In this guide
- Matomo accepts tracking requests on a simple HTTP endpoint, so a server container can send events to it directly.
- Matomo can run with or without cookies, and can be self-hosted for full control.
- Send a visitor ID, action name, URL and, for orders, revenue.
Matomo is an open-source analytics platform that many European and privacy-conscious sites use instead of, or next to, Google Analytics. It can be hosted by Matomo or by you. Because its tracking happens over a simple HTTP API, it works well with server-side tagging: your server container receives events and forwards them to Matomo, along with the other platforms. This page explains the basics and the details to get right. Check Matomo's documentation for the current parameters. See how server-side tracking works.
How Matomo collects data
Matomo's JavaScript tracker sends requests to a matomo.php endpoint with parameters such as idsite, url, action_name, _id (the visitor ID) and, for e-commerce, idgoal and revenue. The same endpoint can be called from a server. A browser-side tracker sets cookies (for example _pk_id), and Matomo also offers cookieless tracking, which relies on a fingerprint that changes daily.
Watch events arrive, live
A sample feed. In Open Tracked you see the same stream for your own store.
Send events from a server container
Choose the events
Page views and the conversions you want in Matomo.
Create a tag that calls the tracking API
Use an HTTP request tag or a Matomo template from the gallery, if one exists, with your Matomo address and site ID.
Pass the visitor ID
Use a stable first-party ID, such as the GA4 client ID or a cookie your server sets.
Pass the IP and user agent
Matomo needs the visitor's IP for location. Sending it from a server requires an authentication token with the right permission.
Test
Check Matomo's real-time view.
Cookies and consent
- Matomo can be configured to track without consent in some regions, if it is set up in a way that regulators accept. Ask your advisor.
- If you use cookies or the visitor ID, treat it like any analytics identifier and respect consent.
- Self-hosting keeps the data on your servers, which helps with data location questions.
Brands that grow on cleaner data
Stores and agencies use Open Tracked to see which ads earn the sale.
Why use Matomo with a server container
One event, many tools
Send the same event to Matomo, GA4 and the ad platforms, with consistent data.
First-party control
Events go to your own subdomain first, then to Matomo.
Blocker resistance
Matomo's default file names are well known, so blockers target them. Your own server hides the destination.
Limits
- Matomo does not replace ad platform tracking. You still need the Conversions API for Meta and Google.
- Some Matomo features, such as session recordings, depend on the browser tracker.
- Maintaining your own Matomo takes work.
Where Open Tracked fits
Open Tracked hosts the server container that forwards events to Matomo and the other platforms. Its Visitor Location and Device Info power-ups can add country and device details as parameters, and Bot Detection can keep crawler traffic out. For ad-focused first-party reporting, Open Tracked also offers its own analytics, with spend, revenue, ROAS and profit.
A realistic example
A European travel company uses Matomo because its legal team prefers a self-hosted tool. Marketing also needs the Meta and Google conversions. The company sends all events to its server container, which forwards page views and bookings to Matomo and bookings to Meta and Google Ads, each with the data that platform needs. Because everything passes through the same place, the booking numbers match across tools, and when the legal team changes what may be sent to ad platforms, the company changes one container, not four integrations. Matomo stays the main analytics tool, and the ad platforms get only the minimum they need.
Connected in minutes
Add your domain, install the pixel, connect your ad platforms and watch the first events land.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Matomo with server-side tagging?
Yes. A server container can send events to Matomo's tracking HTTP API.
Does Matomo need cookies?
It can use cookies, or run without them with limitations. Consent rules apply to cookies.
Can I self-host Matomo?
Yes. It is open source and can run on your own servers.
Does Matomo replace the Conversions API?
No. Ad platforms still need their own server events.
How do I pass the visitor's IP to Matomo?
Send it with a token that has the right permission, as Matomo's documentation describes.
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...
Blog · 5 min read
