues, like after major website changes and tag updates. For example, a major overhaul could break the link between user interactions and triggers, rendering your data incomplete.
Optimize data quality and privacy compliance with sGTM and Usercentrics
Implementing Server-Side Tagging offers several advantages, from increased control over your data and more accurate marketing insights to stronger compliance with data privacy regulations.
As privacy concerns grow among consumers, it also helps your business align its marketing practices more closely with customer expectations.
GTM supports Server-Side Tagging as one of its native features. When you pair sGTM with Usercentrics, you get an out-of-the-box solution that integrates with key tools like GA4, Meta, and Google Ads.
This setup means you can keep tracking user behavior data to improve marketing performance while meeting evolving privacy requirements and fostering trust with your audience.