Server-Side Tagging is a powerful tool in your marketing analytics toolbox. With a Server-Side Google Tag Manager (sGTM) container, marketing and analytics specialists gain full control over the data sent to various platforms. With Octanist, you can use your qualified leads to build or modify integrations tailored to your setup.
Note: This is an advanced integration. General knowledge of Server-Side Tagging and data matching is required.

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Prerequisites

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Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Setting Up the Octanist sGTM Integration
  3. Installing the Octanist Client Template
  4. Sending Data via sGTM
  5. Example: Integration with Piwik Pro

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1. Overview

This guide walks you through sending qualified leads from Octanist to your Server-Side Google Tag Manager container. By setting up this integration, you gain the flexibility to route Octanist data to any supported destination (e.g., Piwik Pro, Adform, Mailchimp).

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2. Setting Up the Octanist sGTM Integration

  1. Go to octanist.com and navigate to Outgoing Integrations.
  2. Click Add New, and select the GTM Server Container option.
  3. Enter a concise name for your integration (e.g., Octanist - sGTM). The name does not affect functionality.
  4. Provide your Server Container URL — this is the endpoint that will receive your data (e.g., https://measure.example.com or https://example.com/measure).

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Advanced Debugging (Optional)

  1. Under Advanced Options, enter your X-Gtm-Server-Preview HTTP header. This allows you to debug hits in the Server Container.
    • To find your header, enter Debug Mode in your server container.
    • Click the three dots in the top-right corner, then select Send Request Manually.
    Sending requests to the Server-Side Google Tag Manager container for Octanist
    • Copy the value under X-Gtm-Server-Preview HTTP header.
    Copy HTTP header
  2. Paste this value under Advanced > X-Gtm-Server-Preview HTTP header in Octanist.
  3. Click Create Server Integration, then download the sGTM Octanist Client Template.
When downloading the sGTM Client Template, you are receiving the most up-to-date version. Google Tag Manager does not currently provide a template gallery for Server-Side Clients. This client is stable and unlikely to require future updates.

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3. Installing the Octanist Client Template

  1. In your Server Container, create a new Workspace (e.g., Octanist - Server-Side Setup).
  2. Navigate to Templates > Client Templates > New. Create new Octanist Client Template
  3. Click the three dots in the top-right corner, then select Import.
  4. Upload the template.tpl file you downloaded earlier. Upload Octanist Client Template
  5. After uploading, do not make any changes. Simply click Save. Save uploaded client
  6. Go to the Clients menu, click New, then select the Octanist Client Template.
  7. No further configuration is needed. Click Save. Create Octanist Client

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4. Sending Data via sGTM

Once your client is set up, Octanist will begin sending qualified leads to the /octanist path. The Octanist Client will pick up these requests. From here, you can route the data to any supported platform using your server-side Google Tag Manager container.

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5. Example: Integration with Piwik Pro

Piwik Pro is a popular alternative to Google Analytics 4 and can run in parallel. This example demonstrates how to use the Octanist sGTM integration with Piwik Pro — though similar steps can be followed for other platforms like Adform, Mailchimp, or Awin.
Most platforms require a Match Key to associate Octanist leads with previous sessions. For example, if you’re using a User ID or Client ID in GA4, Piwik Pro, or Adform, you must map the same ID in your payload to maintain attribution.

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Steps:

  1. In your Server Container, create a new Trigger.
    • Choose Custom Trigger
    • Set Client Name Equals Octanist
    • Save the trigger
    Octanist Client Trigger
  2. Go to Templates > Tag Templates > Search Gallery.
    • Search and select the official Piwik Pro template.
    Select Piwik Pro Template
  3. Create a new Piwik Pro Tag using the template.
    • Fill in the appropriate Custom Variables (e.g., Session ID, Client ID)
    • Add the Octanist Trigger to fire this tag.
    📘 For a complete setup, refer to Simo Ahava’s guide on server-side tagging with Piwik Pro.
    Configure Piwik Pro Tag
  4. Open your sGTM Debugger, and qualify a lead in Octanist (e.g., mark as Won or Lost and include a value). You should see a converted_lead event appear as an incoming HTTP request to /octanist, which is then processed by the Octanist Client and forwarded to Piwik Pro. Debugging request to Piwik Pro
You’ve now successfully sent Octanist leads to Piwik Pro\! As a reminder, this is just one example — you can adapt this process for any tag template supported by your Server-Side Google Tag Manager container.