If you’re reading this, you’re probably up to your eyeballs in Google Ads, or at the very least, curious about how you can get your customer targeting to be more accurate. We get it; the server-side tracking vs client-side tracking debate is a minefield, and it’s easy to get lost in the noise.
Good thing you’ve stumbled across this blog, as we’re going to give you all the answers and more – beginning with the difference between client-side tracking and server-side tracking. Our aim with this is to turn you into a beefound-approved analytics pro, so you can smarten up your data attribution, dodge the common traps small business owners fall into and, most crucially, capture the right people at the right time.
Let’s get into things.
Contents:
- An Intro To Data Attribution
- What Is Client-Side Tracking?
- What Is Server-Side Tracking?
- Why The Debate?
- Server-Side Tracking Vs Client-Side Tracking
- Next Steps
An intro to data attribution
If you’re looking for an immediate answer as to which marketing analytics method is best, hold your horses. First, we’re going to give you a little background into data attribution as a whole. What is it, and why is it increasingly necessary in today’s online world?
Well, it’s because the days of simple, predictable customer journeys are long gone. To explain, here’s a scenario featuring an independent jeweller:
You’ve just launched a new PPC campaign over on Google Ads, featuring a number of carefully crafted jewellery ads, but as you check on its progress a week later, you run into a problem. How do you know which of the series you created made them choose your business? Since they’ve interacted with several of your ads, where do you give the credit? And what if they first encountered your brand via your boutique SEO efforts?
An effective data-driven attribution model is designed to resolve these issues and it’s got a solid track record of doing so, typically increasing conversions by 30-60%. By fully considering all of the marketing touchpoints at play (think PPC ads, organic search and social media), it can accurately assign credit to them for conversions (like sales, phone calls and sign-ups), which gives you a much clearer picture of what’s going on. With this more granular information, you can better determine which strategies are most effective and where future resources should be allocated.
This is all to hone your marketing activities, shaping them to your specific audience’s needs and behaviours, which ultimately leads to better decision-making and ROI.
What is client-side tracking?
Now, let’s get back on topic. What is client-side tracking? Well, put simply, client-side tracking is a method of collecting user interaction data directly through their browser. Often, this involves running a bit of JavaScript, which is typically loaded when a user visits a website.
This snippet of code is responsible for gathering information about users as they browse online – who they are and where they’ve been, among other metrics like clicks, page views, and conversions – across multiple digital touchpoints.
This tracking setup commonly uses different types of cookies to store data. The distinction between first-party and third-party cookies is important here:
- First-party cookies are set by the domain the user is actively visiting and are only accessible by that domain.
- Third-party cookies are set by external domains (e.g. ad networks or analytics providers) and can track users across multiple sites. A lot of advertising models are dependent on them for retargeting.
Because third-party cookies, which have traditionally been used in client-side tracking, have an expiration date, there’s a big question mark over the technique. Due to growing concerns around data privacy and regulatory frameworks like GDPR and CCPA, browsers are phasing them out. As a result, marketers are often increasingly challenged to collect reliable data through client-side methods alone.
Client-side tracking: how does it work?
To boil it down to the basics, the client-side method looks something like this:
- A user stumbles into your web content, triggering the generation of third-party cookies on that page, tracking scripts and tags running directly in their browser. Typically, this is implemented with a tag management system like Google Tag Manager (GTM).
- The browser in question, also known as the ‘client’, sends all of the information gathered to a server.
- Then the data is forwarded to a third-party provider like Google Analytics, which is where the marketing magic (ahem, analysis) happens.
The reason this process is called client-side tracking is because all its steps happen between the user’s browser and third-party providers. In other words, all of the data processing is on the client side.
What is server-side tracking?
There’s something of a ‘buzz’ around server-side tracking in the marketing world, especially for those specialising in Google paid search advertising. Allow us to explain what it entails.
Server-side tracking is the inverse of client-side tracking, with all of the data collection and processing occurring on the server, rather than the browser. This process is also sometimes referred to as ‘cloud delivery’ or cookie-less data attribution as, instead of third-party cookies, a tracking script or pixel is embedded in the web page to gather visitor data.
At its core, server-side tracking is the method of obtaining anonymised data on user interactions with your site, processing the information and then transmitting it to a destination server, such as a CRM system, ad personalisation tool or analytics platform.
Server-side tracking: understanding the process
As we said in our dedicated guide to server-side tracking, it works by shifting the responsibility of data collection from the client (browser) to your website. Here’s that process in more detail:
- Someone navigates onto one of your web pages with a tracking script or embedded pixel, and the data collection stage is triggered.
- The data (clicks, views, website interactions etc.) is then processed and cleaned up if needs be.
- This information is securely stored, before being transmitted to the integrated marketing and/or analytics platform.
As you might’ve already guessed, because the data is handled by fewer parties, it tends to be a more secure, accurate and privacy-focused method than others. Crucially, the data stays anonymous unlike cookie-based tracking.
Why the debate?
If both techniques get the job done, why is the server-side vs client-side tracking debate taking up so much of our collective brain space? We’ll have you know that it’s more than playing favourites. Choosing to process your data on the client side vs the server side, or indeed vice versa, has implications for attribution accuracy, privacy, user experience and even compliance.
