Web development

Website analytics: GA4, GTM and server-side tracking

GA4, GTM and server-side tracking: every business event under its own name, on your own domain, with consent.

What you do not measure, you guess

Full tracking

From event to destination

Formgenerate_lead
Callclick_to_call
Bookingbooking_complete
Purchasepurchase
own serverdata.ceged.hu
own serverdata.ceged.hu
GA4
Google Ads
Meta CAPI
TikTok
Every business event under its own nameReal customers, not clicks. Consent is respected.

What does full tracking mean?

It means every business event, form, call, booking and purchase enters the tracking under its own name, and a server running on your own domain forwards it to Google and Meta.

So GA4 and the ad platforms see real customers, not clicks. Consent is respected throughout.

Consent

Consent Mode v2

ad_storageadvertising cookies
analytics_storageanalytics cookies
ad_user_datasending data for ads
ad_personalizationpersonalized ads
Default: denied without consent no data goes to ad platforms the signals apply on the server too
Server-side tracking does not bypass consentConsent Mode v2: four signals decide.

Consent: Consent Mode v2

Four signals decide: ad_storage, analytics_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization. By default everything starts as denied, and events without consent are not forwarded to the ad platforms.

Server-side tracking does not bypass consent: the signals apply on the server too.

The tracking chain

Four links, from the first click to the ad platform. We test every one of them before handover.

datalayer

The website's own code signals when something happened: form, call, booking, purchase.

Under its own name, with clean data, not guessed from button clicks.

gtm

The browser-side Google Tag Manager collects the event and passes it to your own server.

Consent is handled according to Consent Mode v2.

server

Server-side GTM on Google Cloud, on your own subdomain, for example data.yourcompany.com.

So the data is first-party, and browser restrictions do not cut it off.

destinations

GA4 key events, Google Ads conversions, Meta Conversions API, TikTok Events API.

Every platform receives the same event with the same ID, so nothing is counted twice.

Clean dataLayer with custom events

We do not guess from clicks, the code tells us when something happened.

EventWhen it firesIn GA4
generate_leadform accepted by the serverkey event
booking_completesuccessful appointment bookingkey event
purchasepaid orderkey event, with value
click_to_callclick on a phone numberevent
file_downloaddownloadevent

Testing and handover

Testing

We test every event end to end

GA4 DebugViewevent received
OK
Tag Assistanttags fired
OK
Meta event qualitymatch score
OK
Google Ads diagnosticsconversion recorded
OK
Handover report: every test documented
The tracking accounts are in your nameWe get access, the data stays yours.

We test every event

Before handover we run through every event: GA4 DebugView, Tag Assistant, Meta's event match quality and Google Ads conversion diagnostics. Every test is listed in the handover report.

The tracking accounts are in your name, we receive access to them.

Server

Sized for your traffic

Low trafficfew server instances
Medium trafficmore instances
High trafficautomatic scaling
The server runs in your Google Cloud projectThe cost depends on traffic and is billed to your project; we size it for your traffic.

The cost of the server

The server-side GTM runs in your Google Cloud project, its fee depends on traffic and is charged to your project. Low traffic needs few server instances, high traffic needs more; we size it to your traffic during setup.

Details on the server-side conversion tracking page.

Clients we built websites and tracking for

Measurement plan

Which business events matter, and where they go.

dataLayer in the code

Custom events, no click guessing.

GTM and server-side GTM

On your own subdomain, on Google Cloud.

Destinations

GA4, Google Ads, Meta CAPI, TikTok Events API.

Consent Mode v2

Consent applies on the server too.

Testing and report

Every event tested and documented.

How much does the tracking setup cost?

The price of the tracking setup depends on the number of events, the destinations and the technical background of the website. The server fee is separate and is charged to your Google Cloud project. After an assessment we send a precise quote.

GA4 and GTM tracking

  • Measurement plan
  • dataLayer events
  • GTM setup
Custom pricing

Server-side tracking

  • Everything in GA4 and GTM tracking
  • Server-side GTM on your own subdomain
  • Google Ads conversions
Custom pricing

FAQ: website analytics

What is server-side tracking?

Server-side tracking: events are forwarded to GA4 and the ad platforms by a server running on your own subdomain, not directly by the browser.

Does a small business need server-side tracking?

If you advertise and optimise for conversions, yes: your ads are only as good as your conversion data.

Does server-side tracking violate the GDPR?

No, as long as it respects consent. The Consent Mode v2 signals apply on the server too.

Whose name are the tracking accounts in?

Yours. We receive access, the accounts and the data remain your property.

How much does the server cost?

The fee depends on traffic and is charged to your Google Cloud project; we size it to your traffic during setup.

Request a tracking quote

Tell us what counts as a conversion for you and where you advertise, and we will get back to you with a quote. Work starts once we have an agreement.

Tools we built ourselves

We built this software and use it every day ourselves.

Oloren

Request a call back

Tell us how we can help and we will get back to you within one working day.

Get a quote →Packages and prices