Mixpanel Server-Side Tracking with GTM: 7 Easy Steps

Want to get the most reliable user data from Mixpanel? Look no further than server-side tracking! This powerful approach lets you capture user actions directly from your servers, bypassing limitations like ad blockers. We’ll explore how the Mixpanel tag integrates with a server-side Google Tag Manager (GTM) container, and walk you through the setup process step-by-step.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding Mixpanel Server Side Tracking
• How MixPanel Tag for Server-Side Google Tag Manager Container Works
• Set up MixPanel Server-Side Tracking GTM
• Best Practices for MixPanel Server-Side Tracking with GTM

Understanding Mixpanel Server Side Tracking

What is MixPanel?

Mixpanel is a product analytics platform designed to help you understand how users interact with your website or mobile app. It focuses on tracking user behavior, engagement, and conversions, giving you valuable insights to improve your product.

Advantages of Mixpanel Approach

It offers a server-side integration option through Google Tag Manager (GTM) that boasts several advantages over the traditional client-side approach. Here are some key benefits:

1. Increased Page Speed: Server-side tracking occurs before the webpage loads, eliminating the need for JavaScript libraries on your site. This reduces page load time, resulting in a faster and more responsive user experience.

2. Enhanced Privacy Compliance: Server-side tracking minimizes data collection on the client-side, potentially reducing concerns about data privacy and complying with regulations like GDPR.

3. Improved Data Accuracy: Server-side tracking occurs in a controlled environment, minimizing the risk of data manipulation or interference from browser extensions or ad blockers. This ensures more accurate and reliable data collection.

Key Differences Between Server Side and Client Side Tracking

It’s important to  factors when deciding between server side and client side tracking for your analytics strategy. Keep in mind that a hybrid approach may also be suitable for certain use cases. For more deep dive into the difference between client side vs server side tracking.

Remember, the choice between server side and client side tracking should align with your specific data privacy and real-time analytics requirements. Consider the trade-offs and choose the approach that best meets your business needs.

Why Choose MixPanel?

It is a popular product analytics platform that can be a powerful tool for understanding your users and improving your website or app. Here are some of the key reasons why you might choose Mixpanel:

• Track user behavior: Monitor specific actions users take, like signups, purchases, or button clicks.
• Measure engagement: Analyze key metrics like active users, retention, and conversion rates.
• Visualize user journeys: Build funnels and flows to understand user journeys and identify drop-off points.
• Segment users: Group users based on demographics, device type, or behavior for targeted analysis.

How MixPanel Tag for Server-Side Google Tag Manager Container Works

The Mixpanel tag for the server-side Google Tag Manager (sGTM) container offers a powerful way to track user interactions without impacting your website or app’s performance. You can able to access MixPanel GTM template from the Template Gallery section.

You can able to choose three different action types for the Tag, here’s below mentioned with description:

• Track: Records specific events users perform, like button clicks, page visits, or purchases.
• Alias: Associates an existing user with a new identifier, like an email address.
• Reset: Resets the identification of a user, useful for managing multiple identities on the same device.

Each action type requires specific data points, like event properties, user attributes, and timestamps.

• Route data to EU servers: select if you want to route data to the EU data centers.
• Automatically handle customer distinct_id: This guide explains how to manage customer distinct_id automatically in the Mixpanel server API, specifically when using a stateless shared instance across requests. In this scenario, unlike client-side libraries where a single instance tracks a single user, you need to provide the distinct_id with each tracking call.
• Send common data with request: Adds to track request user_agent, path, $current_url, $screen_width, $screen_height, $referrer, user ip, etc.
• Get parameters from the variable: select if you want to extract any parameters from the server-side GTM variable.
• Additional Parameters: select what other parameters you want to send and add Parameter Name and value.
• Remove parameters from the request: add parameters that you want to remove from the requests. Helpful in eliminating standard parameters like $current_url or IP.
• Logs Settings: select if you want to use logs to troubleshoot your setup.

Set up MixPanel Server-Side Tracking GTM

Step 1: Add a MixPanel tag from the Template Gallery

Click on the ‘New’ and click on the Tag Configuration. Search the MixPanel from the template community gallery.

Step 2: Add the MixPanel Project ID

After adding the tag, then add the Project Id from the MixPanel dashboard. You will get the Project token from the project settings.

Step 4: Add the Project Token into the MixPanel Tag server-side GTM

As you got the project token, copy the token and paste it to the Project Token.

Step 5: Add Event Name

Add the event name in the ‘Tag Options’. If you want to add the additional parameters then you can add it.

Step 6: Configure the Trigger

After configuring the tag, configure the trigger which you want. And save the trigger with particular name.

Step 7: Preview the tag

After, configuring the tag preview the GTM and check the data is reflected or not.

Best Practices for MixPanel Server-Side Tracking with GTM

Identify Users Properly: Implement a system for generating unique and persistent anonymous IDs for users. Leverage these IDs for tracking events until a user logs in, then switch to their authenticated ID for more precise data.

Track Essential Information: Capture necessary data points like event properties, user attributes, and timestamps for each tracked event. This enriches your analysis and helps understand user behavior in context.

Advanced Use Cases: Explore advanced use cases like integrating Mixpanel with a CRM system or tracking custom events based on server-side logic for deeper insights.

Utilize Available Resources: Take advantage of the Mixpanel GTM template available in the Template Gallery for easier setup.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this article has provided an in-depth understanding of Mixpanel server-side tracking. From setting up the server-side tracking to leveraging its benefits, we have covered various aspects of this powerful tool. With the knowledge gained from this guide, you are now equipped to implement MP server-side tracking effectively and optimize your analytics strategy for better insights and decision-making.