Addressing the cookie conundrum
Before we get into a more comprehensive breakdown of the differences between server-side and client-side tracking, let’s address the elephant in the room. Remember what we said earlier about browsers and cookies? Well, that has a real impact on the efficacy of cookie-based tracking.
Partially because browsers have already been deprecating third-party cookies left right and centre and partially due to privacy-savvy users shielding their information behind ad blockers and VPNs, they’re simply not as accurate as they used to be. As such, marketers shouldn’t rely on them to understand their audience. Yep, it’s time to rethink your PPC strategy and invest in more cost-effective ways of monitoring consumer behaviour.
Put it like this: If data collection is the equivalent of casting your nets into an online pool of information, the fish just got smarter. Without alternative methods, huge portions of your audience insights are slipping away, leading to inaccurate information, misattribution of conversions and huge gaps in the overall profile of your marketing. So, whichever tracking method you favour, know that it can’t all rely on the client side. Especially, if you’re in the e-commerce space, where complex customer journeys and multichannel retailing is the norm.
Server-side tracking vs client-side tracking: the key differences
| Difference | Server-side tracking | Client-side tracking |
| Data collection | Bypasses the need for cookies as tracking happens directly on the server. Data is then sent from the server to partners, where it can be processed & analysed. | The basis of the tracking and data collection is the browser script. Cookies & tags gather information, before sending it to a server from which it is passed on to partners. |
| Accuracy | As cloud delivery taps directly into the source, the data is much more accurate and, thus, brings reliability and consistency. There’s also greater personalisation to enjoy, making for richer, higher-quality insights. | Attribution on the client side can sometimes have diminished accuracy – unless you’re using first-party (generally performance-based) cookies. Even so, some VPNs and Ad Blockers still make it patchy. These blind spots make it difficult for marketers to evaluate the bigger picture. |
| Privacy | Server-side tracking allows you greater control as the data is processed more securely and anonymously, data breaches being much less likely. This mitigated risk translates to proper GDPR compliance and a reduction in reputational or financial harm for your business. | With the data being transmitted across numerous servers, there’s an argument to made that client-side tracking is less secure. There’s also the issue of data privacy; as everything is managed on the browser, you have less control, leaving the cookies more vulnerable to interception or manipulation. |
| Implementation | Implementing a server-side tracking system is a bit more on the technical side than other methods and may require more specialist knowledge from experienced lead gen experts. | Client-side tracking is typically easier to install, with many vendors providing a snippet of code, which simply requires copying & pasting into the right place. There’s also a wealth of expertise and knowledge available on the topic, as cookies have been around since the late 90s. |
| Speed | Because it doesn’t rely on the client initiating a separate event or request, the data collection is much faster. Plus, it generally uses less bandwidth, which can reduce load speeds. This improved website performance can enhance your SEO as search engines take the faster load times as a sign to bump you up the rankings. | Client-side attribution scripts can sometimes slow down websites and apps as they load. |
| Limitations | There’s a higher learning curve for marketers as they explore new tools, technology and methodologies, but this is offset by its cost-effectiveness. With a detailed overview of how people are interacting with your brand, you can save money in the long run by allocating your PPC budget to all the right places. | As mentioned above, client-side tracking has downsides in the data-privacy, accuracy and load speed departments. It also faces growing challenges from increasingly savvy users and advancements in browsers like Safari, Firefox and Chrome, all pushing toward a more internet-privacy-focused future. |
Which is best: server-side or client-side tracking?
When it comes to tracking and data attribution, the choice between server-side and client-side methods can significantly impact not only your marketing performance and analytics but also your site speed, user experience and long-term efficiency.
Server-side tracking offers a more accurate, privacy-compliant and future-proofed approach to data collection. It bypasses third-party cookies entirely, pulling data directly from your server and offering reliable insights that aren’t disrupted by ad blockers, VPNs or privacy browsers. This level of precision is especially important when every pound spent counts, ensuring your budget is used wisely and effectively. By reducing the margin of error in attribution, marketers gain a clearer picture of what’s working, and what’s not, allowing them to scale campaigns with confidence. This is especially relevant in high-stakes retail environments where strategies need to be especially tactical.
Shifting gears to client-side tracking: despite the pitfalls, this method still remains popular for its simplicity and ease of setup. For businesses with less technical capacity or those focused on short-term goals, client-side may still be suitable; particularly if you’re just beginning to scale your customer acquisition efforts. It’s also a practical choice when real-time feedback on user interactions is needed directly within the browser.
But as a long-term strategy, client-side data attribution is looking less certain. The most resilient and forward-thinking businesses are those that adapt early, ditching outdated methods before they become obsolete. By embracing more robust tracking solutions now, you’ll not only protect your data strategy but also maintain a competitive edge as industry standards change.
Ready to plug in your brand’s data gaps?
There we go: server-side tracking has a definitive edge over client-side tracking. Not only does it side-step the need for third-party cookies, which are well and truly on the way out, but the technology is proven to be better for user anonymity and privacy, more accurate, and faster to run on your website.
So, as the advertising industry evolves towards a cookie-less future, it’s up to marketers to adopt new methods for attributing consumer data to the right sources. The learning curve might be steep and new software tricky to get to grips with – but, remember, we’re all in this together. Our paid ad specialists have a finger on the pulse of this stuff and are more than happy to give you a helping hand.
Now, only one question remains: are you going to stay ahead of the curve?
