Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a powerful tool that allows website owners and marketers to add and manage various marketing and analytics tags on their website without the need for coding. However, there are two approaches to implementing GTM: server-side and client-side. In this article, we’ll explore the differences between these two approaches and help you decide which one is right for you.

In a server-side GTM implementation, the tag management process is moved from the client-side to the server-side. This means that the web server generates and sends the tracking requests to the marketing and analytics platforms directly, without the need for the website visitor’s browser to load and execute the tracking scripts.

Benefits of Server-side GTM

• Improved website performance: By moving the tag management process to the server-side, the website can reduce the number of requests made by the visitor’s browser, resulting in faster page loading times and improved website performance.
• Increased data accuracy: Server-side GTM implementations can reduce data discrepancies that may occur due to ad-blockers, network connectivity issues, or browser incompatibilities. Since the tracking requests are generated and sent directly from the web server, there’s less chance for data to get lost or corrupted.
• Enhanced data privacy: In a server-side GTM implementation, the tracking requests are generated and sent directly from the web server, without the need for the visitor’s browser to execute any tracking scripts. This can help address data privacy concerns, as it reduces the amount of data that’s being processed and stored on the visitor’s device.

In a client-side GTM implementation, the tracking scripts are loaded and executed on the visitor’s browser. This means that the website visitor’s browser generates and sends the tracking requests to the marketing and analytics platforms.

Benefits of Client-side GTM

• Easy implementation: Client-side GTM implementations are easier to implement and require less technical knowledge.
• More flexibility: Client-side GTM implementations allow you to add and remove tags on the fly, without the need for code changes on the web server.

The choice between server-side and client-side GTM implementation depends on your specific needs and requirements. If you’re looking to improve website performance, increase data accuracy, and enhance data privacy, then server-side GTM is the way to go. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an easy-to-implement solution with more flexibility, then client-side GTM is the way to go.