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Server-side tracking with a first party collector

Server-side tracking with a first-party collector is a hybrid tracking method. The collected data is sent to a server that hosts the website or app, and then passed to the analytics instance. Cookies are set from the reverse proxy server that is located within the main website domain. The request comes directly from the domain, and not a third-party analytics platform. It is undetectable in browsers and is not blocked by ad blockers.

Implementation of server-side tracking with a first-party collector is as easy as with client-side tracking. At the same time, you can immensely improve data accuracy and data control. Moreover:

  • You can still collect data like in a client-side mechanism
  • You don’t have to use server-side Google Tag Manager or get any Google servers involved

Find more details on server-side tracking with a first party collector on the Piwik PRO blog:

Server-side analytics tracking with first-party collector: What you need to know

Google Chrome Will Wipe out Third-Party Cookies. What’s Next?

Why first-party data is the most valuable to marketers

  • Privacy by design in practice: How “just enough” data beats “just in case” collection

    While collecting more data “just in case” feels safer, according to Matt Gershoff, it’s also one of the biggest sources of unnecessary compliance risk, analytical noise, and wasted organizational resources in the analytics industry today. His approach of “just enough” data collection is more intentional, more aligned with privacy regulation, and often more analytically effective.

  • 4 ways to make your analytics HIPAA-compliant: Implementation guide

    Healthcare organizations have four main approaches to achieving HIPAA-compliant analytics. Each has different trade-offs in cost, technical complexity, and analytics capabilities. This guide compares all four implementation methods – from using Google Analytics with workarounds to deploying fully HIPAA-compliant analytics platforms – so you can choose the right approach for your organization’s needs and resources.

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