Google Consent Mode V2 at a glance

Everything You Need to Know About Google Consent Mode V2

In this ever-shifting digital space, Google Consent Mode V2 emerges as a tool to help marketers navigate the new frontier of data collection and user consent. SEO Premier Blog will guide you into everything marketers and users need to know about Consent Mode V2, its implications, and how to navigate it effectively.

First Off, What’s a Consent Mode?

Before diving into the V2 update, let's revisit the original Consent Mode. Introduced in 2020, it addressed the growing concerns around user privacy regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). It basically acts as a bridge between a user's consent choices from a website's cookie banner and Google tags (analytics and advertising tools) embedded on that domain.

How it works is when a user visits a website that has a cookie consent banner, he can select from different consent modes - accept all, reject all, or customise - and that selection relays the information to Google tags. For those who give consent, tags of the website work as usual - collecting data for analytics and advertising purposes. Google Consent Mode can also work with a Consent Management Platform (CMP) or any cookie consent/banner widget.

Why We Need an Update - The Google Consent Mode V2

The introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in November 2023 necessitated an update to Consent Mode. The DMA aims to curtail the dominance of large tech platforms and further empower users regarding control and use of their data.

Here’s the salient changes/additions from the V2 update:

BASIC AND ADVANCED CONSENT MODE: The update contains two modes - basic and advanced. Basic consent mode disallows Google tags from loading entirely until consent is granted. However, Advanced Consent Mode enables collection of anonymized data for modelling purposes even if users chose not to give consent.

TRANSPARENCY AND USER CONTROL: V2 places a high premium on transparency on how user data is collected and used. In this update, marketers need to be more explicit about what data points they’re collecting and what it’s for. As a result, users gain fuller and more detailed control over their consent choices, allowing them to decide which purpose they’re giving permission to use their data for, for analytics or advertising, and everything in between!

What Google Consent Mode V2 Means for Users

If you are a web user, this section is for you! YOU - yes you! - are empowered to make informed choices about your data. How can you exercise this power?

First, it’s important to know the value of consent. Do not just click “accept all” outright. You can explore different consent options and choose one that feels comfortable for you. In fact, if you think a particular website’s data collection practices are unclear or shady, you can reach out and ask for their policy on user privacy. But if you want to relinquish some control over your data, you can choose to allow data collection only for analytics purposes, but explicitly opt out of personalised advertising.

What Google Consent Mode V2 Means for Marketers

For marketers, there are few things to consider to navigate Consent Mode V2:

COMPLIANCE IS KEY: Ensure your website and consent banner comply with the latest regulations like DMA. Work with legal counsel or a Consent Management Platform (CMP) to ensure everything is in order.

EMBRACE TRANSPARENCY: Clearly communicate your data collection practices and the purposes behind them. This builds trust with users and encourages informed consent decisions.

RETHINK MEASUREMENT STRATEGIES: With potential limitations on data collection, marketers need to adapt their measurement strategies. Explore alternative methods like first-party data collection and focus on user behaviour signals for insights.

EMBRACE MODELLING: Leverage Consent Mode V2's modelling capabilities to estimate conversions and user behaviour even with limited data.

Why You Need to Update to V2

If you still have the V1 implemented, it will still work. However, for full functionality, it’s recommended to update to Consent Mode V2 so that Google knows how to process the incoming data accurately for the two new parameters: ad_user_data and ad_personalization.

No data will be sent to your Google ad platforms without Google consent mode. You will have less optimised marketing campaigns without proper reporting, audience creation, and remarketing insights.

The Future of Consent Mode

This update is a step towards the right direction, as Consent Mode V2 paves the way for a more balanced digital ecosystem, where marketers and users can harmoniously co-exist. Expect Google to progressively refine Consent Mode based on user feedback and future regulatory changes. To address stricter privacy concerns, Google may roll out new features and functionalities.

In effect, marketers and technology providers will need to collaborate to develop innovative solutions for data collection and measurement that respect user privacy.

Google Consent Mode V2 presents both challenges and opportunities for marketers and users. By understanding its implications, marketers can be more compliant, adapt their measurement strategies, and build trust with users. Users, empowered with more control over their data, can then actively participate in shaping the future of the digital experience.