Businesses that target the European market already face a significant obstacle. As privacy regulations tighten and the technology changes, a big part of your online traffic and leads from the EU have become untrackable.
Soon, that may be the case in the US, too.
Overall, this is a good thing. However, it may have gone too far as marketers no longer can understand even basic data they need. This is especially prevalent with the introduction of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which struggles to capture up to 70% of traffic and leads from the EU. This has lead to smarter marketers using Google Search Console alongside GA4.
Why is that? Well, for two main reasons.
- Consent Mode: When users don’t consent to data collection, GA4 either does not capture any data or collects only anonymous interaction data, which leaves substantial gaps. Many websites that implement GA4 in Europe have reported losing 50-70% of observable traffic because GA4 cannot track users who opt out of cookies or data collection.
- GDPR and Data Privacy: The implementation of strict privacy laws across the EU, such as GDPR, greatly limits what can be tracked by GA4. Even with anonymization and privacy controls in place, GA4 struggles to fully comply with these regulations, particularly in handling consent. As a result, 30-40% or more of traffic data may be missing from reports.
Importantly, this may affect you in the US and worldwide too soon because technology adapts to the privacy expecations that everyone has. This gap hides valuable data you need to make decisions and complicates efforts to measure your ROI effectively.
It is no wonder that different vendors have started pushing server-side tracking and cookieless tracking solutions as a redemy. These technologies promise to uphold user privacy while still providing businesses with the core insights they need for lead and user acquisition.
There is proabably a golden mean somewhere in the middle where businesses can get basic user and lead information such as UTM source/medium data, engaged time on page, and recency for example without unduly invading someone’s privacy. Plus, sometimes even more data than previously for more thorough statistical approaches with MMM and advanced data analysis.
What is Server-Side Tracking?
Ever wonder why your ads aren’t getting the results you expect? Your website the traffic you want? The issue might not be your campaigns or your content — it could be how you track them.
Server-side tracking shifts data collection from the user’s browser (client-side) to the server. Unlike traditional methods, where data is vulnerable to ad blockers, privacy regulations, or browser restrictions, server-side tracking collects and processes information on your servers. This method provides a more controlled environment, improving both data accuracy and privacy compliance.
Here are the key advantages of server-side tracking:
- Improved Data Control: You decide what data to collect and when to collect it.
- Greater Accuracy: Server-side tracking avoids the pitfalls of cookie blocking and browser restrictions, leading to more reliable conversion data.
- Improved Privacy Compliance: By shifting the tracking responsibility to your own server, you can ensure GDPR-compliant practices.
Consider:
- Over 40% of users in Europe now actively block third-party cookies, leaving significant gaps in traditional analytics platforms like GA4.
- According to a 2022 survey by Statista, around 50% of web users in the EU choose not to consent to tracking, leading to considerable data loss for advertisers
Is Server-Side Tracking GDPR Compliant?
Server-side tracking can be designed to meet strict GDPR standards. However, its effectiveness lies in how it’s implemented:
- User Consent: You still have to collect consent from users for tracking, even with server-side methods. A good thing is that basic internet etiquette has changed for the better. Those users that are annoyed by cookie banners can use additional browser add-ons to disable them.
- Transparency: Inform users about what data is being collected and how it is being used. Use clear and concise language in consent banners.
Challenges:
- Technical Complexity: Implementing server-side tagging requires technical expertise and a deeper understanding of backend infrastructure.
- Maintenance Costs: The need for regular server updates and maintenance can be a drawback for smaller businesses.
Cookieless Tracking
How will you then keep track of your users and potential customers?
Traditional cookie-based tracking is quickly becoming outdated. New privacy laws, browser changes (which started with Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention in Safari in 2019), and user concerns about privacy mean that third-party cookies are no longer a reliable source of data.
- First-Party Data: This approach uses data collected directly from users, such as information from form fills, purchases, and on-site interactions. It’s not shared across sites, keeping user privacy intact.
- Browser Fingerprinting: A less common but growing method, browser fingerprinting collects non-cookie-based identifiers like screen resolution and fonts to build a unique user profile
- Probabilistic Tracking: This method leverages machine learning models to make educated guesses about user behavior. While it’s less precise than traditional tracking, it’s becoming more popular as a cookieless solution.
