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Server-Side Tracking (SST) – The Future of Accurate and Transparent Data Collection

In our previous blog posts, we explored how tracking technologies shape the hospitality industry, helping hoteliers make informed marketing decisions. We also highlighted the strengths and limitations of various tracking pixels and web analytics tools. Now, it’s time to introduce a game-changer: Server-Side Tracking (SST).

What is Server-Side Tracking?

SST provides a more reliable way to collect visitor data by using a direct server-to-server connection, instead of relying on third-party services like Google, Microsoft, or Meta (Facebook). This solution is especially valuable in today’s digital landscape, where cookie restrictions and privacy regulations are making traditional tracking methods less effective.

How does Server-Side Tracking work?

Unlike client-side tracking, where data is processed in the browser and can be blocked by privacy settings or ad blockers, SST collects data directly from the server. This means that user interactions are recorded without interference from browser limitations, providing hoteliers with more accurate and transparent data.

Key benefits of Server-Side Tracking

  • More accurate data: SST bypasses browser limitations and blockers, ensuring that conversions and user interactions are captured reliably.
  • Privacy-friendly tracking: Since SST reduces reliance on browser-based technologies, it aligns better with evolving privacy regulations and cookie-less environments.
  • Consentless tracking within a session: While respecting privacy laws, SST allows tracking without requiring user consent for session-based data collection.
  • Transparent attribution: SST allocates booking numbers to campaigns, providing a clear picture of marketing performance and helping to build trust with clients.
  • Better customer journey insights: It enables hoteliers to track the sequence of interactions – such as a user clicking on a Google Ads campaign first and then a Trivago ad – offering valuable insights into multi-channel behaviour.

Challenges & limitations of Server-Side Tracking

  • Infrastructure complexity: Implementing SST requires setting up a dedicated server environment, making it more complex and costly than traditional tracking solutions.
  • Dependencies on multiple stakeholders: Proper implementation requires coordination between clients, IBE providers, and website agencies, which can slow down adoption.
  • No cross-device tracking: When avoiding fingerprinting technologies for privacy reasons, SST cannot track users across multiple devices, meaning conversions from different platforms may not be fully attributed.
  • No view-through attribution: Since SST tracks direct interactions (clicks and landing pages), it cannot measure conversions based on ad views—a key limitation for social media campaigns where users engage passively.

Why Server-Side Tracking outperforms Google & other third-party tracking

  • Data transparency: Unlike Google, which extrapolates data by adding estimated conversions based on consent rejection rates, SST only records real, verified conversions.
  • Deduplication of conversions: Traditional tracking often results in double attribution – for example, if a user clicks on a trivago campaign first and later a Google Ads campaign, both platforms claim credit for the conversion. With SST, only the last-clicked campaign gets the attribution, ensuring a more accurate report.
  • Closing the gap: SST can also measure without 3rd party cookies and thus despite blockers. This usually allows more bookings to be attributed.

East Hamburg: Promising first results for Server-Side Tracking

A real-world example of SST’s impact comes from East Hamburg, where SST was activated in November 2024. Since implementation, the hotel has seen continuous month-over-month improvements in conversion rates. Also, a direct comparison between SST and Google tracking revealed that SST tracks significantly more revenue, for example +38% revenue in January 2025.

The future of tracking in hospitality

Once fully rolled out, SST has the potential to become the single, unified tracking solution for all channels – including both paid (Demand Booster campaigns) and organic channels. This would eliminate fragmented reporting, providing hotels with a clear and accurate picture of their marketing performance. 

However, due to its limitations, SST is not suitable for paid social media campaigns, where view-based conversions play a critical role. Given that social media engagement is often passive and mobile-driven, SST cannot capture non-click interactions effectively. 

With privacy regulations tightening and traditional tracking becoming less reliable, SST offers a future-proof alternative for hotels seeking transparency and accuracy in their marketing attribution. By implementing SST, hoteliers can gain clear insights into campaign performance, avoid duplicated conversions, and build stronger data-driven strategies. 

In conclusion, we hope this article has shed some light on the importance of Server-Side Tracking in the hospitality industry. For a deeper understanding of its impact, be sure to check out our next article, when we will take an in-depth look at the case of the East Hotel Hamburg. We’ll analyze the impressive numbers and insights that highlight the effectiveness of this tracking method. Stay tuned for more valuable information!

