What are privacy-first advertising technologies

Server-side tracking solutions:

Server-side tracking processes data on your servers rather than in users' browsers, providing greater control over data collection and processing. This approach reduces reliance on third-party cookies whilst improving data accuracy and page loading speeds.

Server-side tracking in advertising:

What it is

Server-side tracking is a way for advertisers to collect information about how people interact with ads and websites, but uses a server (a powerful computer somewhere on the internet) to handle most of the data instead of your device (phone/computer) doing it directly.

Think of it as the difference between tracking actions on your own device vs sending the data to a central office where it’s processed.

Why people use it

• Privacy and control: reducing the amount of data that leaves your device and is shared with many different companies.
• Reliability: data is collected in a more consistent way, even if your browser blocks some tracking methods.
• Better performance: on some setups, it can be faster for the user because tracking work is done on a server rather than in your browser.

How it works

1. A user visits a website or opens an app.
2. The website/app sends information (like what page you viewed or whether you clicked a link) to a server owned by the advertiser or a partner.
3. The server processes this data to understand what actions happened (impressions, clicks, conversions, etc.).
4. The advertiser uses the processed data to measure campaign results and to improve targeting and optimization.
5. Because the data is handled on the server, it can be designed to minimize the amount of personal information shared and to comply with privacy rules.

How it differs from client-side tracking

• Client-side tracking: data is collected by your device (in the browser or app) and sent to various third parties. It can be blocked by privacy settings or browser changes.
• Server-side tracking: data collection and processing happen on a centralized server, not directly in the user’s device. This can reduce reliance on browser-level tracking.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Often more privacy-friendly (less raw data from your device).
• Can be more accurate and reliable for measuring results.
• Easier to enforce privacy rules and consent.

Cons

• Requires setup and ongoing maintenance by the advertiser or partner.
• Still depends on proper data handling to protect privacy.
• May limit what data can be used for targeting compared to traditional methods.

Common terms you might hear

• Conversion: when a user does something the advertiser wants (like buying something or signing up).
• Event: a specific action tracked (page view, click, form submission).
• Attribution: figuring out which ads or channels contributed to a conversion.
• Privacy by design: building tracking systems that protect user privacy from the start.

A quick analogy

Imagine a restaurant wants to know which ads bring in customers. Instead of listening to every customer’s phone or computer data (which could be invasive), they tally orders and visits through a central restaurant computer system. The central system aggregates this info, helps the restaurant understand what works, and keeps personal details private.

First-party data activation:

First-party data—information collected directly from your customers through websites, apps, and interactions—becomes increasingly valuable. Advanced customer data platforms (CDPs) enable sophisticated audience segmentation and personalisation without third-party data dependencies.

What is first-party data?

First-party data is information a company collects directly from its own customers or visitors.

Examples: website visits, emails, purchase history, loyalty program data, app activity.

It’s data that the company owns and controls.

What does “activation” mean?

Activation means turning that data into useful actions that help your marketing work.

It’s about using the data to do things like target the right people, personalize messages, or measure results.

Putting it together: first-party data activation

1. You collect data from your own audience.
2. You clean and organize it so you can understand who your customers are and what they might want.
3. You use (activate) that data to power marketing efforts, often within your own channels or with trusted partners, in a privacy-friendly way.

Simple examples

• A retailer has a list of customers who bought shoes. They use this list to show ads specifically to those customers or to create a “lookalike” group of similar shoppers.
• A streaming service uses what you’ve watched on their app to recommend new shows and send you personalized emails.

Why it matters

• It relies on data you already have, so it can be more accurate and cost-effective.
• It helps you deliver relevant experiences without guessing.
• It can be easier to manage privacy and consent since you’re dealing with data you’ve collected directly.

Quick glossary

• First-party data: data you collect yourself.
• Activation: using that data to drive marketing actions.
• Personalization: making messages or offers feel tailored to the individual.
• Privacy and consent: making sure you have permission to use the data and that you handle it responsibly.

Privacy-enhanced measurement:

Technologies such as Google's Privacy Sandbox and Apple's SKAdNetwork provide aggregated performance insights without exposing individual user data. These solutions enable campaign optimisation whilst respecting privacy boundaries.

Privacy-enhanced measurement explained

There are special technologies that help advertisers measure how well ads are doing without using or sharing individual people’s personal data.

Breaking down the key ideas

• Privacy-enhanced measurement: A way to learn what’s working in ads without seeing or storing details about any single person.
• Aggregated performance insights: Instead of data about one person, you get results about groups of people (like “all visitors in the last week”) to see trends.
• Without exposing individual user data: No names, emails, or precise actions linked to a specific person are shared.
• Campaign optimization: Even with privacy protections, you can adjust things like where/when ads appear and which messages to use, based on the overall results.
• Respecting privacy boundaries: These approaches follow privacy rules and user preferences, reducing risk of misuse.

Quick analogies

Think of it like a school cafeteria keeping tallies of how many lunches were eaten by grade level, not by each student. You learn which days are busiest and which meals are popular, but you don’t track any one student’s choices.

Why this matters

• You get useful data to improve your ads.
• Users’ privacy is protected.
• It helps companies comply with privacy laws and regulations.

Simple takeaway

Privacy-enhanced measurement lets advertisers learn what works from big-picture data, not by watching individuals, so they can improve campaigns while respecting people’s privacy.