But it is not only Europe, it’s expected that 87% of internet traffic in the United States will be affected by cookieless tracking soon. That’s due to cookieless version of all browsers (Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and even Microsoft Edge) being on the development roadmaps.
Practical Solutions Across Budgets
Think tracking precision is out of reach? Not necessarily. Even on a small budget, you can use some more simpler l tools to improve your understanding of your marketing and advertising.
Budget-Friendly Solutions (Under €50/month)
For businesses with tighter budgets, there are several affordable tracking solutions available that still offer substantial improvements over traditional Google Analytics setups. You can use them alongside GA4 and combine different data from both or even other sources together.
1. Plausible Analytics (Starts from €9/month)
Overview: Plausible Analytics is a privacy-focused, lightweight analytics tool designed for small businesses and personal websites. It doesn’t rely on cookies or personal data, which makes it fully GDPR-compliant. It provides essential metrics like page views, traffic sources, and visit durations, all in a clean, intuitive dashboard.
- Pricing: Starts at €9/month for 10,000 page views and scales to €48/month for up to 1,000,000 page views.
- Why Plausible?: Unlike GA4, Plausible does not collect any personal data, making it ideal for businesses that want a fully transparent and GDPR-compliant solution. It’s also simple to install and doesn’t impact site performance.
2. Simple Analytics (Starts from Free)
Overview: Simple Analytics is an easy-to-use tool that avoids tracking personal data and focuses entirely on first-party cookies. It’s an excellent choice for businesses focused on transparency and simplicity. The tool provides essential data points such as page views, referrers, and time spent on each page without complex reports.
- Pricing: €19/month for up to 100,000 page views.
- What Makes It Different?: Simple Analytics is minimalistic, prioritizing simplicity and compliance. It’s perfect for smaller businesses that want clear data without the complexity of larger platforms.
3. Matomo (Self-Hosted, Starts from Free)
Overview: Matomo is a popular open-source alternative to Google Analytics. Its self-hosted version is free, giving businesses full control over their data. The self-hosted model is particularly attractive for companies that want to ensure GDPR compliance by keeping all data on their own servers.
- Pricing: Free (self-hosted); €19/month for Matomo Cloud.
- Why Matomo?: Matomo provides a similar breadth of data as GA4 but without the privacy concerns. It offers more detailed insights than Plausible or Simple Analytics, making it ideal for companies that need comprehensive tracking but want to avoid Google’s data sharing practices.
4. Alceris (Starts from €9/month)
- Overview: Alceris is a German lightweight analytics tool that focuses on fast load speeds and minimal impact on website performance. It’s designed for privacy-conscious businesses and operates without needing a cookie banner.
- Why Choose It?: This tool is great for smaller businesses or startups needing simple analytics that don’t overwhelm their website’s performance.
5. Clarity by Microsoft (Free)
Overview: A slightly different tool that pairs well with GA4 or any of the other solutions in this list. Clarity offers a combination of session replays, heatmaps, and behavior tracking, all without cookies. While it doesn’t provide as deep analytics as GA4 or Matomo, Clarity excels in user behavior tracking, offering valuable insights into how users interact with your site.
- Pricing: Free
- Why Clarity?: If you need insights into how users engage with your site, Clarity offers some of the best free behavior tracking available. It’s also easy to set up and integrates well with other analytics platforms. It also integrates with Google Analytics and offers helpful automated segments.
6. Fathom Analytics (Starts from €15/month)
Overview: Fathom is a fast and privacy-conscious alternative to Google Analytics that doesn’t use cookies or collect personal data. It’s designed to provide essential metrics like page views and traffic sources while complying with GDPR and other privacy laws.
- Pricing: Starts at €15/month for up to 100,000 page viewsRuler Analytics.
- What Makes It Different?: Fathom’s pricing is flexible, and its dashboard is extremely user-friendly. It’s also highly optimized for speed, making it a great option for businesses that prioritize site performance alongside privacy compliance.
7. Wide Angle Analytics (Starts from €9.99/month)
- Overview: Based in Germany, Wide Angle Analytics is a privacy-first tool that offers both cookie and cookieless tracking. The platform is hosted in the EU and complies fully with GDPR, making it ideal for businesses focused on data security and privacy.
