60% more data available through Server Side Tagging

PRIOR SITUATION

Only 40% of conversions were measured

Meta's standard Shopify plugin only measured 40% of all conversions. Because Meta facilitates its own plugin as a third party, they face strict legislation. This ensures that on average only 20-40% of conversions are measured by Shopify web shop owners. With this plugin, events cannot be sent in real time, instead they are sent in batches every hour.

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In the video below, you can see the difference between the actual conversions in Shopify and the conversions measured in Meta's Event Management. Where in reality 70 conversions occurred, Meta was only able to measure 29 conversions here.

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For the analysis and optimization of the campaigns, it is of course necessary to measure the conversions as well as possible. After all, if you don't know where the conversions are coming from, how do you know where to start optimizing? Also, Meta's algorithm can start optimizing better if it is known where the conversions are coming from. This has a positive effect on campaign results.

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We got to work on improving measurability. In the video below, we take a closer look at the old situation at Detailrs.

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THE PROCESS

Server-side tagging installed i.c.w. Google Analytics 4 configuration

After the problem was clear, the following steps were taken.

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1. Install Google Tag Manager Server container

‍TheGoogle Tag Manager Server container is an additional container on top of the existing web container. Often web shops and marketing agencies are used to working in this web container and the server container is new territory.

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Since it is becoming increasingly difficult to measure visitor journeys using pixels (after 7 days the cookie is deleted by Apple), Google has created this solution. But with the caveat that the solution must be installed on your own server. This is because when your data is processed through your own server, you yourself own the data and thus use First Party data instead of Third Party.  

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In addition, for advertisers and Shopify users, there are two more important reasons why we need Tag Manager Server Side:

• Because due to the Apple ITP update, Meta can still only retrace 5% of the Pixel data from Apple users, there is much less data available. Consequently, the measurements of your campaigns are limited and the algorithm cannot perform correctly. Result: disappointing campaign results and higher cost per conversion.
• Meta's solution (Shopify plugin) can only measure 20-40% of actual conversions.

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2. All events except purchase event forwarded via GA4 configuration

The next step was to forward all events. Using the Google Analytics 4 Web Configuration Trigger and the Facebook Incubator Tag, we ensured that all default events are forwarded to Meta.

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Want to know how we did this? Then read this article.

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After installation, Meta immediately gaaf a marked improvement in the measurability of a number of events:

• View content +5.1%
• Add cart +9.6%

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Improving this measurability has a positive effect on the final results. Meta's algorithm now gets more insight into the different data points and therefore into the entire visitor journey. For example, there is more insight into which products are viewed and which products are added to the shopping cart in the webshop.

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Did a visitor view a product and then add it to their cart but not complete the order? Then you can use this data to show this visitor a retargeting ad to still ensure a purchase.

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3. Forward purchase events via Webhooks + DataLayer

Because Shopify is very limited in customizing the checkout (unless you purchase Shopify Plus), measuring a payment is not easy. In the checkout you only have the option to add a standard Google Tag Manager web script, which still only allows you to measure Third Party data. At Detailrs, we saw that only 40% of completed payments were measured through. In other words, the checkout and the thank you page do not work well together to track properly.

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We solved this as follows. By including shopping data, but also cookie data such as fbp and fbc* in the DataLayer, we are able to include this info in the order information as well. At the moment the order is completed we send all the information to Meta via a webhook (via Tag Manager Server Side). This shows that Meta also receives fbp and fbc information.

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*What is fbp and fbc?

An fbp is a cookie that is placed on your browser so that Meta can link your browser to the profile. Fbc is used to link the ad click to the ad where the profile clicked. In this case, you can see that 53.16% of the buyers converted directly through the ad.

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4. Adding Cookie Recovery

Apple is trying to ensure the privacy of its users through many ways. The new Safari 16.5 update also removes server side cookies after 7 days because the tagging domain name does not refer to the same last 6 digits of the IP address.  

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Because we installed a Master cookie via AdPage Tagging, once Apple deletes the cookie, it is reinstated with the same fbp and fbc cookie.

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THE CURRENT SITUATION

After implementing Server-side tagging, 60% more data is available

Implementing Server-side tagging has increased the available data by over 60%. Because Meta can collect more data, there is also more insight into the visitor journey. This makes optimizing campaigns much easier and ultimately leads to more conversions. Curious about the results, watch the video below.

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Leon speaking