All About Server-Side Tracking On Facebook & Instagram Ads

Have you ever landed on a website and been asked whether or not to “allow cookies?” Maybe you click “allow,” but many others select “don’t allow,” blocking attempted third-party tracking. Between this and general ad blockers, advertisers can lose up to 30% of their attempted data collection. Luckily, there are newer, better ways to collect customer data, including server-side tracking.

Read on to learn more about server-side tracking, its benefits, and the easiest way to implement it for Shopify stores.

What is Server-Side Event Tracking?

Server-side event tracking allows big advertising tech servers (like Facebook) to connect directly to the servers of an individual business or an advertiser (like a Shopify store). This means that a business can send customer click-through or purchase information directly back to these big ad tech companies, helping them to accurately attribute specific Facebook ad exposure to specific conversions.

For example, let’s say you’re an eCommerce retailer selling biking shorts and you’re running a Facebook carousel ad on a new pair of spandex race shorts. A certain customer (Mary) sees this ad and clicks on it, but doesn’t click through it. Two days later, she visits your Shopify store and buys the shorts. This information is sent back directly to Facebook, allowing you to attribute her previous ad exposure to her final purchase just a few days later.

What Are the Benefits of Server-Side Event Tracking?

Benefit #1: Bypass Ad-Blockers

Server-side tracking allows you to circumvent the web browser—where browser blockades are located—in turn circumventing ad blockers. This, in the end, allows you to collect more customer data.

Benefit #2: Collect More Accurate Data

Since you’re able to collect more data, your sample size is improved. In turn, your data is more accurate and representative of all ad viewers.

Benefit #3: Improved Customer Experience

Since the web browser is circumvented altogether (and information is instead sent directly over the server), the customer’s browser load is decreased, resulting in a faster response time and improved customer experience.

Benefit #4: More Control of Your Data

Since this is data that you’re collecting first-hand from your customers, it’s classified as first-party data. It’s data that you own and control—you have control over which data you’re collecting and which information to send or not send back to Facebook.

So What? Why Do I Need All This Data?

Capturing all this data not only helps you gain better insight into ad performance (and consequently what kind of design, copy, and creative in general most resonate with consumers), but better insight into your customers in general.

Capturing more first-party data via server-side event tracking allows you to develop more targeted, higher-converting marketing messaging across the board, develop more personalized customer experiences, build more lookalike audiences, and more.

Set Up Server-Side Event Tracking Today with the Trackify X App

Trackify X helps businesses track their first-party data on Shopify with server-side API purchase and non-purchase event tracking. With simple pixel integration, easy synchronization with social media catalogs, the opportunity to build custom and lookalike audiences, and increasing conversions with custom DPA features, Trackify X makes it easy to leverage first-party tracking data.

Add Trackify X to your Shopify store today and start gathering first-party data from TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook using server-side tracking with a free 14-day trial.

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