In this blog post, you will explore some advanced features of Google Analytics 4 and show how to configure server-side GA4 using Google Tag Manager. You will learn how to make it resistant to AdBlockers and tracking restrictions with the help of Stape custom loader power-up.
GA4 server-side tracking has a lot of benefits. The main ones are:
Check this before we start
Before we get to the GA4 setup steps, let’s cover the basics of GTM server-side tagging. With client-side tracking, the browser sends a request directly to a third-party tracking service like Google Analytics. The interaction takes place between the browser and the third-party service.
With server-side tracking, an intermediate point is added. In this case, it is the Google Tag Manager cloud server. The request goes first to the cloud server, which processes it and sends it to a third-party system (Google Analytics). This means that the cloud server processes the request instead of the client browser.
It has many benefits, including a prolonged cookie lifetime, increased tracking accuracy, improved page speed, better data security, bypassing AdBlockers and ITPs, and many more.
You need an active GA4 account before proceeding. Let’s set up a GTM server container using the Stape service.
1. Open your WEB Google Tag Manager container https://tagmanager.google.com/.
Click Admin. Under the container column, click +
2. Type the container name, choose Server, and click Create.
3. Choose Manually provision tagging server, copy your container config and paste it in any text editor. We will need it for the next steps.
1. Go to stape.io and create an account or log in.
2. Click Create container on the top right.
3. Enter your container details:
4. Choose a plan for your container. You can start with a Free plan. Click Continue with a Free plan.
5. You will see the status of your container, container config, and plan name. It takes around 5 minutes to deploy a server container. Please reload the page to update the status. If the Google Tag Manager server-side setup was done correctly, you should see the status “Running”.
You can use a custom tagging server URL to set up first-party cookies. Custom tagging server URL or custom domain should share the same domain as your website. For example, if your website domain is example.com, then the tagging server URL should look like ss.example.com.
There are three ways to set up a custom domain:
From our point of view, configuring a custom domain with the same origin domain is the best option because it helps to prolong cookie lifetime in all browsers. However, this method is technically advanced and requires CDN or a load balancer. If you want to configure the same origin domain, follow this guide on our blog.
If you can't configure the same origin domain, we have solutions for prolonging cookie lifetime in Safari: Own CDN and Cookie Keeper.
Below is an example of a custom subdomain setup:
1. Open the sGTM container on Stape, scroll to the domains section, type the domain name, and click Add domain.
2. Write a custom domain.
3. You will see DNS records that you should add.
The DNS record depends on the server location and CDN option you choose.
The DNS records you should configure vary depending on the server location and your selected CDN settings. You will see DNS records that you should add inside your stape.io container.
4. Log in to your DNS account and add records you see in your stape.io account. Below is an example of DNS setup for CloudFlare. Open the DNS setting of the required domain and click Add record.
Then, write the records you see in your stape.io account. Ensure that the proxy is turned off.
Usually, it takes 2-3 hours to verify the custom domain. For some DNS providers, verifying records might take up to 72 hours. We will email you once the custom domain is verified or any error is detected. If there is an error with the verification, please follow this instruction on how to verify custom domain verification.
5. Once the custom domain is verified, go back to the Google Tag Manager Server container → Choose your server container → Admin → container settings → paste tagging server URL.
6. If you use a custom domain, updating the Web GTM script on your website is highly recommended. This tweak will load gtm.js from your domain. To do so, replace the default domain googletagmanager.com with the custom domain you set up in the previous step.
Open your Web container, create a new tag - Google Tag. Add your Google Tag ID.
In the section Configuration settings add the following parameters:
Add trigger to GA4 tag. Normally it should trigger on all page views.
Optional: You can also create a Google tag: Configuration settings variable that will predefine Google Tag settings if you need to use multiple Google Tags on your website and do not want to add settings for each of the tags manually.
These parameters can be, for example, a setting that defines whether you want to send a page view event every time a Google Tag triggers, set UTM parameters, client ID, etc. There is a list of standard Google Tags configuration parameters.
To set up the GA4 event, go to the tags section and create a new tag with the tag type Google Analytics: GA4 Event. Add your GA4 ID and the event name; there is a list of standard event names.
Open Google Tag Manager Server container → click Client → create GA4 client and save it → go to Tags and set up GA4 tag. Remember that GA4 automatically sends not only pageviews but also some other events.
Inside Event Name, choose variable {{Event Name}} → add trigger Client Name equals GA4.
