PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Consent mode
EMEA user presence
PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Implementing: Consent Mode

How does Consent mode work?

User clicks on ad

With Consent mode

Cookie settings
Cookies are used to provide you with the best
possible experience. They also allow the
system to analyze user behavior in order to
constantly improve the website for you.
Privacy Policy.
User rejects User consents
MARKETING Accept all Accept selection Reject all MARKETING

Necessary Preferences Analytics Marketing

Conversion modeling Conversion reported

Modeled conversions Consent signal sent to
reported for users who Google that user converts;
reject consent. Conversion reported reporting as normal.

Total conversions = Modeled + Observed conversions

Validate you meet the pre-requirements

EEA & UK presence Consent banner with Sitewide tagging

Consent mode is recommended to default cookie block Must either use Google tag
customers with an EEA & UK Benefits advertisers using a or Google Tag Manager,
presence or a region that is cookie consent banner on their legacy tags are not
enforcing opt-in consent regulations website that blocks non-essential supported.
(e.g. EU user consent policy). cookies by default.
 PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Conversion modeling: Basic vs. advanced setup for Consent Mode

Conversions
User converts
User provides consent reported normally

Google receives a consent ping w/

No conversions
gclid, dclid, cookie ID, Google ID User does not convert
reported

Attribution recovered by
User does not gs ed
Ta ock Conversion Modeling -
User clicks on a provide consent bl Advanced setup
Un
digital ad Unconsented ping sent to Google; User converts
T
Blo ags
Google tags load no ad click identifier sent unless Attribution recovered by
URL passthrough enabled cke Conversion modeling -
d Basic setup

No conversions
User does not convert reported

Working with the advanced setup means that data from both consented and unconsented users can be used to
build the model. This leads to the more accurate modelling. The advanced setup does not have a click threshold for
modeling to be active. The basic setup means that only data from consented users will be used, which leads to a
less accurate modelling. It comes with a click threshold that has to be met in order for the modeling to be active.
As with any other data from our tags, Google will keep your data confidential and secure using the same
industry-leading standards used to protect our own users’ data.

Early results from Google Ads have shown that, on average, conversion modeling through Consent mode recovers
>70% of ad-click-to-conversion journeys lost due to user cookie consent choices.

To enable the advanced setup, tags

Conversion recovery - illustrative only have to be unblocked by default during
the implementation process.
Recommended

Modeled Make sure to discuss this step with

conversions your developer or CMP before starting
the implementation process and
Observed
confirm on any necessary additional
conversions legal approvals.

Without Basic setup Advanced setup

Consent mode
PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Decide the right implementation path for you

Consent banner with default

cookie block present?

No Yes

Consent mode is not the right product for you.

Please note that Google cannot give any legal advice 2. Are you using a Consent
Management Platform (CMP)?

No Yes

3a. Are you using Google tag or 3b. Is the CMP integrated as per
Google Tag Manager? this Help center article?

Google Google Tag No Yes

tag Manager
Go to question 3a. and Reach out to your CMP
Follow the Google tag Follow the Google Tag provide implementation contact and Google Sales
implementation Manager implementation resources to your CMP contact for implementation
support support

Consent Mode implementation options

Low IMPLEMENTATION COMPLEXITY High

Integrated CMP Google Tag Manager Google tag

High ease of use as integrated CMPs It is recommended to create your You will have to manually add
provide implementation support and own template using Tag Manager consent code to each page of your
templates for Google tag and Google Consent APIs. site as direct commands or in a
Tag Manager. custom HTML snippet.

Custom implementation / not integrated CMP

 Implementing consent mode

PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Implementation with an integrated CMP

Consent Management Platforms allow for simpler implementation of Consent Mode. Find the implementation
steps for the most common CMPs below and the full overview of integrated CMPs and links to their
implementation guidance in this Google Help Center article.

1. Select “on” for the Consent mode

option in the CMPs UI based on the
example screengrab
2. [Optional] Make sure to have set the
default status for ad_storage and /
or analytic_storage and unblock
Google tags

Summary: Implement Consent Mode

Review if you are working with a Consent Management Platform (CMP)

Follow the decision tree above to find the right implementation path for you and determine if your CMP
(if available) is integrated with Consent mode.

Ensure your tag is aligned with the default of your banner

Identify if your default cookie settings in your Consent banner is to track cookies by default or not, and
update your tags accordingly.

