Ginny Marvin, the liaison for Google Ads, has recently emphasized significant updates regarding Google’s implementation of its EU User Consent Policy. Google is intensifying its enforcement of consent requirements for traffic originating from the European Economic Area (EEA).
In line with this effort, the company has rolled out version two (v2) of the consent mode, integrating parameters for ad personalization and remarketing consent signals. Advertisers are required to act by March 2024 to avoid the potential loss of important advertising functionalities in the region.
According to a Google help page:
“To keep using measurement, ad personalisation and remarketing features, you must collect consent for use of personal data from end users based in the EEA and share consent signals with Google. The requirements also apply if you are using Google Analytics data with a Google service.”
According to Marvin’s updates, here’s the essential information advertisers should be aware of regarding the approaching deadline.
March Deadline: Urgent Action Required for Advertisers
Google is enhancing its consent mode, enabling advertisers to modify their Google tag configurations in accordance with user consent.
This enhancement includes the addition of precise parameters to collect consent for ad personalization and remarketing activities. The updated consent mode introduces two new parameters: ad_user_data and ad_personalization, which transmit consent signals concerning personalized advertising.
Advertisers failing to implement the new framework by the deadline risk losing the capability to deliver personalized and remarketed advertisements.
Marvin advises users of Universal Analytics 360 to quickly transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to add essential advertising capabilities for website traffic originating from the EEA.
She emphasized that GA4 introduces a new consent setting, facilitating the prompt verification of proper transmission of consent signals.
Furthermore, GA4 shared the enhanced conversions feature, using first-party conversion data to offer a more comprehensive and consolidated perspective of conversion behaviors.
Marvin highlighted two primary advantages of enhanced conversions for advertisers:
“An advantage of implementing enhanced conversions in GA4 rather than only in Google Ads is that user-provided data can be used for additional purposes (such as demographics and interests, and paid & organic measurement).”
Marvin wrapped up her series of posts with a Q&A section tackling common queries:
- Deadline for Consent Mode V2: While a specific date is not outlined, enforcement will commence in March.
- UK Traffic: UK-based entities advertising within the EEA must also enact the necessary updates.
- Conversion Measurement: Absent consent mode v2, future remarketing and personalization to audiences will be unattainable.
Here are further considerations for advertisers, as outlined in Marvin’s social media posts:
- Consider collaborating with a certified consent management platform (CMP) to construct and set up a compliant consent banner. Google suggests partnering with one of its certified CMP partners.
- Verify that existing remarketing tags and audiences are configured to adhere to the new consent parameters. Test the functionality of your tags based on user consent preferences.
- Evaluate your current advertising measurement strategy and establish alternative conversion tracking methods that do not rely on cookies or advertising IDs, in anticipation of the evolving post-third-party cookie landscape.
- Dedicate time to educate internal stakeholders about upcoming consent requirements and their significance in maintaining access to users in the EEA market.
- Watch out for any further updates from Google as the enforcement deadline in March approaches.
Addressing these considerations promptly will minimize disruptions to your advertising capabilities in the EEA.
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