Google Ad Tags in Server-Side GTM to Accept Full IP Addresses

Google says its advertising tags in server-side Tag Manager will accept full IP addresses, while IP addresses used by Analytics tags will remain redacted. The distinction is relevant to marketers who use both advertising and analytics tags in the same server-side setup.

The change concerns how much of an IP address is available to each type of tag. Advertising tags will be able to accept the complete address; Analytics tags will continue to receive an address with information removed. Marketers should not assume that the two tag categories will handle IP addresses in the same way.

The source summary describes the different treatment of advertising and Analytics tags but does not specify which individual advertising tags are affected or provide an implementation date. It also does not detail the extent of the redaction applied to Analytics tags. Those details should be checked before making changes to a configuration.

Redaction remains a consideration for teams that do not want full IP addresses available to advertising tags. Search Engine Journal says its report covers how to redact addresses, although the summary provided does not include the steps. It therefore does not establish which settings or procedures a marketer would need to use.

The distinction also means that an existing understanding of Analytics tag behavior should not be treated as a guide to advertising tag behavior. The stated continuation of redaction applies to Analytics tags, whereas Google says advertising tags will accept complete addresses. The summary does not say that the Analytics approach will change.

What this means for marketers

Review the advertising and Analytics tags used in your server-side Tag Manager setup separately, particularly if IP address handling is part of your configuration review. If full addresses should not be available to advertising tags, consult the detailed redaction instructions before making changes. The source summary alone does not provide enough information to identify the required settings or confirm when the change applies.