Do you ever feel like time flies when you’re having fun? It turns out that Google Consent Mode (GCM) was released in beta back in September 2020, which is peculiar for many reasons. The main one is that it still partially feels like it’s in beta form.
Firstly, it has suffered from the recent trend of semi-informative yet somewhat mysterious guides from Google’s support, which focus heavily on developers and hard coding and significantly less on marketers, analysts, and tag managers. Perhaps even more telling is that the accompanying Consent Overview feature in Google Tag Manager (GTM) still bears the (BETA) tag.
Recently, Google announced “Consent Mode V2”, likely a direct response to the EU Digital Markets Act, which came into effect in March 2024. Consent Mode is no longer a “nice to have,” and marketers will need to have at least a basic implementation with V2 enhancements, or risk suspension for those tracking users in the European Economic Area (EEA). A related impact on analytics tracking is also expected later in the year.
What is Google Consent Mode?
Given the ever-growing scope and complexity of digital analytics and marketing, you’d be forgiven if you aren’t yet familiar with consent mode.
Less technically put, it allows sending basic information to Google’s servers without using cookies, whereas previously, nothing would be sent if a user declined non-essential analytics and marketing cookies via your website’s cookie banner.
This cookie-less information can, once received and processed, inform about the proportion of users who are not tracked by traditional cookie-based methods and can be used to model their activity in reports. This effectively helps fill the gap that would previously arise due to user opt-outs.
Although this modeling occurs within a “black box,” Google has revealed that the modeling, specifically cookie-less conversion modeling, is based on various aggregated signals such as device type, browser timestamp, country, time of day, and the broad category the conversion action falls into.
Is it the same as “cookie consent”?
Google Consent Mode is not exactly the same as “cookie consent” – it does not replace the functions handled by your Consent Management Platform (CMP) or cookie banner, which are still required to comply with the growing list of user privacy regulations across territories.
Its role is to check whether the user has consented to analytical or marketing cookies, and if not, switch all compatible tracking tags and features to operate without cookies.
What is Google Consent Mode Compatible With?
Somewhat surprisingly, Google Consent Mode is directly compatible with the most popular Google platforms and tag types:
Google Analytics 4 (GA4):
- Configuration Tag (recently merged into the “Google Tag”)
- Event tags
Google Ads:
- Conversion tracking
- Remarketing
- User-provided data events
Google Marketing Platform:
- Floodlight Counter
- Sales Floodlight
Others:
- Google conversion linker
Interestingly, the list lacks the Google Ads Calls from Website Conversion tag, which dynamically sets phone numbers on the page to Google’s proprietary forwarding numbers. It’s possible that because it performs more than just tracking functions, it would not currently be achievable without using set cookies. The recently discontinued Google Tag Optimize was also not compatible, likely for similar reasons.
Most surprisingly, Universal Analytics (UA) tag types were natively compatible with Google Consent Mode – or at least appeared to be; however, it was never connected on Google’s end. This was likely interrupted by the sudden announcement that UA would be discontinued and replaced by GA4.
Although other platforms (analytics, marketing, or entirely separate) can be hooked into the logic and functionality, they do not gain cookie-less capabilities – they only serve as an alternative to the logic your CMP already displays.
What Changes Does Version V2 Bring?
In addition to established controls for ad-related tracking and cookie settings in the user’s browser, granular controls for processing user data for ad purposes, along with the option to serve personalized ads, have been added. For Google Ads, this refers to using Enhanced Conversions and Remarketing features (in that order).
It also brings a change in Google’s terminology, introducing the distinction between “Basic” and “Advanced” implementation.
- Basic refers to an implementation where cookie-less data is not sent to Google if the user declines non-essential cookies, but alongside traditional, cookie-tracked hits, the consent status is provided to Google if the user consents.
- Advanced mode is essentially the fully functional version of Google Consent Mode, with active cookie-less tracking aspects for users who have declined consent.
To meet Google’s new conditions for Q1 2024, at least a basic implementation would be required. If no technical reasons prevent it, an Advanced setup is recommended, especially to leverage the offered automatic modeling capabilities for ads and enhanced analytics.
In Summary
The days of simply placing a tag on every page of a website to enable comprehensive tracking are long gone, and those who implement, manage, and analyze are subject to additional considerations and granular complexities.
Currently, we find ourselves in a transitional phase, where supplemental “patch” solutions like Google Consent Mode are released and subsequently adjusted, allowing us to make the best use of what’s available and enhancing our ability to take informed actions based on collected data. Each of these solutions, of course, has its own nuances and pitfalls, while more unified and robust solutions are being worked on behind the scenes.
Keeping up with each new development can certainly be daunting, especially for industry veterans and newcomers alike. However, being well-versed in the current state and what’s “around the corner” could be the edge you need; whether in achieving ambitious year-over-year gains or outsmarting your closest competitors. Start with implementing Consent Mode (GCM) today.
Need help with online marketing? Feel free to contact us, we’ll be happy to help.