Many companies invest thousands of euros every month in Google Ads, Meta, or other advertising channels. But if the data behind those campaigns is inaccurate, algorithms learn from the wrong signals. Then you’re not driving growth—you’re driving noise. In this interview about tracking performance marketing, we speak with Roy, a tracking specialist at Tomahawk, about why reliable data is the foundation of strong performance marketing.
Roy, thanks for joining us. Could you briefly introduce yourself and describe your role at Tomahawk?
“Good afternoon, it’s a pleasure to do this interview. A tracking specialist is responsible for setting up the entire data flow. That starts with configuring web tracking so we can measure conversions that take place on a website. We also set up Google Analytics properly so we can gain insight into user behavior and where visitors come from. Think which pages people view, where they come from, and how they navigate a website.
Next, we often set up server-side tracking to improve the accuracy of our measurements. This also allows us to tap into other data sources. For example, we link a web store’s backend data to the web tracking so that we can measure conversions even more accurately.
“Ultimately, it’s all about building a dataset that’s as clean as possible. We can then send that dataset to platforms like Google Ads and Meta so their algorithms can learn from it as effectively as possible.”
Why is good data so important for performance marketing in e-commerce?
“Platforms like Google Ads and Meta are increasingly using machine learning. These algorithms handle a large part of the optimization. They analyze hundreds of signals and recognize patterns that are often invisible to humans. But an algorithm doesn’t automatically know what works for your business. It only learns to steer effectively when you provide it with reliable conversion data.”
You can compare it to a tracking dog. Google or Meta owns the dog, but we give it the item of clothing with the right scent. We say: this is a valuable conversion; now look for more people who are similar. If you feed poor data into an algorithm, it will make decisions based on incorrect information. As a result, campaigns can become more expensive, convert less effectively, or reach the wrong audience.
“In addition, data provides insight. You can see which products are performing well, where the highest margins are, and where the most money is being made. Based on that, you can allocate budgets more intelligently and test assumptions. Data ensures that you make decisions based on facts rather than gut feelings.”
Why is tracking becoming increasingly important?
“In the past, marketers had much more direct control. You were in the driver’s seat and could manually optimize based on the numbers you saw. These days, algorithms take over a large part of that work. As a result, the quality of the data you provide becomes much more important.”
In addition, these days you have to take privacy laws and browser tracking prevention measures into account. A well-known example of this is Intelligent Tracking Prevention, often abbreviated as ITP. This is a Safari feature that limits cross-site tracking and affects how cookies and other tracking methods work.
For tracking specialists, this means that tracking setups must be continuously maintained. Browsers such as Safari and Firefox regularly release updates, which can cause certain tracking methods to work less effectively or yield data that is usable for a shorter period of time. Tracking methods from a year ago are likely no longer fully adequate today.
“That’s why we’re not just focused on solving measurement challenges, but also on research, innovation, and developing new solutions that better align with how browsers, platforms, and privacy regulations are evolving.”
What often goes wrong when tracking performance marketing campaigns?
“A common problem is that consent management isn’t properly organized. As a result, user consent isn’t processed correctly, and ultimately, less data is transmitted than would otherwise be possible. If the consent status isn’t properly transmitted, platforms like Google and Meta don’t know exactly what they’re allowed to do with that data. As a result, data may be missing, processed only partially, or not included in the measurement at all.”
In addition, when it comes to lead generation, you often see that companies focus solely on form submissions. People fill out a form, download a white paper, or request a quote, and that’s then measured as a conversion. But that doesn’t tell you how many of those people will ultimately become customers. You also don’t know the actual value of that lead or how much revenue it will ultimately generate.
That’s why we often provide a clear overview of the entire sales pipeline. At key moments in the sales process, we create new conversions that we send back to Google. This allows Google to learn not only which people fill out a form, but also which people ultimately become customers and which leads contribute to revenue. That brings you much closer to the actual business results.
Another problem is that companies sometimes try to measure too much. It’s not necessary to track everything a user does on a website. You first need to determine what the website’s primary objective is. Some metrics may seem interesting, but they say little about a company’s actual success. In that case, you’re mostly measuring just for the sake of it.”
Why is server-side tracking so important?
“Personal data has been misused extensively in the past. As a result, European legislation has been enacted that is quite strict. Server-side tracking helps with this. Instead of sending data directly from the browser to, for example, Google or Facebook, it is first processed through your own server. This gives you more control over the data.”
Many companies do set up server-side tracking, but they primarily do so based on web data—that is, data collected through the website. That helps, because it makes the measurement more reliable and routes more traffic through your own domain. But you’re still missing an important piece of the puzzle.
“That’s why we also try to integrate backend data—such as data from the online store, the CRM, or the order management system. This allows us to measure what’s actually happening much more accurately.”
What Makes Tomahawk’s Performance Marketing Approach Different?
“We don’t just want to collect more data; we want better data. When an online store has 100 orders, we want to see those same 100 orders reflected in our systems. The data must be as close to reality as possible. That’s important for reporting, but also for the algorithms of advertising platforms.”
“In addition, we build in extra intermediate stations so that data isn’t lost if, for example, a server goes down. An algorithm that suddenly stops receiving good data essentially becomes blind.”
An algorithm that suddenly stops receiving good data essentially becomes blind.
When Is Tracking Truly Successful?
“I actually see that as a kind of Maturity Ladder. For some clients, good web tracking is enough. At some point, you’ll want to take it further. Then you’ll want server-side tracking, followed by a backend integration, and ultimately, you’ll want to make sure the data is accurate
“How sophisticated your data and tracking infrastructure needs to be depends on what you want to do with the data. What are your campaign budgets? How much revenue do you generate? And how many conversions do you have per month? Generally speaking, the more a company grows in terms of conversions and revenue, the more important data becomes.”
What data are you still missing in your performance marketing reports?
“Many companies still focus on revenue or ROAS. But revenue doesn’t tell the whole story. Suppose you sell a product for 100 euros, but the cost price is 90 euros. Then you’re left with a profit of 10 euros. But maybe you also sell a product for 40 euros with a cost price of 20 euros. Then you’re left with a profit of 20 euros.”
If you focus solely on revenue or ROAS, Google will mainly try to sell as many of those expensive products as possible. But if you focus on profit margin, you’ll optimize for what actually yields the most value for the company. Ultimately, that’s much more valuable.
“The next step, for example, is to factor in returns. If someone returns a product, that revenue is ultimately lost. Ideally, you’d also send that information back to Google. Then you’re no longer focusing on revenue, but on actual profit.”
If you focus on profit margin, you’ll optimize for what actually yields the most value for the company. Ultimately, that’s much more valuable.
What does the future of tracking look like?
“One of the biggest challenges remains gaining insight into the entire customer journey. We also refer to this as channel attribution. We want to gain an ever-better understanding of the roles played by different marketing channels.”
The better you understand how customers ultimately convert, the more effectively you can allocate your marketing budget. It’s always easier to build on a solid foundation later than to have to start over from scratch afterward.”
Key Takeaways
Good data is the foundation of modern performance marketing. It forms the basis for decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. Data helps advertising algorithms better understand business success and, from there, work toward better campaign results. The same applies to marketers and business owners. Good data helps you better understand the playing field—from target audience insights and customer behavior to product performance and what does and doesn’t work.
The better organizations manage their data, the better they can steer, optimize, and grow. Because strong performance starts with data you can trust.
Wondering if your tracking is already at this level? With the server-side tracking audit With Tomahawk, you can map out your entire setup and receive a detailed report with areas for improvement.
