er-side measurement: What’s it good for? //

Marketers are scrambling for ways to keep their data safe, with the imminent end of third-party cookie. Server-side measurement appears to be the savior.

But not all stakeholders agree on the value of this tracking method. Server-side can often mean something different.

This article will discuss server-side measurements in an adtech or analytics context, and its role within today’s changing data landscape.

What is server-side measurement?

Server-side measurement allows you to send data directly from your server to the servers of the platforms that you leverage for measurement and advertising. This eliminates the need to use the browser of your visitors to access your site. It also allows you to track and measure outcomes such as clicks and conversions.

Server-side tracking, the cookie apocalypse

Browsers are more than just a middleman. They are responsible for the death of cookies. They determine how cookies behave, and thus control what you can do with them.

Google again delayed their post-cookie plans. This is understandable considering the tech giant heavily relies on third-party cookie for targeted advertising — more than any other major adtech company.

Google has its own follow-up plans. Browsers that can’t abide by cookies are able to command a large market share. While Chrome may dominate the browser market, Safari and Firefox hold a significant share.

Third-party cookies are not the only ones that will be affected by the so-called “cookiepocalypse”. Safari and Firefox already limit certain aspects of first-party cookies that are set directly by websites.

Explore deeper: 6 data collection strategies for marketing in the cookieless futur

What does this have to do with cookies?

We need to understand the purpose of third-party and first-party cookies before we can discuss server-side measurements for analytics and marketing.

Let’s start by a spoiler: server-side measurement only addresses the impact on first party cookies and even that is a fleeting promise.

Popularity of first-party cookies

First-party cookies serve essentially as the browser’s memory and, in turn, your website.

Many important functions rely on localStorage and first-party cookies.

• You were already logged in, so you don’t need to log in every page load.
• Keep the items in your cart as you move through the checkout process.

Many consent management platforms also store consent preferences in a cookie.

Bad rap on third-party cookies

Third-party cookies are getting a bad reputation , but not without reason. A third-party cookie can be accessed by the party who created it. This access is possible:

• Adtech platforms allow you to view all of your browsing history across all websites and not just stitch your actions together.
• Tech giants will decide that you fit a profile. This allows targeted acquisition marketing for the upper-funnel.

Go deeper: This alternative to cookies is

How important is server-side measurement in this whole thing?

Let’s now look at what server-side measurements bring to the table.

Its lifetime of the first-party cookie has been significantly reduced. Cookies are generally limited to seven days for certain browsers. Analytics and adtech platforms may have difficulty remembering past customer actions or adding them to their current profiles.

Users must visit websites more often or their cookies may be reset and they could be considered a new user. This is an important consideration for brands when considering:

• Strengthen advertising and audience management.
• Accurate data collection using their web analytics tools.

Server-side measurement has the advantage of setting first-party cookies, which can be used to bypass the seven-day limit. Server-side measurement will allow you to keep some memory about the actions of your website visitors, which allows for more precise analytics and allows you to design your retargeting audience faster.

Are you looking to retarget customers who have spent over $1,000 but have not visited the site in the last 28 days? With a seven-day limit, this is impossible. Server-side tracking might be an option.

Unfortunately, that’s it. This is all the server-side measurement can do to stop the cookie apocalypse. It will not bring back third-party cookies.

Adtech platforms, and, therefore, your brand, can’t “find” or “target” people on other websites. It is no longer possible for platforms to build profiles based on actions from different websites. Chrome will hopefully join the party.

Also, it is worth noting that Apple is developing a new feature in which first-party cookies set on most server-side solutions by Apple will also be affected by the seven-day limit. According to different reports, it will be most likely in 2023. Are we back at square one?

What is server-side measuring good for?

Server-side measurement does not provide a single-size-fits all solution to browser cookies. It is however a method to get your audience back.

We know better than to hope for miracles, so let’s look at the tangible benefits of server-side measurement.

1. Optimize your website’s performance and monetization skills

According to a study done by Deloitte and Fifty-five, a site’s conversion rate correlates with its load speed. This is possible with server-side measurement. It allows you to make fewer requests from the visitor’s browser.

These requests can have a significant impact on a website’s loading performance, as they affect the overall load of the site. It’s simple math: “Time to load” = “load of website” / “speed of internet”.

2. You can control the flow of data to advertising platforms and analytics

Server-side systems allow you to modify or interrupt a request before it reaches its destination. This allows you to use three main use-cases:

Removing sensitive information

Server-side measurement, which is not enabled by most advertising platforms, allows you to modify any request that will end in the analytics or advertising platforms’ servers.

Is your DPO (Data Protection Officer) recommending that you redact certain values to ensure compliance with the most recent and greatest regulations? Server-side measurement is the way to go.

Are you able to hide personally identifiable information (PII). Server-side systems allow you to capture the request mid-way, and get the job done.

It is important to be compliant with your visitors’ wishes and comply with new regulations. This can be done server-side. You can also maintain some measurement and optimization capabilities.

Enrich data

Control does not mean that you can remove information, but it also means that you can add important data points to your system. Data stored in your systems can be used to enrich data requests for advertising and analytics.

A server-side system can greatly facilitate Google’s enhanced conversions , and Meta’s advanced match. These involve sending hashed versions to your logged in user data, such email addresses, to facilitate better audience management and matching.

Security – Increase

You can use the combination of both the above points to set your data collection so that sensitive information is hidden on the client and then added on the server.

It doesn’t matter if it is your Google Analytics propertyID or a potentially sensitive PII. It is better to keep it out of the naked browser request.

3. Analytics can be hampered by ad blocking

Many ad blocking software also blocks major web analytics functionality. This can lead to the loss of some website visitors, even though you weren’t involved in audience-related activities.

These tools are unlikely to block a server-side measurement domain. Third-party cookies are almost out of the window to disallow retargeting. It might be worth using server side to increase visibility in this way. As long as your visitors agree to web analytics measurement, it is possible.

4. Benefit from advanced adtech functions

Server-side measurement allows adtech platforms to get more data from their visitors due to increased data flow. This is mainly due to setting longer first-party cookie and bypassing ad blockingers. Many platforms have set up server-side measurement to encourage its adoption.

Meta, for example, won’t allow you to do conversion lift testing (their way to A/B test to understand how a campaign’s incremental effect on business outcomes). is required unless CAPI has been implemented, which is their codename for server-side Meta “pixel”.

Server-side measurement, and the privacy-first age

Server-side measurement might not be the panacea that some believe it to be in order to stop the disappearance of browser cookies. To understand the real capabilities of server-side implementations, it is important to understand how cookies work and what the differences are between first- and third-party cookies.

Although it is not a universal solution, there are many strong benefits to server-side measurements that should be investigated in the new privacy first internet.

Let’s not forget the cookies!

Server-side Measurement: What’s it Really Good For? was first published on MarTech.