In this guide
- Google tag gateway serves Google's tag through your CDN. Open Tracked runs your server container and the Custom Loader.
- They do not conflict. Use the gateway for Google tag traffic if your CDN supports it, and the container for the rest.
- Test that events arrive once, and measure before and after.
Google tag gateway for advertisers and a server-side container are often presented as alternatives. In practice many sites use both, because each covers a different part of the problem. This page explains how they fit together when your container runs on Open Tracked, how to set up the combination and what to test. It builds on what is Google tag gateway, gateway vs server-side tagging and Google tag-based measurement.
Who does what
| Job | Google tag gateway | Open Tracked |
|---|---|---|
| Serve the Google tag from your domain | Yes, through your CDN or load balancer | The Custom Loader serves the Tag Manager script from your tagging domain |
| Send events to your own server | No | Yes: your tagging subdomain receives them |
| Meta, TikTok and other vendors | No | Yes, through server tags |
| Longer-lived cookies from your server | No | Cookie Keeper and server-set cookies |
| Stored customer data for later events | No | Data Store and Enricher |
| Plan cost | Your CDN's traffic charges | See the pricing page |
Works with your stack
Grab a logo and throw it. These are the tools Open Tracked already talks to.
A sensible combination
01Gateway for the Google path
If you are behind a supported CDN, turn on Google tag gateway so Google's tag script and measurement requests go through your domain.
02Open Tracked for the data
Send events to your tagging subdomain. The server container forwards to GA4, Google Ads, Meta, TikTok and more, with matching data and cookies.
Custom Loader for the container
Serve the Tag Manager container script from your own domain.
Do not send the same event along two routes. Decide which route carries GA4 and Google Ads events. Many teams send them to the server container, and use the gateway only for the Google tag script itself and for anything that still goes direct.
Set up on Cloudflare (outline)
Set up Open Tracked first
Add your tagging subdomain, verify it and import the container files. See the setup guide.
Turn on the Custom Loader
Paste the generated head code, and remove the old Tag Manager snippet.
Turn on Google tag gateway
In Tag Manager or the Google tag settings, choose your CDN and follow its guide. Check Google's current documentation for options.
Decide the route for GA4 and Ads
Set the server container URL in the Google tag if events should go to your server.
Test
Check requests in the Network tab, server Preview and DebugView.
Cloudflare can add visitor location headers, which Open Tracked's Visitor Location power-up reads to add country, region, city and postcode to events. Turn the option on in your Cloudflare settings. Avoid bot challenges on the tagging subdomain.
Orders from your store, back to the ad that earned them
Your store sends the order once. Open Tracked passes it on to each ad platform, cleaned and deduplicated.
Test
- Open a private window with developer tools on the Network tab.
- Check that the Google tag and the container load from your domains.
- Check that events go to your tagging subdomain.
- Check in server Preview and GA4 DebugView that each event arrives once.
- Compare Google Ads and GA4 conversions with orders for a week.
What to avoid
Check your tracking in one pass
This is an example. Run the check on your own site to see where yours stands.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Google tag gateway with Open Tracked?
Yes. They cover different parts and do not conflict. Choose one route for each event.
Do I need the gateway if I use Open Tracked?
Not necessarily. The server container and Custom Loader cover much of the same ground. The gateway can add a first-party path for Google's tag.
Which is cheaper?
The gateway costs what your CDN charges. Open Tracked starts free at 15,000 requests a month.
Does the gateway help Meta tracking?
No. Meta needs the pixel and the Conversions API.
How do I avoid double counting?
Send each event along one route to each destination.
Do I need spreadsheets to read my results?
No. Once tracking is live, the Open Tracked analytics shows spend, revenue, ROAS and profit, and you can ask Ari, the built-in AI assistant, questions about your own numbers in plain words. Ari's allowance depends on your analytics plan.
Is Open Tracked different from Open Track or Open Space Track?
No. Open Tracked is the official name of our server-side tracking platform, and the website is opentracked.io. Many people search for it as Open Track, OpenTrack or Open Space Track. All of them lead to the same product: server-side Google Tag Manager hosting, first-party analytics and a CRM pipeline.
Fix your tracking at the source
Open Tracked hosts your server-side Tag Manager, keeps first-party cookies alive and shows what each ad is really worth.
The Open Tracked team
We build Open Tracked: server-side tracking hosting, analytics and the tools around them, for stores that spend on ads. Questions about this guide, or an idea for the next one?
Comments
Loading comments...
Guides · 5 min read
