Tracking & DataServer-Side Tracking
What is Server-Side Tracking? How It Differs from Browser Tracking
Also known as: server side tagging
Short answer
Server-side tracking sends events to ad platforms from your server rather than from the visitor browser. It is not blocked, it can send events that happen days later, and it can report sales that close away from the website.
A healthy division of work
| Event | Best sent from |
|---|---|
| Page view | Browser |
| Product page view | Browser |
| Add to cart | Browser |
| WhatsApp chat started | Server |
| Lead became qualified | Server |
| Purchase or close | Server, and browser when it happens on site |
| In-shop purchase | Server |
| Return or cancellation | Server |
Why an event marker is mandatory
If one purchase is sent from both the browser and the server without a matching marker, the ad platform counts it twice. Your ROAS looks twice as good as reality, and your budget decisions are built on the wrong number.
Frequently asked questions
- Does server-side tracking replace website code?
- Not entirely. Events such as viewing a product page are only known to the browser. The ideal split is website code for on-page behaviour, server sends for events that carry money.
- Is server-side tracking more accurate?
- For events that happen away from the website, yes, because nothing else can report them. For on-site events, accuracy is high provided an event marker prevents double counting.
- Does this breach privacy?
- Not by itself. What matters is which data you send and on what basis. Send identifiers as one-way codes, send no raw data you do not need, and respect user choices about tracking.
Related terms
Konektor guides
Your ad numbers are only as accurate as the data behind them
Konektor captures the Click ID and sends conversions that close on WhatsApp, over the phone, or in a shop back to the ad platform.