In today’s digital world, marketing professionals face a dual challenge: how to reach the right audience in a personalised and effective way while complying with increasingly strict user privacy requirements. This is not only a matter of ethics but also a legal obligation. Regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the latest Digital Markets Act (DMA) have transformed the way we collect, process, and use user data.
So how can you, as a digital agency or business owner, continue to make data-driven decisions, optimise your Google Ads campaigns, and understand user behaviour on your website without breaking the law or compromising your customers’ trust? The answer lies in an innovative solution offered by Google: Google Consent Mode v2.
What is Google Consent Mode v2?
Google Consent Mode v2 is a mechanism that serves as a bridge between user consent for data collection and how Google tools, such as Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Ads, operate on your website. It is not a replacement for your cookie banner (Consent Management Platform – CMP), but an advanced upgrade that allows consent or refusal signals from users to be communicated directly to Google services. Based on these signals, Google tags dynamically adjust their behaviour, ensuring that data is collected and processed strictly in accordance with the user’s decision.
Its implementation has become mandatory since March 2024 for all websites that use Google’s advertising products and target users in the European Economic Area (EEA). The main driver of this change is the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a new set of European Union regulations designed to ensure fairer and more open digital markets. The DMA, together with the existing GDPR, imposes strict conditions on how large technology platforms, including Google, must handle user data. Ignoring this obligation not only exposes you to the risk of legal penalties but also directly affects your ability to measure performance, target audiences, and conduct remarketing, making your marketing campaigns significantly less effective.
How Google Consent Mode v2 works
To fully understand Consent Mode v2, we need to dive a little deeper. It all revolves around the communication between the user’s choice on your consent banner and Google’s tags. When a user visits your website, the CMP presents options to give or refuse consent. Depending on their choice, Consent Mode v2 sends specific signals to Google through four key parameters.
Version 1 of Consent Mode used two parameters:
- ad_storage: Controlled the storage of cookies related to advertising.
- analytics_storage: Managed the storage of cookies related to analytics.
Google Consent Mode v2 upgrades this system with two new key parameters, providing significantly greater control and compliance:
- ad_user_data: This parameter determines whether user data can be sent to Google for advertising purposes. If the user refuses, no data about them (not even anonymised) will be sent to Google’s advertising services.
- ad_personalization: This parameter controls whether data can be used for ad personalisation, such as remarketing. If the user refuses this, you will still be able to measure conversions, but you will not be able to show them personalised ads.
These four parameters, together, form a sophisticated system that enables granular data management, ensuring that every interaction with Google’s services respects the user’s decision.
Two levels of implementation: Basic vs. Advanced Consent Mode v2
One of the most critical decisions during implementation is choosing between the Basic and Advanced modes. Although both ensure compliance, the difference in the amount of data you can see is substantial.
Basic Consent Mode
In Basic mode, Google tags are completely blocked and do not execute until the user gives consent. If the user refuses consent, no data is sent to Google, not even anonymous data. This means that for all users who decline cookies, you have absolutely no insight into their behaviour. While you remain legally compliant, you lose a significant portion of data, and Google Ads must rely on very general models to estimate conversions, which reduces their accuracy.
Advanced Consent Mode
The advanced mode is where Google Consent Mode v2 shows its true strength and why we, as an agency, always recommend it. If the user refuses consent, the tags do not store cookies; instead, they send anonymous “cookieless pings” to Google. These signals contain no personal identifiers but provide key information such as browser type, country, time of visit, and, most importantly, record that a conversion has occurred.
Thanks to these “cookieless pings”, Google’s artificial intelligence can model the behaviour of users who have not given consent and accurately estimate the lost conversions. This allows you to see a significant portion of data that would otherwise be lost, gain a more realistic picture of your campaign performance, and make better business decisions. Advanced Consent Mode strikes the perfect balance between privacy and essential marketing insights.
Why is the correct implementation of Consent Mode v2 crucial for your business?
The correct implementation of Google Consent Mode v2 is not just a technical task; it is a strategic decision that directly impacts the success of your digital marketing.
