First party cookies vs. Third party cookies

Cookies, everyone recognises the notifications when they visit a website. But what are cookies actually? Cookies are small text files that a website stores on a user's computer. They are used to remember user preferences and browsing history and to track your behaviour as a user on a website. Cookies can be divided into two types: first party cookies and third party cookies.

What are first party cookies?

First-party cookies are placed by the website a user is currently visiting. These cookies are used to remember your user preferences, such as login details or the contents of your shopping basket, and to personalise your user experience on the website. First-party cookies are generally considered less privacy sensitive because they are set by the website a user has deliberately visited.

What are third party cookies?

Third party cookies, on the other hand, are set by a different domain than the one you are currently visiting. These cookies are used for tracking and targeted advertising. Third party cookies can be set by external advertisers, analytics providers and other companies that may be present on multiple websites. Because third party cookies can track a user's browsing history across multiple websites, they are considered a bigger privacy concern.

Because third party cookies are considered a bigger privacy concern, they will increasingly disappear and eventually be replaced entirely.

Browsers such as Safari, Firefox and Brave have blocked third party cookies, and Google has announced that third party cookies in Chrome will gradually disappear within the next two years. In addition, laws such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have set stricter rules for the use of cookies, including third party cookies.

Third party cookies are disappearing, what now?

Besides third party cookies, there is another way to collect data, namely: Server-side tagging. Server-side tagging is a method for tracking user behaviour on a website without using cookies. Instead of storing information on a user's computer, the server uses various scripts on the server side to capture user behaviour and store it on a server. This tracking method is less vulnerable from a privacy perspective because the information is not stored locally.

The benefits of server-side tagging

Server-side tagging is a method for tracking website visitor behaviour by sending data directly to a server. This method is becoming increasingly popular because it offers several advantages over traditional cookies. Here are three reasons why you would want to set up server side tagging:

1. Improved data accuracy: the server eliminates the possibility of data loss or inaccuracies caused by browser restrictions, such as disabling JavaScript or using ad blockers. This ensures that all collected data is accurate and reliable.

2. Improved security: by sending data directly to a server, it eliminates the possibility of data breaches or misuse of sensitive information that can occur with traditional cookies. This can be especially important for sites that collect sensitive personal information from visitors.

3. Better performance: server side tagging can help improve your website's performance by reducing the amount of JavaScript that needs to be loaded and executed on the client side. This can result in faster page load times, which can improve the overall user experience and reduce bounce rates.

Overall, server side tagging is a powerful and reliable method for tracking visitor behaviour on your website. By improving data accuracy, enhancing security and boosting performance, it can help you gain valuable insights into how your visitors interact with your site, allowing you to make informed decisions to improve your online presence.

What do you need to set up server side tagging?

You can set up server side tagging via a server container in Google Tag Manager. This is only possible by connecting Tag Manager to a paid server. There are therefore costs involved with server side tagging, as you pay for the server that relays your data. The costs depend on the number of visitors, events and conversions on your website, but plan for around €20 to €60 per month. 

Need help setting up server side tagging with Google Tag Manager? Then get in touch with us!