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Tracking Technologies in the Hospitality Industry

In the world of hospitality, staying ahead of the competition means harnessing the power of data. From driving direct bookings to enhancing the guest experience, tracking technologies have become essential tools for hoteliers looking to optimise every aspect of their business.

In our last post, we explored the crucial role tracking technologies play in the hospitality industry, transforming guesswork into actionable insights. We discussed how tracking helps hotels measure marketing effectiveness, understand customer behaviour, and drive more direct bookings through tools like cookies, session tracking, and fingerprinting.

Now, it’s time to dive even deeper. In this post, we’ll break down specific tracking pixels and web analytics tools, revealing how they work and the unique advantages they offer for optimising your hotel’s marketing strategy. Ready to take your marketing strategy to the next level? Let’s get started!

1. myhotelshop Pixel

The myhotelshop pixel, embedded on the confirmation page of the Internet Booking Engine (IBE), tracks clicks on links and conversions from metasearch campaigns (e.g., Trivago, TripAdvisor, Kayak). It utilises cookie-based tracking with a 30-day window and session-based tracking without requiring consent.

Objective: Demonstrate the performance and profitability of individual marketing campaigns.
Limitations: Challenges with cross-device and cross-channel interactions, and cookie blockers.

2. Google Pixel

Implemented on the website and confirmation page of the IBE, the Google pixel tracks clicks, conversions, and other interactions such as ad calls. Google sets cookies whenever a user clicks on an ad, with a 30-day cookie window. This means that if a conversion occurs within 30 days of the click, it will be attributed to Google. In addition, Google places a cookie when a user views (without clicking or interacting) a display ad or video. The cookie window for this is one day, so any conversion within 24 hours of viewing the ad will be attributed to Google. Google extrapolates data by using Google Consent Mode and Enhanced Conversions. However it is very unclear for the advertiser how exactly Google extrapolates data. 

Objective: Measure the performance and profitability of Google campaigns.
Limitations: Similar to the myhotelshop pixel, it faces issues with cross-device interactions and cookie blockers.

3. Microsoft Pixel

Similar to the Google pixel, the Microsoft pixel is used on the website and IBE confirmation page to track clicks and conversions, with a 30-day cookie window.

Objective: Assess the performance and profitability of Microsoft campaigns.
Limitations: Faces the same challenges with cross-device interactions and cookie blockers.

4. Facebook Pixel

This pixel links user behaviour on the website to Facebook profiles, collecting data to track conversions and assist in social media marketing. It uses a unique ID for each ad account. Facebook considers conversions within a specific time frame after a user interacts with an ad. The default attribution window is 7-day click and 1-day view. Facebook can track users across multiple devices to attribute conversions more accurately. Advanced algorithms are used to estimate the likelihood of conversions, especially for view-through attributions. So in general like we see with other big tech players like Google, it is very unclear for the advertiser how exactly data is being extrapolated. 

Objective: Evaluate the performance and profitability of social media campaigns, maximising attribution for this channel.
Limitations: Cookie rejecters and blockers can limit tracking effectiveness.

5. Internet Booking Engine (IBE)

The IBE measures bookings, overnight stays, and revenue within a specific timeframe, providing data on booked rates and room types. It uses parameters in the URL to track the source of bookings. However, correct campaign allocation is usually not the main purpose of IBE tracking. It is therefore not suitable for measuring campaign performance standalone.

Objective: Measure marketing revenue and understand the performance of different channels.
Limitations: Bookings made at a later time through different sources without the parameter in the URL cannot be attributed to the original source.

6. Web Analytics (Google Analytics 4 and Matomo)

Web analytics tools like Google Analytics 4 and Matomo analyse website performance, providing insights into user navigation, page views, and traffic sources. They use cookie-based tracking and attribute transactions to the last identifiable source. There are cookieless or server side technologies available to improve data quality. This involves more effort and usually costs. The use must be questioned on a case-by-case basis.

Objective: Analyse user behaviour and flow on a website to optimise performance.
Limitations: Attributions can be skewed if users return through different sources for booking.

