Book Consultation
Pricing
Cases
Videos
About us
Webinars
Book Consultation
Pricing
Cases
Videos
About us
Webinars
← Back to all videos

What is Server-Side Tagging in Google Analytics 4? - Video Summary

google-analyticsserver-sidegdprprivacyintermediate
4.5/5The video provides a comprehensive explanation of server-side tagging in GA4 with clear comparisons to client-side tagging, including benefits and drawbacks of each approach. The content is technically accurate and highly relevant for eCommerce store owners dealing with privacy challenges, though it could potentially explore more implementation details to earn a perfect score.
What is Sever-Side Tagging in Google Analytics 4?

In this informative English-language video, Kate explains server-side tagging in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and why it's becoming increasingly important for eCommerce store owners facing growing privacy limitations in the digital industry. The video begins by comparing the traditional client-side tagging method with server-side tagging. With client-side tagging, data is sent from your eCommerce store through the user's browser via third-party cookies to Google Tag Manager and then to GA4. However, this approach faces significant challenges as browsers like Safari and Chrome phase out third-party cookies, and ad blockers, VPNs, and incognito browsing can break these connections, resulting in a 10-20% data discrepancy between your Shopify store and analytics platform. Server-side tagging offers a solution by sending data directly from your eCommerce store to Google Tag Manager through a Google Cloud Server, bypassing the browser entirely. This first-party data approach eliminates issues with third-party cookies, ad blockers, and incognito mode, providing more accurate tracking for platforms like GA4, Meta, Klaviyo, and TikTok. Kate thoroughly examines the benefits and drawbacks of both approaches. While client-side tagging is cheaper and easier to implement, server-side tagging provides better accuracy, improved site performance, and enhanced security through first-party data ownership. The main drawbacks of server-side tagging are the initial setup costs and ongoing server expenses. From our perspective at gdpr-server-tracking.eu, this video highlights the growing importance of server-side tracking solutions that prioritize both data accuracy and privacy compliance. While the video mentions Google Cloud Server as the hosting option, our EU-based server-side tracking solution offers significant advantages for businesses concerned about GDPR compliance and data sovereignty. By using our server-side tracking hosting service, you can implement the same GA4 server-side tagging approach described in the video but with enhanced privacy benefits: EU-based servers in Finland, an EU-based hosting company (Hetzner), bare metal hosting without third-party access risks, and additional features for data protection like parameter filtering and hashing. All this comes with competitive pricing that can be more cost-effective than Google Cloud Platform for many businesses. For eCommerce store owners looking to maximize data accuracy while ensuring GDPR compliance, this video provides valuable insights into why server-side tagging is becoming essential in today's privacy-focused digital landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about "What is Sever-Side Tagging in Google Analytics 4?"

Server-side tagging sends data directly from your eCommerce store to Google Tag Manager through a server, bypassing the browser entirely. Unlike client-side tagging, which relies on third-party cookies and browser connections that can be blocked, server-side tagging provides more accurate data collection (reducing the typical 10-20% data discrepancy) and isn't affected by ad blockers, VPNs, or incognito browsing.

Server-side tagging offers three key benefits: improved data accuracy by eliminating browser-based tracking issues, better website performance by reducing the number of scripts loaded in the browser, and enhanced security through first-party data ownership rather than relying on third-party cookies.

Yes, server-side tagging typically involves initial setup costs and ongoing server expenses, while client-side tagging is generally cheaper and easier to implement. However, the improved data accuracy and performance benefits often outweigh these costs, especially for businesses where precise analytics data is crucial for decision-making.

Server-side tagging improves GDPR compliance by giving you ownership of first-party data rather than relying on third-party cookies, reducing security risks associated with third-party data collection. This approach provides more control over what data is collected and how it's processed, making it easier to comply with user consent requirements and data minimization principles.

For optimal GDPR compliance, hosting your server-side tagging on EU-based servers like those offered by gdpr-server-tracking.eu in Finland provides significant advantages. EU-based hosting ensures data sovereignty, reduces compliance risks, and offers additional privacy features like parameter filtering and hashing that may not be available with standard Google Cloud Platform hosting.

Yes, server-side tagging can significantly reduce the typical 10-20% data discrepancy between your Shopify store and Google Analytics. By bypassing browser-based tracking issues like ad blockers, third-party cookie restrictions, and incognito browsing, server-side tagging provides more complete and accurate data collection.

Ongoing costs for server-side tagging primarily include server hosting expenses, which vary based on your site traffic and data processing volume. While Google Cloud Platform is commonly used, EU-based alternatives like gdpr-server-tracking.eu often provide more predictable pricing models and can be more cost-effective for many businesses while offering additional privacy benefits.