Update Tag behavior based on user preference

When your users provide consent, commonly through interacting with a consent banner, or their
consent status is known from a previous page load, update your tags behavior.

[Optional] Unblock tags for advanced setup

Enable the advanced setup to help improve conversion modeling accuracy. If you decide to block
tags, it’s still beneficial to implement Consent mode.

Find supporting implementation instructions here in the developer guide.

 Implementing consent mode

PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Consent mode settings and what they do:

ad_storage = denied + ad_storage = denied + ad_storage =

ad_storage = ad_storage =
Settings url_passthrough = ads_data_redaction = denied + tag
granted denied
true* true blocked

IP addresses are used to derive IP country, but are not logged

IP Address IP Address by our Google Ads and Floodlight systems and are immediately
deleted upon collection.

Full page URL,

including ad click
Full page URL, Page URL with ad
Full page URL, information if
including ad click click identifiers
including ad click available. If no ad
Page URL information in URL redacted in Ads
information in URL click information is
parameters products
parameters available, no
GCLID/DCLID will
be present

Cookies previously
set on Google /
Cookies
Doubleclick
domains; Conversion
cookies set on
advertiser domain

Device IDs No IDFA / IDFV or

IDFA / IDFV or AdID n/a n/a n/a
*app only AdId is collected

More observable data, less modeling Less observable data, more modeling

Full details available in the Ads Help Center; Across all cases, as part of regular HTTP / browser communications, pings may
include: Functional Information: time stamp, user-agent, referrer Aggregate / Non-identifying Information: random number
generated on each page load, boolean indicating consent state, indication of whether the current page or a prior page in the user's
navigation on the site included ad-click information in the URL (e.g., GCLID / DCLID) Other fields set by the advertiser: continue to
be sent normally (e.g., order_id, conversion value).

Learn more about URL passthrough here.

As with any other data from our tags, Google will keep your data confidential
Note and secure using the same industry-leading standards used to protect our own
users’ data. For more details, review this article.
 Implementing Consent mode

PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Implementing Consent mode through Google tag

Step 1: Ensure your tag is aligned with the default of your banner

By default your banner does not track cookies, By default your banner tracks cookies, unless a
unless a user specifies they want to use user specifics they don’t want to track cookies
cookies for analytics and marketing purposes. for analytics and marketing purposes.

Analytics Marketing Analytics Marketing

Cookie settings Cookie settings

Cookies are used to provide you with the best Cookies are used to provide you with the best
possible experience. They also allow the possible experience. They also allow the
system to analyze user behavior in order to system to analyze user behavior in order to
constantly improve the website for you. constantly improve the website for you.
Privacy policy. Privacy policy.
Accept selection Reject selection Accept selection Reject selection

Update your tag based on your Update your tag based on your
default cookie setting: default cookie setting:

gtag('consent', 'default', { gtag('consent', 'default', {

'ad_storage': 'denied', 'ad_storage': 'granted',
'analytics_storage': 'denied' 'analytics_storage': 'granted'
}); });

1. Ensure you add code above to the Google tag.

2. Add this code on every page of your site because users can update consent
preferences at any point on your site.
Pro tips:
Find supporting implementation instructions here in the developer guide.
[EMEA] Find more guidance on User Policy in this article.
 Implementing Consent mode

PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Implementing Consent mode through Google tag

Step 2: Update tag behavior based on user preference

Analytics Marketing Analytics Marketing

Cookie settings Cookie settings

Cookies are used to provide you with the best Cookies are used to provide you with the best
possible experience. They also allow the possible experience. They also allow the
system to analyze user behavior in order to system to analyze user behavior in order to
constantly improve the website for you. constantly improve the website for you.
Privacy policy. Privacy policy.
Accept selection Reject selection Accept selection Reject selection

In this example, a user actively decides to In this example, a user decides deny
check the boxes to accept cookie for cookies for analytics and marketing
analytics and marketing purposes, sending purposes, sending an update call that the
an update call to Google that the default default setting has changed by adding:
setting has changed by adding:

<!-- Update this section based on your business <!-- Update this section based on your business
requirements. --> requirements. -->
<script> <script>
function consentGranted() { function consentGranted() {
gtag('consent', 'update', { gtag('consent', 'update', {
'ad_storage': 'granted' 'ad_storage': 'denied'
}); });

1. Ensure you add code above to the Google tag.

2. Add this code on every page of your site because users can update
Pro tips: consent preferences at any point on your site.
Find supporting implementation instructions here in the developer guide.
 Implementing Consent mode

PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Implementing Consent mode through Google Tag Manager

Step 1: Ensure your tag is aligned with the default of your banner

By default, your banner does not track cookies, By default, your banner tracks cookies, unless a
unless a user specifies they want to use user specifics they don’t want to track cookies
cookies for analytics and marketing purposes. for analytics and marketing purposes.