- What Makes It Different?: Custom domain options, easy integration with popular platforms like WordPress and Wix, and it’s hosted within the EU to ensure compliance.
8. TelemetryDeck (Free Plan Available)
- Overview: TelemetryDeck, also based in Germany, is designed specifically for mobile and web apps. While still offer support for basic website tracking. It provides real-time analytics using SDKs for Android, iOS, and JavaScript applications. The unique twist here is that data is viewed via an iOS or macOS app instead of the web.
- What Makes It Different?: Cookieless tracking and SDK integration for mobile and web applications, making it highly versatile and lightweight.
9. Mouseflow (Free Plan Available)
- Overview: Positioning itself as an alternative to Microsoft Clarity from Denmark, Mouseflow specializes in heatmaps, session replays, and user behavior analytics. This is a great tool for those who want to understand how users interact with their websites, allowing for better UX optimization. Just like Clarity, it pairs well with another tool on this list.
- What Makes It Different?: Detailed session replays, heatmaps, and a feedback system that works seamlessly without cookies.
10. Friendly Analytics (Starts from €20/month)
- Overview: Based in Switzerland, Friendly Analytics is built on top of the popular Matomo platform. It’s fully GDPR-compliant and provides advanced analytics features without cookies, making it easy for businesses to track users without needing cookie banners.
- What Makes it Different?: Friendly Analytics offers a tag manager and Matomo-based tracking, allowing for GDPR-compliant and cookie-free tracking across multiple sites.
Slightly More Advanced “Mid-Size” Solutions
Tracking your website and ad performance shouldn’t cost a fortune, even if you are making more money than an usual small business. However, if you spend a little more, you can get a lot more.
In this range, you can take control of your tracking and refine your marketing efforts with precision. Often combining product analytics and web analytics into a single seamless flow.
1. Matomo Cloud (€19–€99/month)
- Overview: Matomo is a well-established analytics platform offering both cloud-hosted and self-hosted options. The cloud version offers GDPR compliance, customizable dashboards, and the ability to integrate server-side tracking. Matomo emphasizes data ownership, which is key for businesses that prioritize user privacy.
- Why Choose It?: Matomo is a great alternative for companies that want the features of Google Analytics without the privacy concerns. It’s customizable, reliable, and built to comply with strict privacy laws
2. PostHog (Starts from Free)
Overview: PostHog is an open-source analytics platform designed for companies that want to host their own data. Mainly for product analytics, you can also use it for your website. It includes features like heatmaps, session replays, and funnel analysis. The cloud-hosted option, starting at €79/month, provides advanced tracking capabilities without requiring third-party cookies.
Why Choose It?: PostHog is ideal for mid-sized businesses looking to track user behavior in real-time and on a granular level, while maintaining full control over their data.
3. Stape.io (Starts at €30/month)
- Overview: Stape.io specializes in server-side Google Tag Manager (GTM) hosting, making it easier for businesses to set up server-side tagging without deep technical expertise. It allows companies to enhance their conversion tracking accuracy while remaining fully GDPR-compliant.
- Why Choose It?: Stape.io simplifies server-side GTM for businesses that want more precise data tracking but lack the technical resources to manage complex setups. It offers European server GTM hosting for businesses that require that for legal reasons.
4. Countly (Free Plan Available, Paid Plans Start from €80/month)
- Overview: Countly is an all-in-one product analytics platform that provides businesses with real-time analytics across web, mobile, and desktop applications. It offers privacy-first tracking and includes advanced features like funnel analysis, cohort analysis, and customer journey mapping. Countly emphasizes its open-source nature, which allows businesses to self-host and control their data. The platform also supports server-side tracking to enhance conversion data accuracy.
- Why Choose It?: Countly is ideal for businesses looking for granular insights across multiple platforms, including IoT and mobile devices. It ensures full control over your data and can be hosted in EU-compliant environments.
