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
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