There are different ways to implement Adobe Target depending on
your business and optimization goals
Your technical setup
Your team's talent
Before I implement any mar tech software I go always evaluate client's project, team and technical setup.
We used to implement Adobe Target or any other optimization tool client side only but now we have the option of installing Adobe Target client side, server side or hybrid.
Let's review each method briefly.
How Adobe Target Client-Side Implementation works?
When you implement Adobe Target with client-side method, Target delivers the experiences associated with an activity directly to the client browser. The browser decides which experience to display and displays it. With a client-side implementation, you can use a WYSIWYG editor, the Visual Experience Composer (VEC), or a non-visual interface, the Form-based Experience Composer, to create your activity and personalization experiences.
How to Implement Adobe Target client-side?
You can implement Adobe Target client-side in 2 ways: Native or through tag manager
1-Target at.js JavaScript library (Native method)
This is the classical Adobe Target method that we have been using since the early days. The at.js JavaScript library will be directly implemented on all pages.
This is Adobe's tag manager that will help you to implement Target easier. One other clear advantage is to integrate Adobe Target with other Adobe products easier. The Adobe Experience Platform Web SDK lets you interact with the various services in the Experience Cloud (including Target) through the Adobe Experience Edge Network.
Adobe Target Server-Side Implementation works?
Server side implementation requires another detailed post, here I will touch base basics. Server side implementation is an advanced optimization technique that can be used when an experience does not need to display in a browser.
Why would you use Adobe Target Server Side Implementation?
1-To test things that you can't on a client side solution , or applications that do not support JavaScript
2-The experience can display in an email or kiosk, via a voice assistant, or through some other non-visual experience or non-browser-based device.
3-You can control whole personalization process with delivery APIs
4- You can still run client-side, WYSIWG testing through Adobe's node.js
There are 2 server side APIs and 1 server side SDK
Server Side Delivery APIs
Server Side SDKs
Target Recommendations APIs
This article aims to touch base some ways to implement Adobe Target, please refer to each detailed article to learn each about them
Some of the text has been copied from Adobe's documents to make article to be familiar.
