Need Google’s Consent Mode explained? It refers to the way Google Chrome’s browser can block or allow certain types of web content to enhance security and privacy for users.

Google Consent Mode Explained: Plain Language

Google Consent Mode Explained: Speedy Simple Explanation for Advertisers

Purpose:

It aims to protect users from potentially harmful or intrusive content, such as ads, trackers, and malware.

How it Works:

Blocking: It can block specific types of content like third-party cookies, pop-ups, and trackers that follow your activity across different websites.
Allowing: It permits essential content that is necessary for the proper functioning of websites, like images and scripts from the same site you’re visiting.

The Benefits

Security: Reduces the risk of malware and phishing attacks.
Privacy: Prevents websites from tracking your browsing behaviour across multiple sites.
Performance: Can improve browsing speed by blocking unnecessary elements.

User Control:

Users can customise settings to choose what types of content to block or allow, providing a balance between convenience and protection.

In essence, Google Content Mode is like a security guard for your web browsing, helping keep unwanted elements out while allowing necessary content through.

Google Consent Mode Explained: How It Affects Your Web Experience

Google Content Mode affects websites by controlling what parts of the website can be seen or used when you visit. Here’s a simple explanation:

Blocking Ads: Websites often show ads to make money. Google Content Mode can block these ads, so you see fewer or no ads while browsing.

Prevents Tracking: Many websites track what you do online to show you targeted ads. Google Content Mode can stop this tracking, which means websites can’t follow your browsing habits.

Blocks pop-ups: Some websites use pop-up windows that can be annoying or even harmful. Google Content Mode can block these pop-ups, making your browsing experience smoother and safer.

Improves Loading Time: By blocking unnecessary content like ads and trackers, websites can load faster because there’s less stuff to download and display.

Affects Functionality: Sometimes, blocking certain content can make parts of a website not work properly. For example, if a site relies on third-party cookies for login, blocking these might prevent you from logging in.

In other words, Google Content Mode helps keep your browsing safe and private by blocking certain elements on websites, but it can sometimes affect how well those websites work.

 

Google Consent Mode Explained: What Web Owners and Advertisers Need To Do

Consent Mode uses conversion modeling, using Google’s AI, and is based on the actions of comparable users who accept analytics cookies.

To enable Google Consent Mode, follow the steps below, send this article to your developer, or get in touch.

Update Tags

Ensure that your website has the latest version of Google tags (e.g., Global Site Tag or Google Tag Manager). These tags are necessary to integrate Consent Mode.

Helpful CMP
Implement a Consent Management Platform (CMP) to collect and manage user consent for cookies and tracking. Your CMP should be able to communicate consent status to Google tags. They may also be able to handle all of the following steps- so check with your existing one before you find someone new. We recommend Complianz, and are using this for our clients.

Set consent Defaults:
Depending on the granularity of the CMP, you may need to define the default consent state (e.g., granted or denied) for each type of cookie (ads, analytics, etc.) before the user makes a choice. This ensures that data collection is compliant with privacy regulations from the moment the user visits your site.

Tag, Trigger, Test and Monitor

Add a tag for you CMP into your Google Tag Manager, and set the trigger for it to be all pages. Next, add a trigger for your GA4 tag, with the relevant code as supplied by your CMP.

Preview by going into test mode to check everything is firing.

Consult Dr. Google
Check Google’s detailed Consent Mode documentation and support resources for specific implementation guides and best practices. We expect changes to come over the coming months, especially while Google continue to push their AI functions and configure their Privacy Sandbox.

 

Important Notes

Consent mode comes in a few levels and NONE of them are automatically implemented by Google.

If you don’t implement Consent Mode V2, data won’t be transferred to Google Analytics or Google Ads. This will lead to inaccurate measurements and reporting due to incomplete data. Additionally, if you rely solely on last-click attribution, you’ll miss out on understanding where your visitors are coming from.

In addition, The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office), the UK authority overseeing regulations like GDPR, provides a form for reporting any business. These reporting systems are likely to become user friendly as awareness grows, so if someone discovers you’re not respecting their rejected consent, they can report you.

Data Loss

Activating Consent Mode v2, particularly if you’re switching directly without previously using the earlier version, may initially result in a noticeable decrease in data. This decline can be concerning, but whether it’s a temporary or permanent change depends on the specific conditions related to GA4’s behavioural modelling capabilities. What are those? We’re glad you asked.

Advanced Consent Mode: Your site must be using not just the basic Consent Mode but also its advanced setting.

Data Volume: Your property needs to collect at least 1,000 events per day where analytic storage is denied for a minimum of 7 consecutive days.

Active Users: You need at least 1k daily users sending events with analytic storage granted for a minimum of 7 of the past 28 days.

 

For more learning, check out our Knowledge Base.