5. Twilio Segment (Starts at €125/month)
- Overview: Segment is a powerful Customer Data Platform (CDP) that focuses on collecting and managing first-party data across multiple touchpoints. It offers advanced attribution modeling, enabling businesses to track customer interactions across devices and channels. Segment’s server-side integrations allow for accurate conversion recapture even in environments where cookies or client-side tracking are limited.
- What to look for:
- Comprehensive event tracking.
- Multi-channel attribution and data collection.
- Integration with popular analytics and marketing tools (like GA4, Facebook Ads, and more).
- What to look for:
- Why Choose It?: Segment is ideal for large-scale businesses that need to collect and route user data from multiple sources for precise attribution and retargeting. It ensures full GDPR compliance and provides customizable tracking solutions.
6. RudderStack (Starts at €200+/month)
- Overview: RudderStack is another Customer Data Platform (CDP) that enables businesses to collect, process, and route event data to various tools for marketing and analytics. It emphasizes server-side tracking and integrates seamlessly with existing tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and Salesforce.
- What to look for:
- Real-time event streaming and data processing.
- Integration with data lakes and cloud storage (AWS, Google Cloud).
- Advanced attribution modeling across multiple touchpoints.
- What to look for:
- Why Choose It?: RudderStack is ideal for companies looking for a scalable solution to improve attribution accuracy while maintaining data privacy and security. It offers advanced features for companies looking to centralize and manage their customer data.
5. Kochava (Starts at €500+/month, Free Plan Available)
- Overview: Kochava offers advanced attribution and analytics solutions for businesses in mobile and digital ecosystems. It supports server-side data collection, allowing for accurate tracking across multiple platforms. Kochava’s identity resolution capabilities help businesses create more precise attribution models, particularly for multi-channel campaigns.
- Highlights:
- Identity resolution for accurate cross-channel tracking.
- Advanced analytics and conversion recapture through server-side methods.
- Integration with a wide range of marketing platforms.
- Highlights:
- Why Choose It?: Kochava is highly suitable for businesses running extensive digital campaigns across multiple devices. Its powerful attribution and server-side tracking features ensure comprehensive data collection without relying on client-side cookies.
6. Attribution App (Starts from €490/month)
- Overview: Attribution App specializes in advanced multi-touch attribution for marketers. It provides a wide range of models, from first-click to custom rule-based attribution. The platform integrates with server-side data sources to recapture lost conversions and offers privacy-compliant tracking.
- Highlights:
- Multi-touch attribution modeling.
- Server-side event tracking and integration with key marketing tools.
- Privacy-focused tracking to comply with GDPR and other regulations.
- Highlights:
- Why Choose It?: If your business needs highly customizable attribution modeling and server-side event tracking, Attribution App delivers a robust solution that balances flexibility with compliance.
All these tools offer more advanced solutions for mature businesses with significant revenues and cash flow looking to improve their server-side tracking and attribution modeling capabilities.
Enterprise Server Side Tracking Solutions
1. Jentis (starting from €1,000/month)
- Overview: Jentis offers a robust server-side tracking solution, specifically designed to help businesses in the EU comply with GDPR while maintaining data accuracy. It integrates well with existing tools like GA4, allowing companies to recover data lost due to client-side tracking issues, such as cookie restrictions and ad blockers.
- Why Choose It?: Jentis is known for improving data capture accuracy and providing advanced analytics capabilities through server-side tagging. It’s particularly useful for companies needing to manage their own data flow and remain compliant with GDPR
2. Piwik PRO (Starts from Free – €10,995/year)
- Overview: Piwik PRO is an enterprise-level tool tailored for mid-sized companies that require GDPR-compliant, privacy-focused analytics. It supports server-side tracking and offers features like user behavior tracking, conversion funnels, and form analytics, all hosted on EU-based servers.
- Why Choose It?: Piwik PRO gives you the ability to control all your data in compliance with GDPR, making it an excellent choice for businesses focused on privacy. The free plan does offer hosting with Microsoft Azure in Germany for better GDPR compliance.
3. Fusedeck (Custom pricing,starts from €430/month)
- Overview: Fusedeck is a Swiss-based web analytics solution that offers real-time, cookieless tracking without sacrificing user experience. It provides in-depth insights into user behavior and conversion tracking, all while respecting the strictest data protection laws. Fusedeck is particularly suited for businesses that want to optimize their ad performance while avoiding cookie consent issues.
