93% more conversions attributed to Meta ads | Forward Media Turkey

Forward Media Turkey is a leading media agency in Turkey, focused on data-driven performance marketing and full-funnel measurement strategies across top consumer brands.

The agency has shared a case of implementing server-side tracking for their client, Atasun Optik (part of EssilorLuxottica), which is the largest optical retail brand in Turkey.

Before implementing server-side tagging, Atasun Optik used client-side GTM, Google Analytics 4, and Meta Pixel integrations.

Almost 47% of Atasun Optik’s traffic comes from Safari, where ITP restrictions and limited cookie lifetimes significantly reduce visibility into user behavior. Additionally, a large portion of visitors use ad blockers, leading to incomplete event capture with client-side setups.

This not only impacted conversion tracking and attribution but also it reduced retargeting accuracy and weakened campaign optimization. Atasun Optik needed a tracking infrastructure to recover lost data signals, improve cross-channel attribution, and get reliable data to optimize campaign performance.

As the solution for Atasun Optik's business needs, Forward Media implemented Stape's server GTM hosting and configured the following power-ups:

• Custom Loader, which reduces the impact of ad blockers or browser restrictions and allows tracking scripts to load.
• Cookie Keeper that extends cookie lifespan beyond the standard 7-day limit imposed by Safari/ITP.

The project was fully implemented and tested in under one week, thanks to seamless collaboration between the Forward Media team, Atasun Optik’s developers, and Stape’s infrastructure. Specialists at Forward Media claim that for smaller or less complex use cases, this setup could be completed even faster.

Atasun Optik achieved the following results with server-side configuration:

• Meta Ads reported a +93% increase in conversions attributed via the Conversions API vs the pixel-only setup - driven by better event reliability and signal quality (based on Meta data).

• Based on Stape Analytics, 46% of hits (those using ITP-enabled browsers or ad blockers) were successfully tracked and re-integrated into the user journey.

• Returning users in retargeting campaigns increased after overcoming 7-day cookie limitations. 

Overall measurement quality improved, helping Atasun Optik allocate media spend more efficiently and drive stronger campaign signals through accurate attribution.

Forward Media Turkey’s implementation of Stape’s server-side tracking solution for Atasun Optik showcases the impact of this tracking method on events and conversions tracking. The agency could successfully restore critical data visibility, improve attribution accuracy, and retargeting performance.

Commenting on the results, Utku Gülden, Marketing Analytics Director at Forward Media, stated: