In March 2024, Google Consent Mode v2 introduced new consent parameters (ad_user_data and ad_personalization ) and two distinct implementation types (Basic and Advanced).
In this article, you can learn the difference between these implementation types, and how they affect your data collection.
A Resume of Google Consent Mode v2
Google first introduced Consent Mode in 2020, and then in March 2024 - Consent Mode v2.
In the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK, there are strict privacy laws like the GDPR and, lately, Digital Markets Act (DMA). DMA came into force in March 2024 and regulates big companies, nominated as gatekeepers. Thus, there is a need for data collection in privacy laws-compliant ways.
The principal purpose of Google Consent Mode v2 is to collect additional signals from users who did not grant user consent for collecting their personal data. These signals are then used by Google for conversion modeling (Google Ads, Floodlight, etc.) and behavior modeling (Google Analytics 4).
Google Consent Mode v2 helps website owners adjust the functionality of Google Tags based on the user’s Cookie Consent status. Consented users are tracked for advertising campaigns or analytical purposes. For unconsented users, Google compensates for the loss of data collection by using conversion modeling and behavioral modeling.
The updated version of consent mode introduced two new consent parameters that can be attributed to the user’s consent: ad_user_data and ad_personalization.
The current Consent Mode parameter tags (analytics_storage and ad_storage) were related to data collection only, while these two new Consent Mode v2 tags (ad_user_data and ad_personalization) relate to how data is used and shared.
Functionalities of consent types:
- ad_storage: enables storage of cookies or app IDs related to advertising.
- analytics_storage: enables storage of cookies or app IDs related to analytics e.g. county, type of device, user age, visit duration, etc.
- ad_user_data: indicates user consent for sending user data related to advertising to Google.
- ad_personalization: indicates user consent for personalized advertising.
If you want to continue using Google Advertisement products, you must implement Google Consent Mode v2. It’s a requirement, not a recommendation.
Basic vs Advanced Google Consent Mode v2
Google Consent Mode v2 has also introduced two distinct implementation types: Basic and Advanced.
In general, there could be three possibilities regarding Google Consent Mode:
- No Consent Mode: Consent Mode is not implemented on the website at all. No user data is collected at all, which means that website owners or advertisers can only provide non-personalized ads on Google platforms.
- Basic Consent Mode: Consent Mode has been implemented, but data is collected only from consented users when they grant user consent.
- Advanced Consent Mode: Consent Mode has been implemented, and data is collected from both consented and non-consented users, when they grant consent and when they deny consent.
Google tags are used to send user consent choices to Google platforms to help you measure the effectiveness of your website and ads and to respect user consent choices. The Google tag is currently only accessible and configurable from Google Ads and Google Analytics 4.
What Is the Basic Consent Mode?
Basic Consent Mode is designed for website owners who prefer an easier setup process. It requires less customization of Google Tags functionality.
With Basic Consent Mode, Google Tags are blocked by default until user consent is granted via the Cookie Consent banner.
The basic Consent Mode works under the following principle:
Basic data modeling is used to compensate for data loss when a user rejects cookies.
If a user accepts cookies, Google Analytics will be loaded without any restrictions, enabling the full collection of analytics data. However, if a user rejects cookies, Google Analytics will be loaded in a reduced functionality mode, ensuring that only essential analytics data is collected to respect the user's preferences.
Basic Consent Mode primarily focuses on managing consent for analytics cookies and tracking technologies, but it pays less attention to advertising cookies.
With Basic Consent Mode implementation, conversion modeling is used to extrapolate the behavior of unconsented users, based on the behavior of consented users. The basic consent mode enables conversion modeling in both Google Ads and Google Analytics, but it blocks behavioral modeling in Google Analytics.
No cookieless pings are used in Basic Consent Mode implementation.
Benefits of Basic Consent Mode
Key features of the Basic mode include:
- Easier setup process. Basic Consent Mode requires less customization of the functionality of Google Tags.
- Simplified consent management. With a single consent message, users can easily make informed decisions about their data privacy preferences.
