The past
Standard web page, with JS for analytics.
This is a very standard website. When you request this page, the browser sends a request to a server (origin). The origin processes the request and sends an html response to your browser. Once the html is loaded in your browser, several javascripts are executed, including the Google Analytics script.
Client side data collection is no longer effective
Using client-side analytics libraries for Google Analytics, Segment, or Amplitude... is no longer effective. Here are some reasons why:
- Webperf degradation.
- Using a lot of third-party scripts can slow down your website, and impact your SEO.
- Third-party cookies apocalypse.
- Third-party cookies are being blocked by browsers, and will soon be deprecated.
- Browser tracking restrictions.
- Browsers are implementing tracking restrictions, making it harder to collect data.
- AD blockers.
- Ad blockers are blocking more and more tracking scripts, impacting your data collection.
- Consent falls.
- Users are more and more aware of their privacy, and are less likely to give their consent to be tracked.
- Privacy regulations.
- Privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA... are making it harder to collect data.