Consent Mode v2: What It Means for Your Google Ads and GA4 Data

Consent Mode tells Google tags how to behave based on a visitor’s cookie choices. Version 2 added two new signals, and it matters for anyone who advertises to users in the European Economic Area and the UK.

The consent signals

• ad_storage: can advertising cookies be stored?
• analytics_storage: can analytics cookies be stored?
• ad_user_data: can user data be sent to Google for advertising? (new in v2)
• ad_personalization: can data be used for personalized ads and remarketing? (new in v2)

Basic vs Advanced mode

• Basic: Google tags do not load until the visitor accepts. Nothing is sent before consent.
• Advanced: tags load with consent denied by default and send cookieless pings. Google can then use modelling to estimate some of the conversions it cannot observe.

How to implement it

1. Use a consent management platform (CMP) that supports Consent Mode v2.
2. Set default consent states before any Google tag fires.
3. Update the consent state when the visitor makes a choice.
4. In GTM, check each tag’s consent settings.
5. Test with Tag Assistant: confirm defaults, the update and tag behaviour.

Common problems

• Default consent is set after tags have already fired.
• The banner updates only two of the four signals.
• Non-Google tags, like the Meta Pixel, are not blocked when consent is denied.
• Conversions drop sharply because everything is blocked with no modelling.

A correct setup helps you respect privacy law and keep as much measurement as possible. This is general information, not legal advice, so check your own obligations with a qualified adviser.

Need a hand with this?

If you are not sure your setup is sending the right data, request a free tracking audit. I will review your tags, events and conversion actions and send you a clear list of what to fix.