2024 is now truly underway – and so are Google’s attempts to avoid further legal challenges from the EU regarding how it uses user data. After January’s update on consent management for those serving ads, the next step is a crackdown on advertisers and  pushing the  adoption of Consent Mode V2.

What is Consent Mode V2?

Consent Mode V2 was introduced in November 2023 as the update to Google’s initial version of consent mode. The first version of consent mode prevents Google from tracking pixels (tags) firing until the user gives consent. It also offered a general model for advertisers to estimate conversions for those users who haven’t consented. 

Consent Mode V2 works differently. Rather than not firing Google tags until the user has consented, Google tags’ behaviour now changes, depending on the user’s consent status. This means that tags for users who haven’t consented do not set cookies or share identifying information used for personalised marketing. However, marketers are able to get a better understanding of their site’s overall performance than they would with the previous version.

Many advertisers will have seen the threat of suspensions and inability to use Google Ads’ remarketing capabilities if they do not start sending consent signals alongside their tracking hits. Google Ads accounts have shown warning messages to users with a deadline of March 6th 2024. 

Either version of consent mode can be used to send consent signals, but the additional benefits of having more detailed conversion modelling provide marketers with a better understanding of site and channel performance. You’re also given more data for Google Ad platforms that can help optimise campaigns.

What you need to do to become compliant

There are two things advertisers will need to do to become compliant. Advertisers need to make sure that they obtain consent from users when tracking them on a website or app. They’ll also need to make sure that they seek consent and send that consent data to Google when uploading offline data – something they’ve been able to do since October 2023 if they’re using the Google Ads API v15 or newer.

At Loom, we’ve been making sure our clients have been using consent mode even before the latest updates. For those who are reluctant to start using it  solely for the measurement benefits, Google’s warnings will definitely be the last push to ensure that it’s implemented.

What else is changing in 2024?

These changes are happening concurrently with the phasing out of third-party cookies. Most notably, Google Chrome is phasing out third-party cookies by the end of the year, potentially as early as Q3. However, I’d be hesitant to believe any Google commitments on phasing out cookies, given that in 2021 they said they’d look to phase them out in mid to late 2023. 

Third-party cookies, unlike first-party cookies, are ones that are set and can be read by another site, meaning they’re used for personalised marketing purposes. Without the use of personalised advertising capabilities that rely on third-party cookies, marketers will have to increase their first-party data collection, and use this data to target audiences that they may have previously looked to reach by relying on third-party cookies. First-party data can be collected through various methods like gated content, newsletter sign-ups or loyalty programs. These all require the user to submit personal information, such as an email address, which can then be passed to an Ad platform (if the user has given consent to do so) for marketing purposes.

Written by: Lukas Beeler, Data & Analytics at Loom Digital

About Loom Digital

Loom has been skilfully weaving together the strands of strategic digital marketing since 2009. For us it’s always been about the mix. Finding the right blend of data and creativity, human connection and automation, hard graft and fun times.