Here’s why it’s crucial:
- By implementing Consent Mode v2, you ensure compliance with European privacy laws such as GDPR and DMA, significantly reduce the risk of fines or legal issues, and guarantee that your Google tags process data only with explicit user consent, thereby protecting your business.
- With Consent Mode v2, particularly in Advanced mode, you retain vital analytics even when users decline cookies. Google’s AI uses machine learning to estimate missing data, enabling you to make informed decisions, optimize your website, and maintain a complete view of user behavior.
- Maintaining advertising performance: Google Ads campaigns heavily rely on conversion and user behaviour data for optimisation. If you previously had a “fake” cookie banner, your campaigns received all the data. Now, with Consent Mode v2, when cookies are declined, Google cannot directly track those conversions. Initially, this will result in a drop in recorded conversions and affect your campaign efficiency. However, Consent Mode v2, especially in Advanced mode, enables Google, through modelling, to continue receiving enough signals for optimisation, even when users refuse consent. This helps to mitigate the decline in ad performance and maintain the level of optimisation. It’s essential to understand that this is a step towards compliance, not necessarily a long-term decrease in effectiveness, as modelling helps fill the gaps. Building and maintaining user trust: Today, transparency and respect for privacy are not only legal obligations but also key factors in building trust with your clients. By actively respecting their privacy choices, you foster a long-term relationship based on trust. This can result in greater loyalty, improved brand perception, and ultimately higher conversions.
- Competitive advantage: Companies that implement Consent Mode v2 early and correctly gain a significant advantage. While your competitors struggle with data loss and reduced campaign effectiveness due to non-compliance, you will have a clearer view of performance, remain legally compliant, and continue optimising your marketing strategies. This allows you to stay competitive and make better decisions in a dynamic digital environment.
Who must implement Google Consent Mode v2?
Anyone using Google Analytics 4 and/or Google Ads targeting users in the European Economic Area (EU/EEA). This includes nearly every company that relies on Google tools for digital marketing and analytics, regardless of size or industry.
- E-commerce stores: If your online store uses Google Ads to attract customers and Google Analytics 4 to track sales and user behaviour, implementation is mandatory.
- Websites with Google Ads campaigns: Any website displaying Google Ads or using Google Ads for remarketing in the EU/EEA must implement Consent Mode v2. This ensures that user data is collected and used in accordance with their consent.
- Any site using Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for traffic analysis: Since GA4 has become the standard web analytics tool, any company using it to collect data on visitors from the EU/EEA must implement Consent Mode v2 to ensure compliance and maximise data retention.
The consequences of not implementing Consent Mode v2 are multiple and severe:
- Non-compliance: You risk fines and legal issues for violating the GDPR and DMA.
- Remarketing audiences: Google will not collect remarketing audiences if Consent Mode is not correctly implemented.
- Service disruption: Google has clearly stated that from March 2024, it will stop processing advertising data for users in the EU/EEA who do not use Consent Mode v2. This means your campaigns will not function properly.
What to expect in analytics and advertising after implementing Google Consent Mode v2
After implementing Google Consent Mode v2, it is essential to understand that specific changes will occur in how you view and analyse your data. These changes are expected and part of the privacy compliance process:
- Less direct data in analytics: For many websites that previously had “cosmetic” cookie banners, those that appeared but did not actually prevent data collection without consent, the first and most noticeable change will be a significant drop in the number of recorded users and conversions in your analytics tools (e.g., GA4). This drop does not necessarily mean that your traffic has decreased or that campaigns are less effective; it simply reflects that data from users who decline consent is no longer collected directly. For those already using functional Consent Mode v1, the drop will be smaller but still present due to the stricter v2 rules and new parameters.
- Conversion modelling as a solution: This is where Google’s advanced AI comes into play. For users who decline cookies, Google uses conversion modelling. This means that, based on the behaviour of users who gave consent and those who did not, Google’s AI estimates the behaviour and conversions of users who declined consent. The goal is to fill data gaps and provide a more accurate picture of overall performance, even when you do not have direct data for all users. The quality of this modelling is significantly better in Advanced Consent Mode, as “cookieless pings” provide the AI with more context.
