Google Consent Mode: Benefits and Implications for E-commerce Websites in 2024

Google Consent Mode has been getting a lot of attention in 2024 with the release of version 2, which combines enhanced measurement and user privacy.

Let’s dive into the reasons behind this new version, how it can benefit e-commerce websites, but also how it is now a requirement to preserve essential functions within Google services. 

Before we start, a quick reminder on Google Consent Mode. It’s a tool that allows website owners to respect user consent when using products like Google Analytics or Google Ads. 

More technically speaking, Consent Mode adjusts how Google tags behave based on the consent status of their users (i.e. if they consented to the use of cookies for advertising and analytics, or not).

Ultimately, it helps e-commerce websites make tracking and measurement activities in Google compliant with regulations on consent like the GDPR. 

STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE: PRIVACY CONCERNS AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS 

In 2024, things are moving for tech giants in Europe. After years of discussion, say hello to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In short, this EU legislation aims to ensure fair competition and set new rules and responsibilities for “gatekeepers” like Google or Meta to make sure they don’t abuse their market power. 

This pushed Google to review its policy and make changes to its products and services with, among other things, a stronger emphasis on user privacy and consent. 

On top of this challenging need for fairness and transparency, technologies like AI recently opened the door for new opportunities to develop products that are even more innovative and valuable but remain privacy-friendly. 

It’s in this context that Google Consent Mode version 2 was introduced. Two new Google tags have been added for more granular control to better respect user consent overall, including how data is collected, used, and shared – making it four in total: 

• analytics_storage: cookies installed for analytics purposes; 
• ad_storage: cookies installed for advertising purposes; 
• [new] ad_personalization: defining whether personalized advertising can be enabled, e.g. remarketing;
• [new] ad_user_data: defining whether user data can be sent to Google for advertising purposes. 

Version 2 offers two different levels of implementation for users, Basic and Advanced. When consent is denied, Google tags either adjust their behavior and recover conversion data (Advanced), or remain completely blocked (Basic). 

Now, you might wonder what’s in it for you as an e-commerce business. Well, Consent Mode not only supports you in complying with data privacy laws like the GDPR. It uses advanced technology to recover data even when users have not given their consent. Let’s take a look.

VALUABLE MARKETING DATA MEANS BETTER DECISION-MAKING 

As an e-commerce website, understanding user behavior is crucial to optimize things like user experience and increase conversions. Serving ads might also be a big part of your marketing strategy. 

It’s important to understand that Google Consent Mode is not your enemy or another pointless tool you’re forced to implement, quite the opposite.

It can be a game-changer for getting accurate insights – and version 2 has promised even better results. How? Through a technology called conversion modeling. 

Conversion modeling uses Google AI, probability, and machine learning to analyze observable data and trends. It is able to model paths for users who did not consent. 

Said like that, it can sound quite technical. The main point here is that it recovers aggregate marketing data for non-consented users that would have been lost without Consent Mode being enabled.

It does so without using any identifying information, so it doesn’t violate privacy. 

In practice, what are the benefits of using Google Consent Mode? 

• Ensure compliance with consent requirements from regulations like the GDPR in Europe; 
• Respect user privacy, but continue reporting modeled conversions for users who didn’t consent;
• On average, Consent Mode recovers around 65% of ad-click-to-conversion journeys lost due to user cookie consent choices (Google Internal Data, 2023); 
• Get a more accurate view of campaign performance than without Google Consent Mode enabled (see infographic below);
• Better optimize campaign bids, targeting, and reallocate budget to your best-performing campaigns;
• Step up your relevance, engagement, decision-making, and revenue. 

LATEST REQUIREMENTS IN 2024 FOR EU USERS 

Following stricter rules in the market put in place by the DMA, Google has slowly lifted the veil on a new version of Consent Mode at the end of 2023. Naturally, Google users are also affected by the changes and need to meet a set of new requirements that Google has started to mandate from March 2024. 

If you are an e-commerce business that uses Google services like Google Ads or Google Analytics, you may have already seen some message alerts and restrictions while using these products. 

In fact, from March 2024, to keep using Google services for measurement and personalization in the European Economic Area (EEA), websites have to meet the following 2 new requirements: 

• Enable Google Consent Mode; 
• Set up an EUUCP-compliant banner to collect user consent. 

In simple terms, if you use features like conversion tracking in Google Analytics, remarketing, and targeting in Google Ads, and these activities involve EU users, you must activate Google Consent Mode. If you don’t, your access to these functions will be limited, and this will greatly impact your marketing strategy. 

Luckily, online compliance software solutions offer just what you need to meet requirements in no time. Some have even been recommended by Google themselves to help with the activation of Consent Mode as well as the consent banner set up on your e-commerce site. Learn more about this in the next section. 

IUBENDA: A TRUSTED GOOGLE PARTNER CMP WITH FULL CONSENT MODE SUPPORT

Meeting new requirements has never been easier. 

Google recommends working with a CMP (or Consent Management Platform). A CMP is a system that helps websites collect, store and manage user consent for tracking technologies like cookies, in a legally-compliant way. 

iubenda is a leading example of a Google-certified CMP. It does everything for you: build a compliant banner to collect the consent with Consent Mode built-in. It already had support for Consent Mode version 1 when it wasn’t even mandatory.  

Here are the top things iubenda can do for your e-commerce: 

• ● During banner set up, Consent Mode is activated by default and with no action needed from your part;
• ● Scripts linked to Google services are blocked automatically before the user gives consent;
• ● Full banner customization and detailed analytics for user consent optimization; 
• ● Best-in-class Core Web Vitals: Focused on your website’s performance; 
• ● Plugins and easy setup with Shopify, WordPress, Joomla, Magento, PrestaShop, and more;
• ● Built and kept up-to-date by an expert legal team for global compliance; 
• ● More than a CMP: document generators for Privacy and Cookie Policy, Terms and Conditions. Get started now and implement Google Consent Mode v2 with iubenda to preserve Google features crucial to your marketing efforts and e-commerce growth. Gather valuable insights for users who didn’t consent

Get started now and implement Google Consent Mode v2 with iubenda to preserve Google features crucial to your marketing efforts and e-commerce growth. Gather valuable insights for users who didn’t consent.

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Further Reading

• How to Integrate Google Listing & Ads With WooCommerce? [Includes Video]
• Google Ad Hacks To Increase Your Conversion Rate