Server-Side GTM Setup – Part 2 – Configure Tags for GA4 & Google Ads

Why It Matters

Server‑side GTM centralizes data collection, boosts privacy compliance, and enhances conversion tracking accuracy for marketers.

Key Takeaways

• Configure web container to forward data to server-side URL.
• Create GA4 configuration variable with server container URL.
• Set up GA4 client and tag to fire on all events.
• Build Google Ads conversion tag triggered by thank‑you page view.
• Use custom variables and triggers for precise server‑side event routing.

Summary

The video walks through part two of a server‑side Google Tag Manager (GTM) tutorial, focusing on configuring tags that route data from a web container to a server‑side container and onward to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Ads. After confirming the web container is installed, the presenter copies the custom sub‑domain URL from the server‑side container and creates a GA4 configuration settings variable that points all events to that server endpoint.

Key steps include creating a GA4 client, building a tag that sends every GA4 event to the analytics property, and defining a custom trigger that fires only when the client name equals “GA4.” The tutorial also shows how to set up a Google Ads conversion tag that fires on a thank‑you page view, using a page‑location variable and a custom event trigger to isolate conversion traffic.

The presenter highlights Stape’s role in simplifying server‑side tracking and provides concrete examples, such as the “page_view” event name and the “thank‑you” URL condition. Variables for Measurement ID, Conversion ID, and Conversion Label are defined as constants, ensuring consistent data across tags.

By routing data through a server‑side container, marketers gain tighter control over data quality, reduce client‑side load, and improve privacy compliance while preserving full GA4 and Google Ads functionality. The setup also enables more accurate conversion attribution and easier future scaling of analytics integrations.

Original Description

Server-side tagging in Google Tag Manager allows you to process and send data through your own server before it reaches platforms like Google Analytics and Google Ads. In this video, you'll learn how to configure the clients and tags that make this work. Set up GTM server-side with Stape at https://lnk.stape.io/LovesData_May2026

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to configure your server-side container so that data flows properly from your website through your server to Google Analytics and Google Ads. We'll walk through setting up clients, creating tags, and adjusting your web container so everything works together. By the end of this video, you'll have a server-side container configured with a Google Analytics GA4 tag and a Google Ads conversion tag ready for testing and publishing.

This is the second video in the server-side tagging tutorial series. If you haven't watched the first video, I recommend starting there to understand how to set up your server-side container with Stape. In that video, we covered creating a server-side container and connecting it to your tagging server.

This video is sponsored by Stape, a managed hosting solution for Google Tag Manager server-side containers. Stape makes it simple to set up and manage server-side tracking without needing to build and maintain your own infrastructure.

YOUR EXTRA RESOURCES:

○ Get started with Stape – https://lnk.stape.io/LovesData_May2026

○ Save 20% with Stape promo code LOVESDATA20 (valid until 30 September 2026)

○ Google Tag Manager tutorial series – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1vNrn711L8SnLqvJ_W0sofsVST7ldXXV

○ Google Tag Manager course – https://www.lovesdata.com/courses/google-tag-manager/

SERVER-SIDE TAGGING TUTORIAL SERIES:

Lesson 1: Setting up your server-side container – https://youtu.be/1eAkdM6ZXUg

Lesson 2: Configuring clients and tags (That's this video)

More Lessons: Subscribe – http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=lovesdata

JUMP TO A TOPIC:

00:00 Introduction

01:25 Checking your web container installation

03:52 Configuring the web container for server-side

05:37 Finding tag details in the web container

07:07 Setting up the GA4 tag in the server-side container

10:14 Creating a Google Ads conversion tag in the server-side container

15:10 What's next in the series

TOOLS WE USE AND RECOMMEND:

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Join our courses: https://www.lovesdata.com/courses/

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