Server-Side Tracking
Server-Side Tracking You Control
We set up a server-side Tag Manager container on your own subdomain, so you decide what data is collected and what each platform receives.
- First-party endpoint
- Consent respected
- Monitored hosting
What's included
- Server container provisioning
- Custom subdomain setup
- GA4 client and tags
- Meta CAPI and Google Ads tags
- Data minimisation rules
- Hosting and monitoring guidance
Overview
How Server-Side Tagging Works
With client-side tracking the browser sends data straight to each vendor. With server-side tagging the browser sends events to one endpoint on your domain, and a server container forwards them to GA4, Google Ads, Meta and others.
This gives you control over which fields leave your infrastructure and supports first-party collection. It does not override consent, and it does not fix a broken data layer, so we build both parts properly.
Signs you need this
- You send conversions to several ad platforms
- You need control over data sent to vendors
- Browser tracking is losing events
- Page speed suffers from many vendor scripts
- You plan to use Meta CAPI or Enhanced Conversions
What we deliver
Features and Deliverables
Custom Domain
The container runs on a subdomain such as data.yoursite.com.
Hosting Setup
Google Cloud Run or a managed provider, sized for your traffic.
Data Control
Remove or transform fields before they are sent to vendors.
Consent Routing
Events forwarded according to the consent state from the browser.
Deduplication
Shared event IDs between browser and server events.
Monitoring
Request logs and alerts so failures are noticed quickly.
How It Fits Your Tracking Architecture
The browser sends events to your own server endpoint first. The server container applies consent and data rules, then forwards clean events to each platform.
Visitor
Website
Data Layer
GTM
Server
GA4
Google Ads
Meta CAPI
Other Platforms
Process
How We Deliver It
01
Assess
Check traffic, platforms and hosting options.
02
Provision
Deploy the server container on your subdomain.
03
Route
Move GA4 and ad platform tags to the server.
04
Validate
Compare server and browser events side by side.
05
Monitor
Set up logging, costs and handover notes.
Use cases
Where This Makes the Biggest Difference
Ecommerce
Purchase events to GA4, Google Ads and Meta.
Lead Generation
Leads with hashed data for better matching.
Agencies
Shared infrastructure across client accounts.
Performance
Fewer third-party scripts on the page.
Does server-side tracking bypass consent or ad blockers?
It must not be used to bypass consent. Events are forwarded according to the visitor’s choices. Some requests that ad blockers stop will still be collected because they go to your own domain, but consent rules still apply.
How much does hosting cost?
It depends on traffic. Small sites often run on a few tens of US dollars per month, higher traffic needs more instances. We estimate this before setup.
Do we still need the browser tags?
Usually yes. A lightweight browser tag collects events and sends them to your server endpoint. For Meta, the Pixel and CAPI often run together with deduplication.
Can you use a managed provider instead of Google Cloud?
Yes. We can deploy on Google Cloud Run or on managed server-side GTM hosting, depending on your preference and budget.
Will it improve our data straight away?
It improves control and durability of collection. The size of the effect depends on your audience, consent rates and current setup, so we measure it rather than promise a number.
Related services
Works Well With
Not Sure Where Your Tracking Stands?
Start with a free tracking audit. We review your current setup and tell you what to fix first.