Set up your own tracking domain
Avoid data loss due to ad blocking & cookie limitations by browsers (ITP)
In certain configurations, ad blockers such as Ghostery and Adblock Plus prevent data collection with etracker analytics, although the use of etracker respects the privacy of users and complies with data protection regulations. As a result, around 15 % of the visit data is lost.
However, these browser extensions for etracker analytics do not work with a separate tracking domain, as ad blockers generally do not prevent scripts originating from the same domain.
Safari also limits the cookie runtime for most ad traffic to 24 hours by means of “Intelligent Tracking Protection” (ITP). On average, 40% of visits via paid ads are affected by this if no tracking domain is used.
You can find out more about your own tracking domain in these webinar recordings:
Prevent data loss with your own tracking domain
Deep Dive: Setting up your own tracking domain
To do this, log in to your etracker account, go to Integration → Website Code and click on the Own tracking domain button.
You then have the choice between using your own TLS/SSL certificate or a free “Let’s encrypt” certificate. For the “Let’s encrypt” certificate, etracker takes care of the complete creation and renewal. For your own certificates, these steps must be carried out by you.
In both cases, make sure that the tracking domain set up is not blocked by the website’s content security policy headers (CSP).
Tracking via your own domain with “Let’s encrypt” certificate
The first step is to define a name for your own tracking domain (subdomain). This should be based on the name of your website domain.
Example:
Domain name of the website: deinewebsite.com
Possible/recommended name for your own tracking domain: webcontr.deinewebsite.com
The desired tracking domain must be unique, i.e. it must not have already been assigned elsewhere.
After clicking on Activate, have your domain provider create a CNAME entry for the selected tracking domain with the value customer.etracker.com. Please note that customer is not a placeholder and remains unchanged. A webspace assignment is not required for the tracking domain.
Here you will find further information on creating a CNAME entry.
Once the CNAME entry has been made, you can insert the code customized for your tracking domain into the head section of your website. If you integrate the code using an etracker plugin, you will find the option to enter your own tracking domain in the plugin settings.
Tracking via your own domain with your own certificate
The first step is to define a name for your own tracking domain (subdomain). This should be based on the name of your website domain.
Example:
Domain name of the website: deinewebsite.com
Possible/recommended name for your own tracking domain: webcontr.deinewebsite.com
The desired tracking domain must be unique, i.e. it must not have already been assigned elsewhere.
Enter the address of your subdomain in the URL field and click on Download Certificate Signing Request (CSR). With the CSR, you create a corresponding TLS/SSL certificate with your Certificate Authority (CA).
We recommend a certificate with a validity of one year and a key length of 2048 bits. Please make sure that the certificate chain is complete. This also includes the so-called intermediate certificate. Visit SSL Labs to verify that the certificate chain is complete.
Alternatively, tracking is possible via your own domain with an existing certificate.
Set up a CNAME record from your tracking domain at customer.etracker.com with your DNS service provider. Please note that customer is not a placeholder and remains unchanged.
Upload the TLS/SSL certificate you have received from your certification authority and click on Save. If the configuration is successful, the expiration date of your certificate will be displayed.
An etracker tracking code customized for your own tracking domain is then available for you to copy:
Replace this customized code with any existing etracker code on your website. Please ensure that any manually set parameters are not changed and that the conditions for the use of consent management solutions are implemented.
If you integrate the code using an etracker plugin, you will find the option to enter your own tracking domain in the plugin settings.
Tracking via your own domain with existing certificate
We recommend using a new certificate for tracking via your own domain, which can be requested via the certificate request under Integration → Website code and can be created and uploaded.
Alternatively, an existing certificate (consisting of certificate, intermediate certificate and key) can be sent to etracker using the Certificate API.