Tracking Server-Side vs. Client-Side Events in Mixpanel
kapa.ai what does mixpanel suggest - should I track server-side events and client side events, or should I only track server-side events? I am asking because of adblock and so on.
kapa.ai what does mixpanel suggest - should I track server-side events and client side events, or should I only track server-side events? I am asking because of adblock and so on.
Mixpanel recommends a hybrid approach: track critical business events (such as purchases, sign-ups, and revenue events) on the server side for maximum accuracy and reliability, since server-side events are not affected by ad blockers or client-side issues. At the same time, you should track user interactions and UI events (like button clicks and page views) on the client side, as these reflect real-time user behavior that only occurs in the browser or app and cannot always be captured server-side.Here’s a summary of Mixpanel’s guidance: - Server-side tracking is more reliable and not susceptible to ad blockers, making it ideal for important events and ensuring data consistency across platforms. - Client-side tracking is easy to implement and necessary for capturing certain user interactions, but it is less reliable due to ad blockers and privacy settings. You can reduce the impact of ad blockers by routing client-side events through a proxy, but some data loss may still occur. - Best practice: Use server-side tracking for critical events and supplement with client-side tracking for UI interactions. This hybrid approach gives you the most complete and accurate picture of user behavior while minimizing data loss from ad blockers and other client-side issues.> “The best practice for sending both client-side and server-side events in Mixpanel is to use a hybrid approach:
- Track critical business events ... on the server side. - Track user interactions and UI events ... on the client side.” Mixpanel Troubleshooting FAQ> “We recommend tracking everything you possibly can via your servers, and only supplementing that with client-side tracking when necessary.” Choosing the Right Method> “Adblockers and browsers are making it harder and harder to track users on the client-side. If you want to make sure the data you’re collecting is accurate, you’ll want to do most of your tracking server-side.” What to TrackIn summary: Prioritize server-side tracking for accuracy, but use client-side tracking where necessary for capturing user interactions. This hybrid approach is Mixpanel’s recommended strategy.
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Yes, it is okay—and often recommended—to track Page Views server-side if your goal is to get the most accurate and complete data. Server-side tracking is not affected by ad blockers or client-side privacy settings, which means you will capture more events and have more reliable data.Mixpanel specifically notes that page view tracking must be done manually for server-side implementations, and provides best practices for doing so. These include tracking page views as a single event type, using event properties to distinguish between pages, and ensuring you handle anonymous and identified users appropriately. Server-side tracking ensures that events are only fired on successful responses and allows you to parse headers for additional analytics properties like referrer and UTM parameters Server-Side Best Practices: Tracking Page Views.Additionally, Mixpanel recommends server-side tracking for accuracy, especially since client-side tracking can lose a significant percentage of events due to ad blockers—even when using a proxy What to Track.In summary: Tracking Page Views server-side is a good practice for data accuracy and completeness, and Mixpanel provides guidance for implementing this approach.
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