BlogDagmar 12.02.2024

Ensure Your Site’s Consent Mode is Updated by March 6, 2024

Google requires all companies using Google advertising to implement the new Consent Mode v2 feature on their websites by March 6, 2024. Failure to update by the deadline means that Google advertising can no longer be targeted or measured. Our experts, Juho Virkajärvi and Petteri Kalaoja, explain what this entails and what needs to be done now.

Why is Google forcing the update?

The story behind this is the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into effect in November 2022, with enforcement beginning last year. The goal is to ensure fair and open digital internal markets.

The regulation aims to limit the power of large platform companies, the so-called “gatekeepers,” and to promote fair competition in the digital markets. This ensures that dominant market positions are not abused and smaller players can compete.
Consent Mode (CoMo) is a mechanism that ensures Google complies with EU legislation when receiving data. Advertisers are responsible for updating their site with Consent Mode v2, which informs Google whether a site visitor agrees to share their information for advertising, analytics, and personalization purposes.

Many advertisers find the change challenging. The urgency is not helped by the fact that various blogs and channels circulate a frustratingly diverse array of information and perspectives on Consent Mode. With no clear implementation instructions readily available, the update requires expertise to ensure it is done correctly.

Consent Mode v2 paves the way for the utilization of companies’ own data

It appears that as Google is preparing to phase out third-party cookies and subsequently how first-party data held by companies can be utilised on Google’s advertising platforms.

Consent Mode v2 introduces two new parameters: ad_user_data and ad_personalization. These communicate to Google whether users agree to share their information for advertising and personalization. Other parameters, analytics_storage and ad_storage, affect analytics and advertising by communicating the data the visitor has consented to share. The visitor makes this choice in the cookie banner.

Three states requiring special attention

Consent Mode has three different states to be careful about when implementing.

Without Consent Mode: Not recommended, as it restricts the functionality of Google advertising.
Basic Consent Mode: Only sends information to Google if the user has consented to it. This option is recommended as it respects the user’s cookie choices and is in line with the spirit of Finland’s strict legislation relating to cookies and data protection.
Advanced Consent Mode: Transmits data to Google in an anonymized form, even if the user has blocked the use of cookies. It is not currently recommended as it may contradict the authorities’ guidance.

NOTE! Always consult with an expert familiar with the matter to ensure what is the right way for your company to apply the options.

What does the advertiser need to do now?

If you use Google Tag Manager, turning on Consent Mode settings is straightforward, especially with a compatible cookie banner. Installing Consent Mode v2 is possible, even if you use another tag management tool and a non-integrated CMP, though it requires more work.

The cookie banner must also be configured to pass the Consent Mode parameters correctly. The most well-known cookie banners support the latest Consent Mode. Ideally, the update is easy, with just a few clicks, but it usually requires some familiarity. The situation can become challenging if a customized cookie banner is in use without ready-made documentation.

Based on our experience, most updates go smoothly, and the new parameters are correctly transmitted. There isn’t much time left, so implement Consent Mode v2 immediately. This ensures that the update is done correctly.

If you are unsure how to install and configure Consent Mode in Tag Manager and the cookie banner, contact us. We will help to ensure that your Google advertising works after March 6, 2024.