- Reduced functionality for unconsented users. Users who reject cookies will still have access to essential website functionalities, while non-essential tracking is disabled.
- Compliance with privacy regulations. Basic mode helps website owners comply with regulations such as the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive by providing a mechanism for obtaining user consent for cookies and other tracking technologies.
Drawbacks of Basic Consent Mode
Basic Consent Mode has some disadvantages, compared to Advanced Consent Mode.
- Limited customization. Basic Consent Mode provides a single consent message for users, and they can only accept or reject cookies. Little flexibility for customization could be challenging for website owners to tailor Cookie Consent for different types of users.
- Reduced analytics data. When a user rejects cookies, data collection is limited. Basic consent mode enables conversion modeling in both Google Ads and Google Analytics; however, it will be based on Google's general data models, meaning the results and accuracy of analytics insights won't be as precise as they could be.
- Fewer data for behavioral modeling. Another drawback to the basic mode is that it blocks behavioral modeling in Google Analytics, meaning it still is data gaps left for unconsented users. You couldn’t fully understand user behavior and optimize your website accordingly.
- Potential impact on user experience. A Basic consent mode may result in a less seamless user experience. Users who reject cookies may experience limitations in website functionality or encounter repeated consent prompts, potentially leading to frustration and increased bounce rates.
- Risk of non-compliance. A Basic Consent Mode may provide a risk of non-compliance with evolving privacy regulations, particularly in regions with strict data protection laws. Without the ability to customize consent messages and provide granular Cookie Consent, website owners may fail to meet the regulatory requirements in the future.
To implement Basic Consent Mode, first, you need to set up a Consent Management Platform (CMP) to manage user consents and configure your cookie banner so that, when a user rejects cookies, GA4 tags do not fire.
Note, that you need to use Google-certified CMP, approved by Google for the implementation of Google Consent Mode v2 and Google Tag Manager.
CookieScript CMP is a Google-certified CMP, recommended by Google, for the implementation of Google Consent Mode v2 and Google Tag Manager. It is included in the list of Google-certified CMPs.
What is Advanced Consent Mode?
Advanced Consent Mode is a bit more complex and offers more customization options for the functionality of Google Tags. It lets website owners define specific behaviors for tags and cookies based on user consent states. In this mode, website owners can implement multiple consent messages tailored to different types of cookies and tracking technologies. This allows users to provide consent for specific purposes, such as analytics, advertising, and Third-Party Cookies, giving them greater control over their data privacy preferences.
With Advanced Consent Mode, website owners could collect more information from unconsented users.
In contrast to the Basic Consent Mode, the Advanced Consent Mode is optional.
In Advanced Consent Mode, Google Tags load before the consent banner appears. Your consent banner collects the user’s consent status, which Consent Mode detects and communicates to your Google Tags. The tags then adjust their behavior accordingly.
Advanced Consent Mode works under the following principle:
Advanced modeling is also used to compensate for data loss when users do not grant their cookie consent.
If a user accepts cookies, there is no difference from the Basic Consent Mode. Google Analytics will be loaded without any restrictions, enabling the full collection of analytics data.
Like the Basic Consent Mode implementation, behavioral modeling and conversion modeling are used to extrapolate the behavior of unconsented users for Google Ads and Google Analytics in the Advanced Consent Mode. Differently from the Basic Consent Mode implementation, behavioral modeling is used for Google Analytics.
When users decline Cookie Consent on your website, Advanced Consent Mode permits the sending of anonymous, cookieless pings to Google for modeling purposes. This enables websites to recover some lost data for Google Ads and GA4 even without user consent.
What are cookieless pings?
Cookieless pings are a method of sending information to Google from unconsented users without using cookies. In Advanced Consent Mode, cookies are still used for consented users since cookies could carry more user information. For unconsented users, pings are used instead of cookies.
Pings only contain non-identifiable and/or aggregate information about user interactions, such as:
- Location (country)
- Timestamp
- Browser type
- Device type
- Referrer website or page
- Indications of ad-clicks
- Conversion type.
Cookieless pings could carry to your Google tools any non-identifiable and/or aggregate information relating to how unconsented users interact with your ads or website. Thin non-personal data can be used to enhance the data modeling process. By using cookieless pings, businesses can still gather vital data for understanding website performance and ad effectiveness.
Benefits of Advanced Consent Mode
Key features of Advanced mode include:
- Customizable consent notices. Website owners can create multiple consent notices to prompt users to consent to different types of cookies and other tracking technologies.
- Flexible data collection. Website owners can load Google Analytics in different configurations based on user consent preferences, including full functionality, reduced functionality, or no functionality.
- Better modeling. Advanced Consent Mode enables conversion modeling in Google Analytics and Google Ads, and behavioral modeling in Google Analytics.
- Enhanced user experience. By offering users more control over their data privacy preferences, Advanced Consent Mode can help improve the overall user experience and build trust with website users.
- Full compliance with privacy regulations. Advanced Consent Mode allows website owners to comply with strict privacy regulations by offering granular control over consent management and data collection practices.
Advanced Consent Mode also has some disadvantages. Implementing Advanced Consent Mode requires more technical expertise and resources compared to Basic Mode since you need to configure multiple consent messages and customize data collection settings for them. In addition, website owners need to have more expertise in Google Analytics too. Google Analytics could be loaded in different configurations based on user consent preferences, and this could potentially lead to inconsistencies in data collection and reporting for unexperienced GA users.
However, Advanced Consent Mode provides website owners with enhanced customization and control over consent management and allows them to collect more user information. This helps to optimize your marketing campaigns and increase conversion rates.
Conclusion- the Difference Between Basic and Advanced Consent Modes
Basic Consent Mode blocks your website tags/SDK by default. No data is sent to Google prior to user interaction with the consent banner. When the user grants consent, the Google tags load and execute the Consent Mode APIs. The tags/SDK send the consent states to Google in the following order:
- Send default consent states.
- Send updated consent states.
However, when the user doesn’t consent, no data is transmitted to Google at all – not even the consent status. Google tags are completely blocked from firing. Consent mode's conversion modeling in Ads is then based on a general model.
In Advanced Consent mode, the Google tags load when a user opens the website or app. The tags load the Consent mode API and perform the following steps:
- Set default consent states. By default, Cookie Consent is denied, unless you set your own defaults. While consent is denied, the Google tags send cookieless pings that contain functional and aggregate/non-identifying information.
- Wait for user interaction with the Cookie Banner and update consent status. Only when the user grants consent to the data collection, Google tags send the full data about the user.
The Basic consent mode enables conversion modeling in both Google Ads and Google Analytics to extrapolate the behavior of unconsented users, but it blocks behavioral modeling in Google Analytics.
The Advanced Consent Mode allows us to use both behavioral modeling and conversion modeling. Advanced modeling is used to extrapolate the behavior of unconsented users for Google Ads and Google Analytics, and behavioral modelling is used for Google Analytics.
In conclusion, you can select to use Basic or Advanced Consent Mode. Basic Consent Mode has an easier setup process and simplified consent management, requiring less customization of the functionality of Google Tags. The process could be simpler for inexperienced Google Consent Mode users.
However, Advanced Consent Mode provides website owners with enhanced customization and control over consent management and allows to collect more user information. This helps to optimize your marketing campaigns and increase conversion rates.
Thus, Advanced Consent Mode is preferred over the Basic Consent Mode. On the other hand, the Basic Consent Mode is better than not having implemented Consent Mode at all.
Note: Whether you choose to block tags by default (Basic implementation) or unblock tags by default (Advanced implementation), Google tags adjust their behavior based on your users’ consent state.
How to Implement Basic or Advanced Google Consent Mode?
No matter which version of the Consent Mode you choose, you need to get a compliant consent banner on your website. You can get your banner by using a Consent Management Platform (CMP). You need to choose a Google-certified CMP.
CookieScript is a Google-certified CMP, recommended by Google, for the implementation of Google Consent Mode v2.
The easiest way to implement Google Consent Mode on your website is by using a CookieScript Google Tag Manager (GTM) Tag template. To Get Started with Google Consent Mode v2 and implement either Basic or Advanced Consent Mode, perform the following steps:
- Install CookieScript CMP to your website.
- Implement Google Consent Mode v2 to your website.
- Configure cookie banner settings.
- Enable Google Consent Mode v2 on your banner settings.
- Set up Basic or Advanced Google Consent Mode on your website.
For Basic Consent Mode, configure your banner so that, when a user rejects cookies, GA4 tags will not fire, and integrate a consent flag to communicate the user's consent decision to Google. For Advanced Consent Mode, configure, which tags will fire by default.
Note, that you need to use Google-certified CMP, recommended by Google for the implementation of Google Consent Mode v2 and Google Tag Manager.
CookieScript is a Google-certified CMP, recommended by Google, for the implementation of Google Consent Mode v2 and Google Tag Manager. It is included in the list of Google-certified CMPs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What data is collected for unconsented users with Basic Consent mode implementation?
With the Basic Consent Mode implementation, no data is collected at all for unconsented users, not even consent status. Google tags are completely blocked from firing, meaning that network requests are blocked from being made to Google, and no HTTP communication is established. Use CookieScript CMP to implement Google Consent Mode v2 and the Basic Consent Mode.
What data is collected for consented users with Basic Consent mode implementation?
When a user consents, Google collects user data, needed for normal conversion tracking. Having Consent mode does not affect how and what data is collected as part of conversion tracking. The only additional information collected by the Basic Consent mode for consented users is the consent status (granted) which is only used to communicate to the tags/SDK that they can start loading. Use CookieScript CMP to implement Basic Consent Mode.
What data is used for Basic Consent Mode modeling?
With the Basic Consent Mode, data is only collected for consented users. Google collects only non-identifiable and/or aggregate information about user interactions, such as location (country), time of day, browser type, and device type. CookieScript can help you to implement Google Consent Mode v2 and the Basic Consent Mode.
Is my data, collected with Basic Consent Mode, used to train Google’s model?
No. your data is not shared with other accounts and is not used to model unconsented conversions in other accounts. Your own data is only used to predict and estimate conversions for your account. Use CookieScript CMP to implement Google Consent Mode v2 and the Basic Consent Mode.
What data is used for Advanced Consent Mode modeling?
If a user denies consent with Advanced Consent Mode, no user data is sent to Google for advertising purposes. However, the tags or SDK will send cookieless pings to Ads containing functional and aggregate/non-identifying information like location (country), time of day, browser type, device type, page URL, and other fields set by the advertiser (e.g., order_id or conversion value). Use CookieScript CMP to implement Google Consent Mode v2 and the Advanced Consent Mode.
Is my data, collected with Advanced Consent Mode, used to train Google’s model?
No. your data is not shared with other accounts and is not used to model unconsented conversions in other accounts. Your own data is only used to predict and estimate conversions for your account. CookieScript can help you to implement Google Consent Mode v2 and the Advanced Consent Mode.
Is TCF an alternative to Consent mode?
Yes, IAB TCF is an alternative to Google Consent mode, it is a valid way of passing consent signals to Google. If you pass consent signals via TCF you will benefit from Consent modeling as well. You can also set up TCF in an Advanced or Basic way i.e. have tags blocked by default until consent is granted or denied. However, IAB TCF is not compatible with Google Analytics 4 as it does not include the analytics_storage parameter. CookieScript CMP has a full integration with both Google Consent Mode v2 and IAB TCF.
Can I send consent signals via Google Consent Mode without activating the Consent modeling feature?
No, there is not a functionality of Consent mode that doesn't include modeling. In both Google Consent Modes, modeling is included by default to provide a holistic view of marketing performance while also respecting user privacy choices. CookieScript can help you to implement Google Consent Mode v2 and respect your privacy choices.