- Impact on targeting and remarketing: This is one of the most critical changes. Without correctly implementing Consent Mode v2, Google will not populate remarketing audiences for advertising to users in the EU/EEA. This means you will not be able to show personalised ads to users who visited your site or performed specific actions, a foundation of many successful digital campaigns.
How to implement Google Consent Mode v2
Implementing Google Consent Mode v2 may seem complex, but with the right approach and tools, the process is straightforward. The key to successful implementation lies in using a high-quality Consent Management Platform (CMP). A CMP is software that manages the display of consent banners, collects user choices, and forwards this information to Google.
Prerequisite: High-quality Consent Management Platform (CMP)
Choosing a certified CMP is extremely important. Google has certified numerous CMP partners that have been tested and proven to support Consent Mode v2 and comply with IAB TCF v2.2 standards. Using such a CMP greatly simplifies implementation and reduces the risk of errors. Our agency can assist you in selecting and configuring the best CMP for your needs.
Implementation methods
- Using a CMP (Recommended): This is the simplest, safest, and most effective method. Most certified CMPs offer easy integration with Google Tag Manager (GTM) or direct integration on your website. The CMP automatically handles consent logic and sends the necessary signals to Google. Your task is only to configure the CMP correctly and ensure it loads before any Google tag.
- Google Tag Manager (GTM): GTM offers excellent flexibility and control. If you already use GTM to manage your tags, you can also use it to implement Consent Mode v2, usually in combination with a CMP. The CMP sends signals to GTM, which then adjusts the behaviour of Google tags accordingly.
- Direct implementation (for advanced users): It is technically possible to implement Consent Mode v2 directly in your website’s source code without a CMP or GTM. However, this method is highly complex, requires deep technical knowledge, and great attention to detail. Mistakes are easy to make, leading to non-compliance and data loss. Therefore, this method is less recommended for most companies.
The role of an agency
As a digital agency, our role in this process is multifaceted:
- Consultation and CMP selection: We help you choose the most suitable certified CMP that fits your needs and budget.
- Technical implementation: We handle the entire technical implementation, whether via GTM or directly on your website, ensuring everything functions flawlessly.
- Testing and verification: We conduct testing to confirm the correctness of the implementation and compliance with regulations.
- Training: We provide training for you and your team on how Consent Mode v2 works.
Verification of correct implementation
After implementation, it is crucial to verify that Google Consent Mode v2 is correctly set up and functioning as intended. Incorrect implementation can lead to the same issues as not implementing it at all: non-compliance and data loss.
Tools for verification
- Google Tag Manager (GTM): The GTM preview lets you see which Google tags your website loads, how they behave, and, most importantly, their consent status. You can check the values for ad_storage, analytics_storage, ad_user_data, and ad_personalization.
- Online Consent Mode Checker tools: Various online tools (e.g., provided by CMP vendors) allow quick verification of Consent Mode v2 status on your website by simply entering the URL.
- Browser extensions: Several Chrome extensions display the status of all parameters for the current page. It is recommended to visit the site in incognito mode and monitor parameter behaviour when interacting with the cookie banner, as you would in GTM preview.
This thorough verification ensures that your Consent Mode v2 implementation is not only technically correct but also effectively serves its purpose and remains compliant with regulations.
In conclusion about Google Consent Mode
In a world where user privacy is both a priority and a legal obligation, correctly implementing Consent Mode v2 helps you remain compliant with regulations such as the GDPR and DMA, avoid costly fines, and, equally important, maintain your users’ trust. Its data modelling capabilities ensure that you do not lose insights into user behaviour, even when cookies are declined, preserving the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns and the accuracy of analytics in Google Analytics 4.
As an agency specialising in digital marketing and advanced solutions, we understand the complexity of this process. Our team of experts possesses deep knowledge and experience in setting up and optimising Google Consent Mode v2, ensuring that your website is not only compliant but also continues to collect the key data necessary for your business growth.
Contact us today to discuss your needs and receive a tailored solution. Our agency is your trusted partner in digital privacy and marketing.