A balanced look at the different tracking solution:

Effective tracking of user data and campaign performance is essential for hotels to make informed decisions and refine their marketing strategies. From tracking pixels by myhotelshop, Google, Microsoft, or Facebook to booking engines and web analytics, each technology offers its own strengths and challenges. Choosing the right tool can significantly impact a hotel’s ability to drive long-term success. However, it’s equally important to recognise the limitations of these technologies, particularly in light of evolving privacy regulations and customer expectations.

Currently, each tracking pixel operates independently, with the goal of maximising revenue for its respective channel. This can create challenges when users interact with multiple touchpoints (such as Trivago, Google Ads, or Facebook), as each pixel might attribute the same booking to its channel, leading to overlapping data.

Server-Side Tracking (SST) offers a solution by providing a unified tracking system across all channels. SST not only creates transparency by displaying booking IDs but also prevents duplicate bookings, ensuring more accurate data attribution and reporting.

To learn more about how SST can transform your tracking and marketing efforts, stay tuned for our next blog post!

Latest Blogs

Understanding the Power of Tracking Technologies for Your Hotel

Imagine you’re a hotel marketer ready to launch your next big campaign. You have a budget to allocate across various channels, but without tracking technologies, you’re essentially watering your marketing garden blindly, hoping for growth. Tracking technologies transform this guesswork into a strategic masterpiece, allowing you to understand customer behaviour, evaluate campaign effectiveness, and maximise direct bookings. These insights are not just numbers; they are the keys to boosting your hotel’s revenue and refining your marketing strategies. Let’s dive into the world of tracking technologies and uncover how they can revolutionise the hospitality industry.

Why Do We Need Tracking?

Tracking technologies serve multiple vital functions in the hospitality industry:

  • Evaluate the Effectiveness of Marketing Campaigns: By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as clicks, revenues, and conversion rates, hotels can assess which campaigns are driving the most engagement and bookings.
  • Identify High ROI Channels & Campaigns: Tracking allows for a more efficient allocation of marketing budgets by identifying the most profitable channels and campaigns.
  • Offer Personalised Recommendations: Through technologies like remarketing, hotels can provide personalised recommendations to guests based on their previous interactions.
  • Understand Customer Behaviour: By tracking user behaviour, hotels can identify high-value customers and segments, tailoring their strategies accordingly.
  • Detect Issues in the Customer Journey: Tools like web analytics help in identifying and rectifying issues in the customer journey, enhancing overall user experience.

Different Tracking Technologies

1. Cookie Tracking

Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a user’s device by a web browser. They track user activities and preferences across websites. There are various types of cookies:

  • Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that expire once you close your browser.
  • First-Party Cookies: Set by the website you are visiting.
  • Third-Party Cookies: Set by domains other than the one you are visiting, often used by advertisers to track user behaviour for analytics and personalised ads.

Limitations: Implementing a Consent Management Platform (CMP) can significantly impact your data tracking capabilities. For instance, after one of our clients implemented a CMP in March, their conversion rate dropped from a consistent 4.7% to less than 3.0%, despite an increase in the number of clicks. This drastic reduction in tracked data illustrates the challenge: users rejecting non-essential cookies and technical blockers can severely inhibit cookie tracking. As a hotelier, this means it becomes much harder to measure campaign performance accurately, complicating your ability to gauge the true effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

2. Session Tracking

Session tracking keeps track of a user’s activities and preferences during their visit to a website. Methods of session tracking include:

  • Cookies: Store a session identifier linking user actions to a session on the server.
  • URL Rewriting: Appends a session ID to the URL of each page request.
  • Hidden Form Fields: Store session data within hidden fields of web forms.
  • Server-Side Storage: Keeps session information on the server, linked to a session ID.

Limitations: Session tracking is limited to the duration of a single visit. Especially when addressing users over multiple touchpoints and handling the checkout on a separate domain, a session alone won’t fill the gap left by blocked third-party cookies completely. This can lead to fragmented data and an incomplete understanding of user behaviour across their entire journey.

3. Fingerprinting

Fingerprinting identifies and tracks users across websites based on unique characteristics or attributes of their device or browsing behaviour. This technique gathers data for targeted advertising, personalization, and analytics purposes but raises significant privacy concerns.

