What to account for
Set all four consent signals
Consent Mode v2 adds ad_user_data and ad_personalization alongside ad_storage and analytics_storage. Set the relevant defaults before measurement commands, then update them when the visitor chooses.
Choose basic or advanced behavior
Basic mode blocks Google tags until consent. Advanced mode loads tags with denied defaults and can send cookieless pings. Choose deliberately and describe the resulting data flow.
Verify defaults and updates
Tag Assistant can inspect the earliest consent event and later updates. For GTM, check Consent Initialization and use consent-template APIs rather than issuing queued gtag commands from Custom HTML.
Common mistakes to check
Setting defaults after a tag fires
A late default cannot govern requests already sent. Place the default consent state before config or event commands and apply updates on the page where the choice occurs.
Equating denied storage with no traffic
Advanced consent mode can send cookieless signals while storage is denied. Inspect requests as well as cookies when checking the behavior your policy describes.
Your review checklist
Our suggested review process. The linked requirements above explain the platform or legal basis.
Inventory tags and choose a mode
Scan the site, list Google and non-Google tags, and choose the intended behavior before and after consent. Record which purposes each visitor control represents.
Connect every choice
Implement initial defaults, acceptance, refusal, granular choices and withdrawal. Reload the page to confirm saved choices are applied before tags run again.
Check evidence and copy together
Use Tag Assistant plus browser network and cookie panels for a fresh visit and each choice. Compare the observations with the banner wording and your reviewed privacy draft.
Example
A shop using GTM and Google Analytics
A fictional shop chooses basic mode for its Google tags. It defines denied defaults, waits for the visitor’s choice and maps analytics and advertising controls separately.
Proving the intended behavior
The team tests refusal, analytics-only acceptance and withdrawal. Tag Assistant confirms the signals; browser requests confirm which tags actually ran. A separately installed ad pixel gets its own consent check.
Questions before publishing
Is consent mode itself a banner?
No. It receives consent choices and adjusts supported Google tags. You still need a way to obtain and communicate the visitor’s choice.
Which signals did v2 add?
ad_user_data controls consent for sending advertising-related user data to Google; ad_personalization controls personalized advertising.
How do I confirm that a choice was received?
In Tag Assistant, inspect the consent default and update events, their four signal values and their order relative to tag execution.
Source review and changes
First edition: platform requirements, implementation checks and fictional worked example. Sources reviewed on the date above; verify changes before relying on them.