All you need to know about Google Mode Consent V2
Compliance with data protection regulations requires companies to manage user information transparently. However, this varies considerably from one country to another, and even from one geographical area to another. Within the European Economic Area, which has the strictest regulations covering and protecting its 510 million inhabitants, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) devised by the European Commission aims to regulate the digital ecosystem in the face of dominant players.
Google Consent Mode V2 responds precisely to this need, enabling sites to adapt to users’ consent choices while preserving the performance of advertising and analytics campaigns. Here’s how it works.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
What is Google Consent Mode V2?
Google Consent Mode V2 is a system deployed on all Google products that enables :
- Collect the user’s consent, or use the consent collected by a CMP.
- Automatically adapt the behaviour of Google products according to the user’s consent.
This system is based on four consent parameters which are valid for sites and mobile applications (tag and SDK):
- La collecte et le stockage des cookies publicitaires (ad_storage).
- La collecte des cookies pour les analyses de fréquentation (analytics_storage)
- Le partage des données utilisateur à des fins publicitaires, introduisant une granularité plus fine pour les données de ciblage (ad_user_data)
- Le consentement lié à la personnalisation des publicités en fonction des préférences (ad_personalization).
The difference between Google Consent Mode V1 and V2.
The first version was limited to collecting only the data consented to by users, allowing sites to respect confidentiality choices without interrupting the measurement of conversions. With version V2, Google has introduced more detailed control over the collection and use of data, in particular through two new parameters (ad_user_data and ad_personalization), which allow better management of advertising and personalisation data. In addition, V2 comes in two distinct modes, “basic” and “advanced”, offering advertisers additional options for adapting consent management to confidentiality requirements and personalisation needs.
Note that Google Consent Mode V2 offers two levels of implementation:
- Basic mode: tags are blocked until explicit consent is obtained from the user. This mode ensures minimal collection without consent, reinforcing compliance.
- Advanced mode: tags are triggered before consent is given, but only collect anonymised data if consent is refused. This mode enables data to be modelled for non-consenting users, optimising analytical performance while respecting individual preferences.
Who is affected?
Consent Mode v2 applies to both web and mobile applications if you have users within the EEA (European Economic Area) and you use Google tools (Google Ads, Google Analytics, Search Ads 360, etc.). The EEA includes the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Risks associated with the absence of Consent Mode V2
Non-compliance with the GDPR or DMA exposes businesses to severe penalties, including fines and restrictions on access to Google services. This can not only affect the bottom line, but also damage the company’s reputation. These penalties can amount to up to 4% of annual worldwide turnover or €20 million, whichever is higher.
In addition to the financial risks, CIOs and business managers must also consider the operational risks associated with data loss and the impact on performance. Without Consent Mode V2, user data becomes difficult to exploit, reducing the effectiveness of campaigns and the quality of performance analyses. The information collected can lack precision, leading to less informed strategic decisions, lost conversions, and an inability to adjust marketing campaigns optimally.
How should you equip yourself to take advantage of Google Consent Mode V2?
There are several options for configuring Consent Mode v2:
- Installation with a tag manager such as Google Tag Manager in a CMP.
- Manual installation via Gtag.js in JavaScript.
Deploying a CMP (Consent Management Platform) solution is a winning solution for increasing efficiency. A CMP is a consent management tool that helps websites collect, store and manage users’ consent choices regarding the collection and use of their personal data. Fully compliant with regulations such as the RGPD and DMA, it enables companies to tailor the behaviour of their advertising and analytics tools to users’ preferences, guaranteeing transparency and legal compliance while optimising the use of the data collected.
A CMP like Axeptio offers an optimised user experience while ensuring compliance and making it easy to personalise the interface. Other solutions such as Didomi, Cookiebot and One Trust offer professional platforms for managing privacy and consent.
Axeptio : une solution CMP partenaire de Google
Axeptio est un partenaire de Google pour la gestion des consentements et offre une intégration directe avec le Consent Mode V2. Cette solution facilite la collecte des choix des utilisateurs et garantit une conformité avec le RGPD grâce à une interface intuitive et un haut degré de personnalisation.
Les bonnes raisons de choisir Axeptio :
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- Conformité assurée : restez en parfaite conformité avec le RGPD et le DMA en Europe, la Loi 25 au Canada et le LPD en Suisse.
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- Facilité d’installation : installation rapide, sans compétences techniques requises.
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- Personnalisation avancée : interface intuitive pour personnaliser couleurs, textes et logos, alignant le bandeau cookie à l’identité de votre marque.
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- Gestion multilingue et multi-boutique : prise en charge facile de plusieurs boutiques et langues, centralisant la gestion de la conformité.
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- La personnalisation possible du pop-in de demande de consentement pour améliorer le taux de consentement.
Axeptio s’adapte donc aux besoins des entreprises de toutes tailles, facilitant la conformité tout en permettant une gestion performante des consentements utilisateurs. Son intégration avec le Google Consent Mode V2 optimise les performances publicitaires tout en renforçant la transparence et la sécurité des données.
The acceptance rate is strongly impacted by the UX of the consent popin
Personalising the consent request message represents a strategic opportunity that merchants should not overlook: this message, which is often the first point of contact with Internet users, not only influences the general feel of the site, but also has a highly variable acceptance rate depending on its composition.
A well-designed message, tailored to the company’s tone, encourages a higher acceptance rate, which in turn maximises the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. Regularly optimising the consent pop-in, by testing different formats and approaches, can generate tangible benefits over time, both for user loyalty and for your marketing performance.
2 examples of personalised popins that we found particularly effective:
