Server-Side GTM Setup – Part 3 – Additional Tags & Testing

Why It Matters

Server‑side tagging with Stape eliminates duplicate tracking and mitigates ad‑blocker interference, delivering cleaner data for marketing measurement and optimization.

Key Takeaways

• Test server‑side tags using GTM preview and Stape logs.
• Replicate conversion linker, remarketing, and purchase tags in server container.
• Create GA4 e‑commerce variables and custom purchase trigger for tagging.
• Pause duplicate client‑side tags before publishing to avoid double counting.
• Enable Stape custom loader for ad‑blocker‑resistant, accurate data collection.

Summary

The video walks viewers through the final phase of a server‑side Google Tag Manager (GTM) implementation, focusing on testing, adding additional tags, and deploying Stape’s custom loader. After configuring a conversion linker, remarketing, and purchase tags in the server‑side container, the presenter creates GA4 e‑commerce variables and a custom "purchase" trigger to fire the new tags only on relevant events. Key steps include using GTM’s preview mode to verify that page‑view and purchase events flow from the web container to the server container, and leveraging Stape’s logs to inspect incoming and outgoing requests. The tutorial also shows how to pause or remove duplicate client‑side tags to prevent double counting before publishing both server‑side and web containers. A notable example is the demonstration of Stape’s custom loader, which replaces the standard GTM snippet with a server‑hosted version that encodes requests, making them harder for ad blockers to intercept. The presenter emphasizes enabling enhanced ad‑blocker protection and ensuring only the custom code runs on the site. The overall implication is a more reliable data pipeline: server‑side tagging reduces browser‑level data loss, improves accuracy, and streamlines tag management across analytics and advertising platforms.

Original Description

In this server-side tagging tutorial, I'll show you how to test your Google Tag Manager setup and optimize it for better data accuracy. To make server-side tagging simple to set up and manage, I recommend using Stape. Get started with Stape at https://lnk.stape.io/LovesData_June

We'll verify that data is flowing correctly from your website through your server-side container to Google Analytics and Google Ads, then adjust your web container to prevent duplicate tags. Finally, we'll set up Stape's Custom Loader to improve tracking reliability and reduce the impact of ad blockers.

This video focuses on three critical steps: testing your server-side implementation to verify data is flowing correctly, eliminating duplicate tags that can distort your reports, and implementing Stape's Custom Loader to improve tracking reliability for all visitors, including those with ad blockers. By the end of this video, you'll have a fully tested and optimized server-side setup live on your website.

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

YOUR EXTRA RESOURCES:

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

○ 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 – https://youtu.be/3q59o-DPsLQ

Lesson 3: Testing and optimizing your setup (That's this video)

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

JUMP TO A TOPIC:

00:00 Introduction

01:40 Replicating additional tags from your web container

08:59 Testing with Google Tag Manager preview mode

13:28 Checking incoming requests with Stape logs

15:17 Adjusting your web container to prevent duplicates

16:15 Publishing your server-side and web containers

17:27 Setting up Stape's Custom Loader

20:57 Next steps

TOOLS WE USE AND RECOMMEND:

○ Data connector – https://lovesdata.co/oOWkI

○ Cookie banner – https://lovesdata.co/letON

○ Email platform – https://lovesdata.co/zrLd7

○ Course platform – https://lovesdata.co/2Zzfq

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

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