Cookieless Pings on Google Analytics 4 with sGTM
Discover the advantages of server-side data collection with Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4, and learn how to enhance your digital marketing strategy without relying on cookies.
Due to GDPR regulations and Google's privacy-focused policies, along with increasing user awareness, cookie-based data collection methods are becoming less effective. As a result, first-party and cookieless data collection strategies have gained critical importance for digital marketers.
In this article, we will explore how to implement cookieless data collection with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) using Server Google Tag Manager (sGTM) and examine the benefits of this strategy.
Cookie-based data collection poses significant challenges for digital marketers due to issues like improper implementation of Cookie Management Platforms (CMPs) with Google Tag Manager and browsers' default settings blocking analytics and advertising cookies, as well as server requests.
- Ad-Blocker Usage: A significant portion of users employ ad-blockers, which diminish the effectiveness of cookie-based tracking methods.
- Privacy Regulations: Regulations like GDPR and other privacy laws require user consent for cookies, leading to a substantial reduction in data collection. Moreover, CMPs (Cookie Management Platforms) need to be implemented correctly.
- Browser Restrictions: Browsers like Safari and Firefox limit the lifespan of first-party cookies and block third-party cookies, complicating data collection processes.
These challenges can result in incomplete or inaccurate data collection, especially for critical metrics like conversion rates and user behavior.
Server-side Google Tag Manager offers a robust solution to these challenges. sGTM collects and processes data directly from the server rather than the browser. This ensures reliable data collection, unaffected by ad-blockers and browser restrictions.
You can implement sGTM and GA4 cookieless pings integration for your e-commerce site or mobile application as follows:
- Server Container Setup: The first step is to create a new server-side container through Hardal and complete the necessary configurations. If you don't have a server for sGTM, you can quickly set one up here.
If you prefer to run an sGTM server through your own GCP or AWS account instead of Hardal, remember that the setup time, regular monthly maintenance, and IT support costs may be significantly higher!
- GA4 Integration: Integrate your GA4 property with this server container, which will enable the cookieless pings feature. Remember, you need to use the Advanced Consent mode with sGTM, which operates in first-party mode.
Cookieless pings are anonymous and non-identifiable Google Analytics events. No Analytics cookies are set, accessed, or read from the device, both on the client and server.
Source: How consent settings influence tag behavior
- Data Tracking: By using GA4, you'll be able to conduct more accurate and complete data measurement, unaffected by cookie restrictions. 🎊
By following these steps, you can minimize data loss and build a more effective performance marketing strategy for your e-commerce site or mobile application.
Cookieless GA4 with Server Google Tag Manager is an ideal solution to future-proof your digital marketing strategy. This approach enhances the reliability of your data collection process, respects user privacy, and provides resilience against ad-blockers. Adopting this strategy is no longer an option, but a necessity to stay competitive in the digital marketing world.
You can transition to server-side Google Tag Manager (sGTM) with cookieless GA4 for your e-commerce site or mobile application by signing up for a free Hardal account here.