- Why Choose It?: If your business operates under Switzerland’s stringent data privacy laws or you’re looking for a high-compliance tool in Europe, Fusedeck’s cookieless solution provides robust data insights while adhering to privacy regulations.
4. Snowplow Analytics (Starts from €30,000/year)
- Overview: Snowplow Analytics is an open-source platform that focuses on server-side event data collection. It is designed for businesses that require deep analytics capabilities and want full control over their data. Snowplow’s flexibility allows businesses to recapture lost conversions and perform detailed attribution modeling, particularly useful in cookieless environments.
- What to look for:
- Server-side data pipelines with extensive event tracking.
- Customizable attribution models.
- Full control over data collection and processing pipelines.
- What to look for:
- Why Choose It?: Snowplow is a great solution for companies that want to build a fully customized analytics infrastructure, especially in cases where GDPR compliance and data control are critical
4. Adjust (Reported average annual cost €82,000)
- Overview: Adjust specializes in mobile attribution and conversion recapture through server-side data tracking. It is particularly well-suited for app developers and businesses running complex mobile campaigns. Adjust provides multi-touch attribution and fraud prevention, ensuring that companies can trust their conversion data.
- What to look for:
- Server-side event tracking for mobile apps.
- Multi-touch attribution with detailed breakdowns of user interactions.
- Fraud detection to ensure accurate conversion reporting.
- What to look for:
- Why Choose It?: If your business relies on mobile app performance, Adjust’s server-side tracking and attribution modeling will help ensure more accurate conversion data while protecting against fraudulent traffic.
How to Get Started with Cookieless and Server-Side Tracking
What if you could catch every visitor action on your website, no matter what they block without needlessly harming their privacy? Well, it is possible. Here are a few reasonable pointers:
Server-Side Tracking
Steps to Get Started:
- Pick the Right Platform: Tools like Jentis or Stape.io help you set up server-side tagging without needing advanced tech skills. These platforms handle most of the heavy lifting.
- Set Up Your Own Server: Use cloud services like Google Cloud or Amazon Web Services to store and process your data. Make sure your server is hosted in the EU to meet GDPR rules.
- Define Key Events: Decide which actions are most important for your business, such as checking out, signing up, or downloading a guide. Set up tags to capture these actions accurately.
- Optimise for Speed: Server-side tagging can slow things down if not optimised. Focus on tracking only the most important events and keeping the setup lightweight.
Challenges:
- Complex Setup: Setting up server-side tracking can be tricky if you’re new to it. Consider hiring a developer or using a tool like Stape.io, which simplifies the process.
- Data Management: You must carefully configure your tracking to avoid duplicating or losing data during the process.
Cookieless Tracking
With cookies disappearing and privacy laws getting stricter, many businesses worry they can’t track users anymore. But cookieless tracking is the answer. This method collects key information about how users behave on your site, all without cookies or invading their privacy.
Ways to Make Cookieless Tracking Work:
- First-Party Data: Instead of relying on third-party cookies, tools like Plausible Analytics focus on first-party data, where you collect data directly from users with their permission. It’s fully GDPR compliant and gives you enough insights to make decisions.
- Track Events, Not Cookies: Platforms like Heap Analytics track everything users do on your website, like clicks or page scrolls, without needing cookies. This gives you a complete picture of how people interact with your site.
- Fingerprinting and Probabilistic Tracking: Some advanced tools use fingerprinting or probabilistic tracking, which relies on unique combinations of device features, like screen size or fonts, to identify users. While not as precise as cookies, it helps track users across visits.
Challenges:
- Incomplete Data: Cookieless tracking isn’t perfect yet, and there might still be some data gaps. Combine this with server-side tagging for better accuracy.
- Consent: Even without cookies, you still need to get users’ permission to collect data. Use a consent management platform to make this process easy for users.
The future of online marketing will focus on protecting user privacy. Businesses that act now by adopting server-side tagging, cookieless tracking, and advanced attribution models will stay ahead. These solutions I mentioned above let you collect meaningful data and respect your users’ privacy. As a result, you will find a happy medium between marketing and privacy.
