In the world of online advertising, the success of your operations is heavily reliant on the technology you use for campaign tracking. Today, thanks to trackers such as Keitaro, you can collect data on everything from views and clicks to impressions and behavior across multiple sessions and websites using various tools.
There are two major types of ad trackers: self-hosted and cloud-based. When using cloud solutions, you don’t need to procure, configure and maintain the server your software and data are hosted on. This is generally included in your package.
If you’re hesitant to trust large companies with your information and are more tech-savvy, it is optimal to pick a self-hosted option. This way, you’ll be in full control. You could tweak and customize all tracking aspects to suit your preferences and needs. You could ensure that your operations are as secure as possible.
Keitaro is a self-hosted tracker, meaning you store all the information and base your operations on your own server. Choosing the server would be the first thing you do when beginning to work with Keitaro.
Your success in Internet marketing depends on multiple factors. It is crucial to ensure that the backbone of your operations is stable and capable of handling your volumes. The right server is the foundation of your business.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Server
Server location and latency
The average attention span of humankind is shrinking, in the past 20 years it went down by 68.7%. Another study by Microsoft has concluded that the average attention span of a person was only about 8 seconds in 2015. That’s a significant drop compared to 12 seconds in 2000. And it keeps shortening.
So, when it comes to grabbing your audience’s attention, less than a couple of seconds can make a difference.
That’s why the server’s location and proximity to traffic sources can significantly impact campaign performance. Latency, or the time it takes for a server to respond to a request (ping) impacts performance and profitability, as you need to make sure that the pages for your ads open as fast as possible to keep the audience engaged. The rule of thumb is: the closer the server – the faster the ping.
Server specs and scalability
The server must be able to handle the projected number of clicks and accommodate growth and expansion. Even if you’re starting small, consider whether you’ll be able to scale up: increase the CPU, memory, and bandwidth with your VPS provider in the future. Otherwise, you will have to look for another vendor in the heat of the moment. Transfer your active campaigns to a new server, which would pause them. Thus – you will be losing valuable time and money.
Server security and reliability
The server must be secure to protect sensitive data, and reliable uptime is necessary to ensure uninterrupted operations. This information is hard to check and is usually based on peer experience. You can consult Support, ask colleagues, and check the information on relevant forums and threads. It’s also wise to perform regular backups, just in case.
The Consequences of Choosing the Wrong Server
Choosing the wrong server for internet marketing can have severe consequences:
Decreased performance and profitability
An inefficient server with slow speeds and high latency can result in lost leads and inability to reach the target audience. This could be due to low user engagement due to bad ping, the inability of the hardware to process your clicks at an optimal speed, and general server malfunctions that can result in catastrophic aftermath.
Increased risk of data loss and security breaches
Sensitive data is at risk if the server is not secure, and data loss can occur if the server uptime is unreliable. For example, it can also happen due to a competitor’s DDOS attack. Make sure that your server provider implements the leading security protocols and practices.
Limited scalability and growth potential
A non-scalable server can limit growth and expansion potential, and missed opportunities can occur due to server limitations. Imagine that your campaign is attracting way more attention than you’ve projected, you have to be able to scale up the bandwidth, CPU, and memory pretty promptly to gain maximum profit.
How to Choose the Right Server
It is essential to evaluate your needs and goals, research and compare server options, and consult with experts and peers.
1. Evaluating your needs and goals
How many clicks per day are you planning to have? Where are your leads, offers, and target audience located? What kind of server add-ons would you need? How fast are you planning to scale your operations? Answer these questions to understand more clearly what type of server you need.
The Keitaro team has carefully selected several VPS providers that have proven to be reliable in the past and created an easy selection tool that you can find here. The recommended parameters of the servers are based on internal Keitaro testing and experience.
Add-ons
It might be useful for you to procure certain add-ons, like IPv6, DDOS protection, and an SSH key.
IPv6 – allows compatibility of your pages with requests from IPv6 addresses. This is the latest IP address protocol. It is widespread in Asia, the United States, and Europe. You’ll need this compatibility so that people who click on an advertising link can access the page. If you don’t have it – the source will be charged, but the ad will not be seen.
DDOS protection – prevents the tracker from being taken down by a DDOS attack. It is also used to prevent competitors from repeatedly clicking on the ads, resulting in losses.
SSH key – is considered to be a more reliable and secure way to access the server compared to root access.
2. Research and comparison of server options
Researching available server options and comparing features and pricing are crucial to making an informed decision. User reviews and recommendations from industry peers can also help make a decision. Check your trusted sources to see what other users think of the particular vendors.
3. Buy the server for Keitaro
You can pick almost any server provider you’d like to use Keitaro. Follow the detailed instructions on this page to get assistance in choosing and procuring a server.
Install Keitaro in one-click with the suggested vendors, as the software is pre-installed on CentOS 8 Stream and 9 Stream.
And don’t forget to get a welcome bonus listed in FAQ -> Discounts here.
Did you enjoy this article in the How to: series? Do you have a topic that you’d like us to explore in the following articles? Let us know in the comments below!
Have questions regarding this topic? Drop a line to Keitaro Support, and one of our managers will gladly assist!
