Consent Mode
Consent signals for Google tags
In short
Google Consent Mode passes the consent from your cookie banner to Google tags and Google Ads, so they know which data they may use for measurement and advertising.
Also known as: Consent Mode v2, Google Consent Mode
Consent Mode is a Google mechanism that passes the decision from your consent banner to Google tags such as Google Ads and Google Analytics. The tags adjust their behavior accordingly: with consent, they set cookies and send full data; without consent, only limited signals.
The signals
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
ad_storage | May cookies be set for advertising? |
analytics_storage | May cookies be set for analytics? |
ad_user_data | May user data be sent to Google for advertising? (since v2) |
ad_personalization | May data be used for personalized ads? (since v2) |
Why it matters for conversions
For users in the EEA, Google expects the signals ad_user_data and ad_personalization, including for conversions that arrive later via upload, such as enhanced conversions for leads. If they're missing, conversions may not be attributed.
Example
A coaching business uses a consent banner with Consent Mode v2. If a visitor declines advertising cookies, the Google Ads tag doesn't set any. If they accept, the lead is captured along with the consent, and the later sale can be reported to Google with ad_user_data and ad_personalization.
Learn more
The role consent signals play in offline conversions is covered in our article on the Google Data Manager API.
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Related terms
All termsConsent Management
Consent management means collecting, storing and managing your website visitors' consent, for example for analytics and marketing cookies.
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