Open the Web and Server container preview modes and check that you see GA4 requests. Then, publish the update inside the server and web Google Tag Manager containers.
You can make Google Analytics 4 server-side tracking even more accurate by using a custom GA4 loader. This will allow GA4 to work around any blocking tools, such as ad blockers and other privacy-related technologies that aim to prevent trackers from gathering data about visitors' activities. As a result, you'll see the complete picture of users visiting your site and have more data for ad optimization and custom audiences.
How to set up a custom loader:
1. Log in to your stape.io account.
2. Open the sGTM container → Click Power Up.
3. Click Config Custom loader power-up → add your WEB GTM ID → You will see updated web GTM code → Copy this web GTM script and add or replace existing web GTM script on your site.
4. Once you've updated the web GTM code and set up server-side GA4, you can check modified GTM and GA4 requests in the network.
Google Tag Manager request URL should look like this:
Tagging server URL/stape container identifier.js?st=web GTM ID without letters GTM.
In our case, it's https://load.gtm.stape.dog/covxbvwx.js?st=PMVQSJH
GA4 request URL should look like this:
Tagging server URL/gt+stape container identifier.js?id=GA4 identifier.....
In our case, it's https://load.gtm.stape.dog/gtcovxbvwx.js?id=G-0SME9XLYER
1. Event-driven data model.
The event-driven data model allows you to create an event for any website activity you want to record inside GA4. You can also use parameters that add more value and description to each event. Google prepared the list of recommended event names to use inside GA4, but you can also create custom events and custom parameters.
2. Cross-device reporting
When it comes to traffic and sales analysis, cross-device user/conversion tracking is the main point. Let’s say a user saw your Adwords ad on the mobile and clicked on it. For some reason, they decided to proceed with the checkout on the desktop. The user, however, did not log into any of the Google services. So, Google cannot recognize them and give credit to that particular Adwords click. As a result, the conversion source is lost, and the information for Adwords optimization is incomplete.
To solve this problem, Google released Signals. Google integrated Signals functionality into GA4 and added machine learning. It is designed to identify users who are not logged into any Google services. Machine learning fills all the gaps if a user is not logged into the Google services or their device cannot be identified via fingerprinting.
By default, Google signals data collection is not enabled inside GA4. You need to enable it manually by going into settings → click data settings → data collection.
Another essential setting (and a new one) that you should consider checking is how GA4 identifies users.
They have two options:
3. Predefined events
Google identified the most commonly used events that marketers and business owners track inside Google Analytics and GTM and added them to the enhanced measurement functionality.
Now, page views, scrolls, outbound link clicks, site searches, video engagement, and file downloads are tracked by default.
This feature is typically enabled for all GA4 properties. But you need to ensure it’s turned on for your account. To do that, go to Data Streams → choose Webstream details, and check if all events are enabled.
4. Analysis Hub and integration with BigQuery
Google completely redesigned the analytics/reporting hub inside GA4. It allows users to create pivots, tables, and filters easily. There is also a template gallery, similar to what they have in DataStudio. So you will be able to analyze data more efficiently and spend less time creating custom reports.
BigQuery export is available to all GA4 users. In a nutshell, you can export GA4 data to BigQuery, which can be integrated with other sources like your CRM.
5. Limit of Custom dimension and Custom metric
In GA4, the limit of custom dimensions and metrics increased. Google Analytics 4 allows to have 25 user scoped, and 50 events scoped custom dimensions. Custom metrics increased to 50. An increased number of custom metrics and dimensions gives more flexibility for the customization of GA4.
6. GA4 debug view
The GA4 debugger is extremely helpful for people setting up Google Analytics 4. The enabled preview lets you see what events, event properties, and user data GA4 processes. It makes configuring GA4 much faster and easier.
7. Other advantages
You might be already tired of reading about why GA4 is so cool. So here’s a quick round-up of other benefits: audience evaluation based on their probability of buying in the next several days, a combination of web and app analytics, and lots more.
GA4 and GTM server tagging was created to fit current world tracking rules, web technologies, restrictions, and data security. You’ll need time to get used to the new interface and features and understand how they can better suit your website and business needs.
If migrating to the GA4 and GTM server containers is complex or you realize that you need assistance, feel free to contact us. We can answer your questions or set up for you.
Stape has lots of tags for server GTM! Click on Try for free to register and check them all.
