Full Google Analytics 4 Server Side Tracking Set Up (From Scratch)

[@specialist101]

Awesome! Clearly explained and works fine so far, only one question: for the server container do you need a different data layer?

[@AteKeurentjes]

You only need one data layer (Web Container) :)

[@adrianocristian9902]

I couldn’t find a tutorial that explained how to set up with Google Tag; all the ones I found were the old way, and you saved me. Thank you so much!

[@AteKeurentjes]

No problem :)

[@Billy-fo1hq]

You're the man. Thank you. First time doing it so I followed the steps and it's working... I know how client side works because I've done it a couple of times before. Right now, server side is working. But I have no idea how 🤣

[@AteKeurentjes]

No problem! Glad i can help.

[@laurentiumarin1986]

Great video, I need to try it on a small site first and then expand. It's not that complicated. All events go in GTM web, then tags, then GTM Server container, and you effectively link the tag and take everything from the WEB container to the server container. It needs to be tested to see how many users we gain from consent mode

[@AteKeurentjes]

Exactly!

[@laurentiumarin1986]

@@AteKeurentjes I validated the DNS, created the GTM server, and all the tags correctly, but when I go to preview it says: Preview failed to load. The preview container ID does not match the server configuration. You can preview only the container that is deployed on the server. I checked everything thoroughly and all are set up correctly. However, the Server Location is set to GR because I couldn't find RO. Could this be the problem?

[@AteKeurentjes]

@@laurentiumarin1986 This should not be a problem! You can send a support ticket for free on support.taggrs.io and there they can help you further because i need some more details!

[@laurentiumarin1986]

@@AteKeurentjes I did nothing and it's working, I think you should wait 24h. Now I have to test in the GAds campaigns. I have events created from GTM to GA4.

[@AteKeurentjes]

@@laurentiumarin1986 Great!

[@SaurabhSrivastava-i1q]

If you are looking for how to completely remove the client side part, then this is not a tutorial you're looking for. It still makes you use the client side web container and sends the requests from there to the server side end making the whole thing unnecessary. Because if the client side is getting blocked by the ad-blockers, the whole thing is useless. And if it isn't being blocked, then the whole thing is not required in the first place.

[@AteKeurentjes]

Hi, - Number one thing to use SST is because third party scripts are getting blocked (all the pixels) and which prevents you from getting data in for your campaginas. Because you put the server in between it becomes first party instead of third party. Those scripts are not blocked with new laws and regulations. And since those are loaded from the server they are not blocked by adblockers. - You can block adblockers with the TAGGRS Enhanced Tracking Script. taggrs.io/en/enhanced-tracking-script/ - U can use Webhooks, than you remove client side part completely Hope this helps :)

[@SaurabhSrivastava-i1q]

@@AteKeurentjes I am having a issue. The tag-manager script is no longer getting blocked but the internal debug-script (bootstrap) and gtag/js script is now being blocked by ad-blockers and brave. Is there any way to fix that because subdomain worked for the tagmanager script. But the internal script loaded by it is still being blocked.

[@SaurabhSrivastava-i1q]

@@AteKeurentjes And where can I find the webhooks tutorial to see how can this be done?

[@AteKeurentjes]

@@SaurabhSrivastava-i1q taggrs.io/en/webhooks/

[@SaurabhSrivastava-i1q]

@@AteKeurentjes thanks

[@bugrahansaka4691]

It's the video that i'm looking! thanks :)

[@GoonerAnirudhSharma]

Hi! How did you compare the impact of implementing server side tracking for GA4 for your client on the initial dashboard you showed? Are you running two GA4 properties side by side - one client and one server?

[@AteKeurentjes]

Only one Ga4 property

[@arminhirschfeld]

Great video though. I saw you sending events to the server container. If the events e.g. the page_view doesn't show in the debug view in Google Analytics, does it still work? I managed to get it done the same way you present it in your video but I cannot see the server events comming through. If install a Analytics Browser Tag then it works. Can you give me any advice about this?

[@arminhirschfeld]

to be precise, the server tag for Analytics does fire but doesn't show in the debug view

[@AteKeurentjes]

@@arminhirschfeld Hi, thanks for the compliment :). When they show up in preview mode in tag manager, you can assume that they also come in well in analytics (if it has outgoing request). GA4 debug mode does not always work properly. More info taggrs.io/en/test-server-side-tracking-set-up/ If your set up still doesn't work after a few days you can contact me at [e-mail].

[@ignaziofarci]

I like your videos. I’m having problems tracking conversions with meta. Could you possibly do the setup for meta and clickfunnels for server side tracking with GA4 and GTM? Do you think I can solve the issue?

[@AteKeurentjes]

I will in the future!

[@vicoboss22]

Great video! Just got a question on first vs third party cookies. GA4 seems to use nothing but first party cookies. I can see by reviewing cookies I get from my client's website using different browsers that all GA4 cookies are considered first party. Is the switch to serverside tracking really necessary to prevent data loss with the end of third party cookies on Chrome?

[@AteKeurentjes]

Yes, because today's data flow is increasingly blocked by adblockers and tracking prevention mechanisms (also for ga4) and with server side tracking you deal with this. If I were you I will create a free account on TAGGRS and then look in their data difference graph to see if it really gives you additional data. Then you can then make an informed decision if you want to continue or not. In my mind at least server side is the future, especially also if you use advertising.

[@vicoboss22]

@@AteKeurentjes Cool, thanks for your reply. I will try this.

[@KyouKo-x7g]

THX for teaching, good explaining, I want to ask , how cant I do both web and server tracking ?? I found that after setting server container url, all events go to the server container url, and dont go to the original ga url, but I want to use both, do you know how to do that ???

[@AteKeurentjes]

Data has to go from web container to server container and from there to GA, you need to set up the ga configuration tag in the server container. After this your data is going to GA.

[@KyouKo-x7g]

@@AteKeurentjes I set both two but only one path can be active

[@AteKeurentjes]

@@KyouKo-x7g Send me an mail and i can help! [e-mail]