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Hardal Analytics: The Basics

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What is Hardal?

Hardal is a server-side analytics solution that collects and processes website visitor data through a first-party data pipeline. Unlike traditional analytics tools, Hardal sends data directly to a server-side Google Tag Manager (sGTM) container, giving you more control over your analytics infrastructure while improving data accuracy and privacy compliance.

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How Hardal Works

Hardal operates through a straightforward but powerful workflow:

1. Data Collection - Hardal’s JavaScript tracker captures user interactions on your website (page views, clicks, form submissions, custom events)

2. Server-Side Processing - Rather than sending data directly to third-party analytics providers, Hardal forwards it to your server-side Google Tag Manager instance

3. Data Distribution - From sGTM, your data can be:

   • Enriched with additional information
   • Filtered for privacy compliance
   • Routed to multiple destinations simultaneously

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Key Benefits

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Improved Data Accuracy

Hardal significantly improves analytics accuracy by:

• Bypassing Ad Blockers - Server-side tracking is less affected by ad blockers and browser privacy features
• First-Party Data Collection - Uses your own domain for data collection, increasing reliability
• Consistent Tracking - Works consistently across browsers and devices

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Enhanced Privacy Compliance

• Data Control - Process and filter sensitive data before it reaches third-party tools
• Custom Consent Implementation - Configure tracking based on user consent choices
• Reduced Client-Side Scripts - Fewer third-party scripts means better privacy by design

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Greater Flexibility

• Platform Independence - Not tied to any specific analytics vendor
• Custom Processing - Transform and enrich data according to your business needs
• Multiple Destinations - Send the same data to various analytics tools without additional browser scripts

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Common Use Cases

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E-Commerce Analytics

For online stores, Hardal can:

• Track the complete customer journey from product views to purchase
• Capture accurate conversion data even with ad blockers enabled
• Route transaction data to multiple platforms (GA4, Meta Ads, your data warehouse)

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Content Websites

Content publishers can:

• Measure engagement metrics reliably
• Track content performance across sections
• Analyze user flow without data loss

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SaaS Applications

SaaS businesses benefit from:

• Tracking in-app activities consistently
• Analyzing feature adoption and usage
• Monitoring conversion funnels accurately

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Integration Capabilities

Hardal is designed to work seamlessly with your existing tools:

Analytics Platform	Integration Method
Google Analytics 4	Direct sGTM integration
Meta Pixel	Server-side Conversions API
TikTok Ads	Events API
BigQuery/ClickHouse	Direct database connection
Custom endpoints	API integration

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Privacy and Compliance

While Hardal itself doesn’t store data permanently, how you configure your server-side implementation determines your privacy compliance. Hardal provides the foundation for:

• Implementing proper consent management
• Anonymizing personal data before sharing with third parties
• Controlling exactly what data leaves your infrastructure
• Meeting GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Next Steps

Now that you understand the basics of Hardal, you might want to explore:

For implementation details, check out our Setup Guide to start collecting data with Hardal.