Server-Side Tracking
Server-side tracking for e-commerce, up to 30% more measurement signal.
Browsers restrict cookies, consent refusals punch holes in your measurement, and ad platforms fill in the rest with assumptions. We build a first-party measurement setup that reliably captures as much signal as possible, and does it properly within the rules.
The problem
Most online stores are missing a substantial share of their conversion data. Usually they only notice once campaigns start performing 'inexplicably' worse.
- Safari and Firefox have restricted client-side cookies for years; scripts also get killed by ad blockers.
- When visitors refuse consent or lose their cookies, the order later goes missing from your reporting.
- Smart Bidding gets too little signal and optimises on a distorted picture.
- Ads, Analytics and your online store's backend contradict each other, and nobody knows which number is right.
The opportunity
With server-side tagging, your measurement runs through your own (sub)domain, where ad blockers and browser limits have much less grip. In practice that delivers up to around 30% more measurement signal. Say you run 1,000 orders a month and 700 of them currently reach Google Ads: that becomes roughly 900. Those 200 extra conversions a month are exactly what Smart Bidding needs to learn who's actually buying. You decide which data goes to which platform, and it all comes together in your own dashboard.
Our approach
The setup we build for you.
A complete measurement setup, from server to dashboard. We're a TAGGRS-certified and Cookiebot certified partner.
- TAGGRS certified
- Cookiebot certified
Server-side GTM
Your own tagging server (via TAGGRS) on your subdomain, so your measurements are first-party, faster and under your own control.
GA4 & conversion APIs
GA4 set up properly plus server-side connections to Google Ads and other platforms, including enhanced conversions.
Consent Mode v2
Correct consent pass-through with Cookiebot. The consent requirement applies just as strictly server-side as in the browser, so we record exactly which data gets sent through for which choice.
Data quality checks
We test the whole funnel and compare measurements against your backend revenue, so you know how accurate your data is.
Your own dashboard
Your own Looker Studio dashboard on your account, where you see in real time how your online store is performing.
Maintenance & updates
Platforms keep changing, from a new GA4 parameter to an updated conversion API, and we keep your measurement setup current.
In the Growth System
Stage 1: the foundation under everything.
Every other stage of the Growth System (finding opportunities, steering campaigns, scaling up) stands or falls on reliable data. It's also the only way to see whether a good month came from your ads or from your organic work. Without that insight, you're steering both channels on half the information. That's why we almost always start here.
View the full Growth System- 01 Measure
- 02 Discover
- 03 Attract
- 04 Get found
- 05 Scale
What clients say
How it plays out in practice.
“Digital Bean made sure our data is collected properly, and even with the new cookie legislation, our tracking stays as accurate as possible.”
“Digital Bean built a handy tracking dashboard, so I can see at a glance how everything is performing.”
We set up server-side tracking for clients including E-styleaudio and Extrawarmte.
Frequently asked questions
What clients usually ask.
Missing a question? Email or call us, the lines are short here.
So do I still need a cookie banner?
Yes. The consent requirement (GDPR and the Dutch Telecommunications Act) applies in full, even with server-side tracking. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) actively checks for this. We make sure consent is passed correctly through the whole chain, with Consent Mode v2.
Does this mean I measure 100% of my conversions again?
No, and be wary of anyone who promises that. Visitors who decline tracking remain a gap in your data. What server-side tagging does is reliably capture the signal you're allowed to measure: in practice, up to around 30% more than with client-side scripts alone.
Who owns the data?
You do. The tagging server runs on your (sub)domain, the dashboard sits on your account, and you always keep access to it, even if we ever part ways.
Does this work with my online store platform?
Almost always: Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, Lightspeed and custom builds can all be measured server-side. In the growth session, we look at your specific setup.
How quickly is it live?
A standard setup is usually fully tested and live within a few weeks. More complex funnels with multiple domains, marketplaces or subscriptions take longer. We'll tell you that upfront.
What does it cost?
That depends on your platform, your funnels and the number of connections. After the growth session, you get a fixed price for the build and a monthly fee for maintenance, and that's the whole deal.
We'll work out how much conversion data you're currently missing.
In the session, we put your Google Ads conversions next to your backend revenue, and within half an hour you'll see how big the gap is and what it costs to close it.
Reply within 24 hours on working days