Conclusion

Understanding and utilising tracking technologies is essential for hotels aiming to increase direct bookings and optimise their marketing efforts. By leveraging tools like cookies, session tracking, and various pixels, hoteliers can gain valuable insights, personalise guest experiences, and make data-driven decisions that enhance their revenue and guest satisfaction. In upcoming articles, we will delve deeper into the differences and challenges faced by providers such as Google, Facebook, and others, and share the solutions we are developing to overcome these obstacles. Stay tuned to learn more about how to navigate the evolving landscape of digital marketing effectively!

Latest Blogs

Understanding the Power of Tracking Technologies for Your Hotel

Imagine you’re a hotel marketer ready to launch your next big campaign. You have a budget to allocate across various channels, but without tracking technologies, you’re essentially watering your marketing garden blindly, hoping for growth. Tracking technologies transform this guesswork into a strategic masterpiece, allowing you to understand customer behaviour, evaluate campaign effectiveness, and maximise direct bookings. These insights are not just numbers; they are the keys to boosting your hotel’s revenue and refining your marketing strategies. Let’s dive into the world of tracking technologies and uncover how they can revolutionise the hospitality industry.

Why Do We Need Tracking?

Tracking technologies serve multiple vital functions in the hospitality industry:

  • Evaluate the Effectiveness of Marketing Campaigns: By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as clicks, revenues, and conversion rates, hotels can assess which campaigns are driving the most engagement and bookings.
  • Identify High ROI Channels & Campaigns: Tracking allows for a more efficient allocation of marketing budgets by identifying the most profitable channels and campaigns.
  • Offer Personalised Recommendations: Through technologies like remarketing, hotels can provide personalised recommendations to guests based on their previous interactions.
  • Understand Customer Behaviour: By tracking user behaviour, hotels can identify high-value customers and segments, tailoring their strategies accordingly.
  • Detect Issues in the Customer Journey: Tools like web analytics help in identifying and rectifying issues in the customer journey, enhancing overall user experience.

Different Tracking Technologies

1. Cookie Tracking

Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a user’s device by a web browser. They track user activities and preferences across websites. There are various types of cookies:

  • Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that expire once you close your browser.
  • First-Party Cookies: Set by the website you are visiting.
  • Third-Party Cookies: Set by domains other than the one you are visiting, often used by advertisers to track user behaviour for analytics and personalised ads.

Limitations: Implementing a Consent Management Platform (CMP) can significantly impact your data tracking capabilities. For instance, after one of our clients implemented a CMP in March, their conversion rate dropped from a consistent 4.7% to less than 3.0%, despite an increase in the number of clicks. This drastic reduction in tracked data illustrates the challenge: users rejecting non-essential cookies and technical blockers can severely inhibit cookie tracking. As a hotelier, this means it becomes much harder to measure campaign performance accurately, complicating your ability to gauge the true effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

2. Session Tracking

Session tracking keeps track of a user’s activities and preferences during their visit to a website. Methods of session tracking include:

  • Cookies: Store a session identifier linking user actions to a session on the server.
  • URL Rewriting: Appends a session ID to the URL of each page request.
  • Hidden Form Fields: Store session data within hidden fields of web forms.
  • Server-Side Storage: Keeps session information on the server, linked to a session ID.

Limitations: Session tracking is limited to the duration of a single visit. Especially when addressing users over multiple touchpoints and handling the checkout on a separate domain, a session alone won’t fill the gap left by blocked third-party cookies completely. This can lead to fragmented data and an incomplete understanding of user behaviour across their entire journey.

3. Fingerprinting

Fingerprinting identifies and tracks users across websites based on unique characteristics or attributes of their device or browsing behaviour. This technique gathers data for targeted advertising, personalization, and analytics purposes but raises significant privacy concerns.

Conclusion

Understanding and utilising tracking technologies is essential for hotels aiming to increase direct bookings and optimise their marketing efforts. By leveraging tools like cookies, session tracking, and various pixels, hoteliers can gain valuable insights, personalise guest experiences, and make data-driven decisions that enhance their revenue and guest satisfaction. In upcoming articles, we will delve deeper into the differences and challenges faced by providers such as Google, Facebook, and others, and share the solutions we are developing to overcome these obstacles. Stay tuned to learn more about how to navigate the evolving landscape of digital marketing effectively!

Latest Blogs