Websites, apps and other rich environments collect all sorts of data with each user session. That can add up to a plethora of data gathered each day, week and month, and collecting that information as server-side data is much better than trying to filter it through the user's client. It's known as client-side vs. server-side tracking, and many businesses are starting to realize the benefits of server-side events, whether they take place via APIs or directly in the browser. 

But the issue goes much deeper than that. Tracking blockers, browser restrictions and snooping on users' client-side cookies is rampant, and if you're still engaged in client-side tracking you may only be capturing part of the overall picture. The good news is that server-side data has fewer issues than client-side collection, and that means building a more accurate view of your users and customers than you would ever be able to accomplish otherwise, not to mention the added website speed when client-side tags are replaced in favor of server-side data integrations.

What Is Client-Side Tracking?

As the most common form of data collection today, client-side tracking uses the browser to trigger snippets of code that can store information as events. But the rising issues presented by browser changes and ad blockers means that many users may not be accounted for at all, which can skew your data and the decisions you make based on that data. In fact, Google Chrome, the most popular browser in use today, has announced that they will be phasing out third-party cookies by 2023.

What Does Server-Side Mean?

As opposed to client-side data, which tracks events in the browser, server-side data tracks events from the server, not the client, and that means it doesn't rely on tracking in the same way. Also known as cloud-delivery tracking, server-side data is much more reliable than client-side data since all the tracking is embedded in the page itself and doesn't depend on the client initiating a separate event or request.

The Differences Between Client-Side and Server-Side Data

While both client-side and server-side data do basically the same thing -- collect data -- their methodologies and the success rate of each is vastly different. With client-side tracking, implementation tends to be easier, which can reduce costs. It can also give more information about the user's device if the data isn't compromised in any way.

However, server-side data is more reliable if accuracy is needed since all the tracking events happen on the server-side, not the client-side. That can make server-side data better when dealing with sensitive information, as well as giving more control over the data. Server-side data can also be less dependent on browser tracking, which can minimize issues with the data itself. That makes for better analytics and marketing as the data can be trusted more, and users can also get a smoother experience as processing doesn't need to happen on their devices. Often, the result is quicker loading pages and a potential boost in Google for doing so.

That said, it's also true that creating a server-side tracking infrastructure is more complicated to implement and maintain, which means you may want to partner with a company that's been there and done that. Get it wrong and your all-important data could suffer, making it more difficult to draw the right conclusions and make decisions.

For these reasons and more, we advise our clients to seek out help when switching over from client-side data to server-side data. Here at MetaRouter, we've made the decision to go "all-in" when it comes to server-side data, and we can help you maintain the tracking that you rely on while minimizing the disruption to the collection and use of that data. In the end, you'll likely have better data to show for it, and that's ultimately what it's all about. Get a demo or contact us today to get started.