Google Consent Mode Updates

In the coming weeks, Google will launch consent mode v2. This is an update to their consent mode tag setting that allows your website visitors' cookie preferences to be passed via their selections on your domain’s cookie banner/consent management platform to Google’s suite of ad products, such as Google Ads and Google Marketing Platform. You can learn more about the details of consent mode here. 

The update supports “Google’s ongoing commitment to a privacy-centric digital advertising ecosystem” and means that “advertisers must adhere to the EU consent policy to use ad personalization” to target visitors based in the EU and UK. If your website does not comply with the consent mode requirements, you can only continue to serve ads on Google platforms that are not personalized, such as remarketing ads, to people located in EU and UK countries. 

If targeting users in these countries is critical to your business, a thorough policy structure around GDPR and how to comply with advertising policies in these countries should be something you work through with your legal teams and roll out to any marketing providers assisting with your advertising.

How can I enable consent mode?

The first step to enabling Google’s consent mode is to set up a consent management platform on your site. A consent management platform, also sometimes called a “cookie banner,” allows website visitors to choose their preferences around what is collected via cookies and sent to Google platforms such as Ads and Analytics. 

Using one of Google’s certified consent management platforms means the platform's settings will be updated so you can enable consent mode across Google products.

If you already have a content management platform, make sure you go into settings and enable consent mode.

If you don’t already have a consent management platform, Google has a list of official providers that can support your domain’s consent management needs. You can find the full list of Google-certified CMPs here. GCommerce recommends OneTrust as a CMP and can assist with setting up/integrating it onto your site, but there are many choices available for you to select from to help with your company’s consent mode compliance needs. 

Once you’ve set up your CMP, work with the provider to enable consent mode settings and alert GCommerce so we can assist with any necessary Google Tag Manager steps.

 You can learn more about Google’s updates to consent mode here.