Analytics Marketing Analytics Marketing

Cookie settings Cookie settings

Cookies are used to provide you with the best Cookies are used to provide you with the best
possible experience. They also allow the possible experience. They also allow the
system to analyze user behavior in order to system to analyze user behavior in order to
constantly improve the website for you. constantly improve the website for you.
Privacy policy. Privacy policy.
Accept selection Reject selection Accept selection Reject selection

Update your DataLayer push based Update your DataLayer push based
on your default cookie setting: on your default cookie setting:

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];

function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}

gtag('consent', 'default', { gtag('consent', 'default', {

'ad_storage': 'denied', 'ad_storage': 'granted',
'analytics_storage': 'denied' 'analytics_storage': 'granted'
}); });

dataLayer.push({ dataLayer.push({
'event': 'default_consent' 'event': 'default_consent'
}); });

1. Ensure you add code above to the Google tag.

2. Add this code on every page of your site because users can update consent
preferences at any point on your site.
Pro tips:
Find supporting implementation instructions here in the developer guide.
[EMEA] Find more guidance on User Policy in this article.
 Implementing Consent mode

PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Implementing Consent mode through Google Tag Manager

Step 2: Update tag behavior based on user preference

Analytics Marketing Analytics Marketing

Cookie settings Cookie settings

Cookies are used to provide you with the best Cookies are used to provide you with the best
possible experience. They also allow the possible experience. They also allow the
system to analyze user behavior in order to system to analyze user behavior in order to
constantly improve the website for you. constantly improve the website for you.
Privacy policy. Privacy policy.
Accept selection Reject selection Accept selection Reject selection

In this example, a user actively decides to check the In this example, a user decides deny cookies for
boxes to accept cookie for analytics and marketing analytics and marketing purposes, sending an
purposes, sending an update call to Google that the update call that the default setting has changed
default setting has changed by adding: by adding:

Update your DataLayer push based Update your DataLayer push based
on your default cookie setting: on your default cookie setting:

<!-- Update this section based on your business <!-- Update this section based on your business
requirements --> requirements -->
<script> <script>
function consentGranted() { function consentGranted() {
gtag('consent', 'update', { gtag('consent', 'update', {
'ad_storage': 'granted' 'ad_storage': 'denied'
}); });
} }
</script> </script>

<body> <body>
... ...
<button onclick="consentGranted">Yes</button> <button onclick="consentGranted">Yes</button>
... ...
</body> </body>

1. Ensure you add code above to the Google tag.

2. Add this code on every page of your site because users can update
Pro tips: consent preferences at any point on your site.
Find supporting implementation instructions here in the developer guide.
 Implementing Consent mode

PCM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

View the implementation status and impact results

There are two implementation status that indicate Consent Mode has been implemented successfully. Consent
Mode could be implemented, with no modeling active yet. In that case, modeling will be active once the click
threshold is met. Also, Consent Mode could be implemented with modeling being active. In that case you will be
able to see modeling uplift impact results about 7 days after you implement Consent Mode. Modeling uplift
numbers on a domain x country level will be shown for 4 weeks after the publish time, which starts once you meet
volume and modeling thresholds for a country.
There are two methods to find your Consent Mode implementation status and impact results in Google Ads:

Option 1: Diagnostics tab

1. Click the Tools and settings icon on the upper right

corner of the navigation menu.
2. Under “Measurement”, click Conversions.
3. In the conversion actions table, click on a conversion
action with this icon in the status column .
4. On the top page menu, click the Diagnostics tab. You can
view your Consent Mode implementation status and
impact results.

Option 2: Tracking status hovercard

1. Click the Tools and settings icon on the upper right corner
of the navigation menu.
2. Under “Measurement”, click Conversions.
3. Find the conversion action you want to check. Under the
“Tracking status” column, your conversion action should
indicate “Recording conversions”. Hover over it and a card
will show the status of the conversion tag.
4. The hovercard should indicate “Conversion modeling for
Consent mode is active.”
5. Click View impact to be redirected to the Diagnostics page.

● About Consent mode impact results

External resource:
● How Google uses Consent mode data