Server-Side · Stape · Google Cloud
Keep collecting the data you need, even when browsers limit tracking.
Browsers have been getting less cooperative every year. Server-side tracking moves collection onto infrastructure you control, so you decide what's sent, in what shape, to which platform.
Fixed price. We confirm fit on the kickoff call before work begins.
Browser or server. Here’s what changes.
Most tracking starts in the browser. Server-side tracking becomes useful when browser restrictions, ad blockers, and privacy changes start affecting the data you rely on.
Feature
- Ad blockers
- Cookie life
- Data control
- Ad matching
- Consent
- Website performance
- Data consistency
Browser-Side GTM
Ad blockersTracking can be blocked by the browser or extensions
Cookie lifeBrowser restrictions can shorten cookie life, especially on Safari
Data controlData is sent from the browser to each platform
Ad matchingBrowser restrictions can reduce the signals available to ad platforms
ConsentConsent rules are mainly handled in the browser
Website performanceMultiple tags can add work to the browser
Data consistencyEach platform may receive data differently
Server-Side GTM
Ad blockersTracking is handled on your server before it reaches ad platforms- Cookie lifeFirst-party cookies can be managed server-side for more reliable measurement
- Data controlYou control what data is sent, changed, or removed before it reaches a platform
- Ad matchingMore first-party signals can be passed to platforms
- ConsentConsent rules can also be enforced before data reaches platforms
- Website performanceMore processing happens server-side, reducing some browser-side requests
- Data consistencyData can be cleaned and standardised before being sent to multiple platforms
Scope
What's included
Server containerContainer provisioned and configured, with endpoint and request handling and secure routing for incoming events.
Forwarding logicClient-to-server event forwarding, with filtering and transformation rules for controlled delivery to each platform.
Analytics eventsCustom events based on real user behaviour, mapped to business outcomes and structured for funnel analysis.
Platform deliveryServer-side delivery to analytics and connected ad platforms, with deduplication to ensure nothing is counted twice.
Process
How the work runs
Kickoff call
We map your stack, your platforms and what you're trying to measure, then confirm whether standard scope covers it. This happens before any work begins.
Review what exists
A short pass over how your current setup is installed and behaving, to establish what carries over and what needs rebuilding.
Build, then verify
We configure the container, set up forwarding, connect your platforms, and confirm events are arriving correctly before handover.
Results
What you're left with
Not a black box. You'll be able to maintain this without us. Hosting costs from Stape or Google Cloud are billed to you directly and sit outside this price.
Fit
Who this is for
Teams running meaningful paid media spend
Businesses with a visible gap between analytics and ad platform numbers
Companies preparing for stricter consent and privacy requirements
Technical teams who want an architecture they can reason about
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Today your visitor's browser talks directly to analytics and your ad platforms. After this, it talks to a container you own, and that container decides what to forward. You gain control over the data and lose your dependence on whether the browser cooperates.
The honest test is whether browser collection is already failing you. Different conversion totals across platforms, inconsistent event delivery, match quality warnings, or consent requirements you can't meet client-side. If none of those apply, standard Google Tag Manager setup is probably enough.
No, and anyone promising that is guessing. If a visitor blocks the first request, nothing recovers it. What server-side reliably does is extend cookie lifetimes and stop platform-side restrictions from dropping events you've already collected. We measure the actual difference on your site rather than quoting an industry average.
Stape is quicker to deploy and simpler to maintain, which suits most setups. Google Cloud gives you more control and works out cheaper at high volume, but needs someone comfortable with it. We recommend based on your traffic and who'll own it, not on preference.
Your container, your analytics property, and your primary ad platform. We confirm the exact permissions on the kickoff call so you're not handing over more than necessary.
Get collection off the browser.
$749, confirmed on a kickoff call before work starts. Nothing beyond this price is billed without your approval.