Version 2 of Google’s Consent Mode is coming soon, and it’s bringing some serious changes to the way businesses and organisations advertise.
If you do not update the cookies on your website, you could lose access to important data on how many people are visiting your website and what actions they’re taking when they get there. On top of this, the missing data limits your marketing options. You could lose access to important marketing platforms like Google Ads and data that allows you to retarget website visitors, which could be a key part of your marketing strategy.
The bad news is that, if you don’t take action, it will affect your ability to see how your customers or visitors on your website convert, otherwise known as conversion tracking.
The good news is that, if you’re properly prepared, you can get a real advantage over your competitors.
What is Google Consent Mode 2 and what will it do?
Simply put, it’s an update designed to meet stricter privacy regulations, mainly the European Digital Market Act (DMA) which comes into force this March. It means that if you don’t send consent information via Google Consent Mode V2 then Google will block you from capturing new EEA user data.
This means you won’t be able to store new user data in Google Analytics, or share it with your Google Ads. No new user data means you won’t be able to optimise your adverts, remarket to new people visiting your site, and the algorithm won’t be able to track and predict your conversions effectively, so there is a risk your ad spend will increase. Combined with this, you will have less visibility on results, so it will be harder to judge how accurate they are and therefore the effectiveness of your campaigns.
It will also affect Google Analytics 4, as missing data could make it unreliable, meaning you won’t be able to accurately assess how your website is performing.
The most important thing to remember is that this isn’t optional and there’s a very real risk Google will disable your Google Ad account if you don’t follow their guidelines.
What can I do?
The good news is there is a way to avoid any impact on your conversion tracking, and if it’s applied before these changes take effect in March 2024 you shouldn’t notice any difference to your ad performance.
To continue gathering user data you will need to use a Consent Management Platform that runs in line with Google’s standards. (You can find a current list here: https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/13554116?hl=en#zippy=%2Cgoogle-certified-cmps). You’ll also need to update your cookie banner so it reflects the new requirements.
Once these are in place you’ll be able to carry on collecting the data you need to market effectively after the DMA comes into effect.
We’re here to help you if you need it, so if you’d like support with any of what we’ve mentioned in this article, then please get in touch with our Digital Marketing Manager – Isabel Cuffe, who will be more than happy to help you keep up to date with these changes (and your competition!).