Analytics & Attribution
Server-Side Tracking
Quick definition
Tracking implementation where events are sent from your server, not the browser, to ad platforms and analytics tools.
What it actually means
Server-side tracking, often via server-side GTM or a CAPI gateway, replaces browser pixels to recover attribution lost to iOS privacy, ad blockers, and ITP. Setup: a Cloud Run or App Engine container receives events from your store, transforms them, and forwards to Meta CAPI, Google Ads, TikTok Events API, and similar endpoints. Benefits: attribution recovery, better data quality through deduplication and Advanced Matching, and centralized control. Expect a hosting bill and a focused setup pass for a Shopify store.
Related terms
CAPI (Meta Conversions API)
Server-side event tracking from your store to Meta, replacing browser pixel events lost to iOS privacy changes and ad blockers.
Attribution
The model used to assign credit for a conversion across the marketing touchpoints that influenced it.
Tracking Pixel
A small JavaScript snippet or 1x1 image embedded on a page that fires events back to an ad platform or analytics tool.