Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Server-Side Tagging

With growing privacy regulations and browser restrictions on cookies, server-side tagging has become increasingly important for digital marketers. Unlike traditional client-side tagging, server-side tagging provides enhanced control, improved data quality, and greater compliance with privacy standards. This comprehensive guide will help you set up and manage server-side tagging using Google Cloud Platform, step-by-step.

Server-Side Tagging vs Client-Side Tagging

Server-side tagging involves processing tags on a dedicated server instead of the user’s browser, offering improved performance, data security, and user privacy compliance. It reduces reliance on cookies and improves data accuracy.

Preparing Your Server-Side Container

Before diving into the technical setup, ensure you have:

A Google Tag Manager account.
A Google Cloud Platform (GCP) account.
Basic understanding of your tagging requirements.

Detailed Setup Guide

Step 1: Creating Your Server-Side Container

Log into your Google Tag Manager account.
Create a new container and select the type “Server”.
Give your container an appropriate, descriptive name.

Step 2: Configuring Cloud Servers on Google Cloud

Within your GTM Server-Side container, select “Automatically provision tagging server”.
Sign in to your Google Cloud Platform account when prompted.
Follow the automated setup prompts, choosing your desired server location (region) and scaling settings (typically start with recommended defaults).
Note: If you wish to use a custom domain, Google Cloud allows easy integration of your domain via DNS records, enhancing brand consistency and user trust.

Step 3: Migrating Existing Tags to Server-Side

Identify Tags for Migration:

Review your current Google Analytics 4 (GA4) tags in your client-side GTM container.
Note essential configurations such as Measurement ID, events, and custom parameters.

Create Server-Side Tags:

In your server-side GTM container, click “New Tag”.
Select the tag type “Google Analytics: GA4”.
Enter your GA4 Measurement ID.
Define event parameters clearly. For instance, for an “Add to Cart” event:
- Event Name: add_to_cart
- Parameters:
  - item_id: Product identifier (e.g., SKU)
  - item_name: Product name
  - currency: Currency code (e.g., GBP)
  - value: Product value
Specify user properties such as user ID or membership level, if required.

Configure Client-Side to Server-Side Communication:

Open your client-side GTM container.
Modify your existing GA4 tags:
- Under Tag Configuration, locate the “Send to server container” or “Transport URL” option.
- Enter the URL of your newly provisioned server-side tagging endpoint (e.g., https://gtm.example.com).
Save and publish these changes in your client-side GTM container.

Test and Validate:

Activate Preview mode in both client-side and server-side GTM containers.
Trigger events on your site (e.g., add to cart, page view).
Verify the tags fire correctly and data transfers seamlessly from the client-side to your server-side container.
Confirm data accuracy within your GA4 real-time reports and debugging tools.

Testing and Validation

Use GTM’s Preview mode to ensure tags trigger correctly.
Verify data integrity and server response times.
Validate data in analytics platforms or reporting tools.

Summary

Server-side tagging on Google Cloud Platform is essential for future-proofing your digital analytics strategy, ensuring improved data accuracy, enhanced user privacy compliance, and better site performance. Carefully follow these steps to smoothly transition your tagging strategy and leverage the full benefits of server-side tagging.