Are you using Google Tag Manager to load Axeptio? We have prepared a complete video tutorial just for you!
The Google Consent Mode v2 is a mechanism provided by Google that allows you to adjust the behavior of their tags (Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, etc.) based on your visitors' consent choices. Without it, your Google services cannot adapt their behavior to your visitors' choices, resulting in degraded measurements in Google Analytics and Google Ads.
Specifically:
If the visitor accepts: the tags work normally, cookies are set, full data is sent to Google.
If the visitor refuses: the tags do not set cookies, but send pings to Google — minimalist signals (consent status, user agent, timestamp) without individual visitor identification. These pings allow Google to model unobserved conversions.
To learn more about the concepts: Consent Mode — Official Google Documentation 💉 Need a refresher? Check out our blog post
Consent Mode Signals
Consent Mode v2 is based on 4 required signals:
Signal | Role |
| Authorizes Google Analytics to measure visitor behavior on the site |
| Authorizes Google to save advertising information on the visitor's device |
| Authorizes sending the visitor's activity data to Google for targeted advertising |
| Authorizes personalization of Google ads displayed to the visitor |
Google also defines 3 optional signals (functionality_storage, personalization_storage, security_storage) that you can configure if your use case requires it. For most sites, the 4 signals above are sufficient.
Configuration is done in 2 steps — both are mandatory:
1. Define default signals (in your GTM tag or code snippet) These values are sent to Google as soon as the page opens, before any visitor interaction with the banner. For European visitors subject to GDPR, the 4 signals must be set to denied by default.
2. Enable the Consent Mode v2 screen in your Axeptio banner This screen allows for updating the signals after the visitor has made their choice. Without it, the signals remain locked at their default values — even if the visitor accepts everything, Google will continue to receive denied. The Axeptio registry will be correct, but the Google tags will never receive the granted signal.
⚠️ These 2 steps are inseparable. One without the other produces an invalid implementation.
Basic mode or advanced mode: which one to choose?
Before configuring anything, choose your mode — it directly determines how your Google tags must be triggered.
Basic Mode | Advanced Mode | |
Loading of Google tags | Blocked until banner interaction | Immediate when page opens |
Data sent to Google before consent | None — not even a ping | Pings without cookies (consent status, user agent, timestamp) |
Google Modeling | Generic model (less precise) | Model specific to the advertiser (more precise) |
Conditioning Logic | Google tags blocked until consent | Google tags triggered systematically |
Depending on the chosen mode, you will need to adapt your conditioning logic (in GTM or in your code).
Basic Mode: Google services (GA4, Google Ads) must be present in your Axeptio banner — they control the blocking/unblocking of tags.
Advanced Mode: only the Consent Mode v2 screen is needed in the banner — no need to add Google services.
Basic Mode
Google tags do not load until the visitor has interacted with the banner. No data is transmitted to Google before this interaction — not even a consent ping. If the visitor refuses or ignores the banner, Google receives nothing.
In return, Google modeling relies on a generic model (global population, less precise than advanced mode).
For the conditioning logic, refer to our documentation:
With Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager Interface
With Gtag.js: Custom Integration / Synchronization
Advanced Mode
Google tags load as soon as the page opens, before any banner interaction. From that moment, they send cookie-free pings to Google — minimalist signals (consent status, user agent, timestamp) that do not allow individual visitor identification, but allow Google to build a modeling model specific to your site (more precise than basic mode).
When the visitor accepts: cookies are set, complete data is sent.
When the visitor refuses: pings without cookies only, no individual targeting.
For the conditioning logic:
In Google Tag Manager: load your Google tags with the "All Pages" trigger
With Gtag.js: load the script directly, without condition
Note — Google modeling requires sufficient traffic volume to activate. Thresholds vary by product: for GA4, you need a minimum of 1,000 consenting visitors per day over 7 consecutive days; for Google Ads, 700 ad clicks over 7 rolling days. Below these thresholds, advanced mode remains valid but without modeling benefit. For details: Behavioral modeling — GA4 · Conversion modeling — Google Ads.
Enable the dedicated screen in your banner
With Axeptio, you control the Consent Mode signals directly from your cookie banner. In just a few clicks, you can enable a screen dedicated to managing Consent Mode v2.
To do this, go to your widget configuration.
Under the "classic" screens, you will find the "Enable Consent Mode v2 (step)" option:
By checking this option, a new screen will be added to your widget, with the 4 parameters of Google Consent Mode:
Once the option is checked, don't forget to republish your project!
Without this screen, the signals are never updated. Default values (e.g. denied) remain in place for all visitors, including those who accept. Google never receives the granted signal.
Compliance with Google Requirements
For a CMP to be recognized as compatible by Google, your banner must meet three requirements:
Inform visitors that data is collected for personalization and advertising effectiveness measurement purposes
Include a link to Google's privacy policy: https://business.safety.google/privacy/
Provide an explicit acceptance button (an "Accept" button or equivalent clearly visible)
When you add Google Analytics 4 or Google Ads to your Axeptio banner, the screen dedicated to Consent Mode v2 is automatically enabled. This screen presents the 4 Consent Mode parameters with the information and link required by Google — the three requirements above are thus satisfied without any additional action.
Set the default Consent Mode parameters
Here, you will configure the default values of Consent Mode, that is, for each parameter, whether it will be accepted or refused before any user choice.
This configuration must be done in the same place where you load Axeptio.
For example, if you load Axeptio via our Wordpress module, the configuration will be done in this module. If you load Axeptio directly via our hardcoded script, then the modification will be done directly in the script. And if you load Axeptio via GTM, it will be done in GTM.
Denied or granted by default: choosing the signals The default signals you must define depend on the regulations applicable to your visitors' region. For example, for visitors from European Union countries (and thus subject to GDPR), you must set the 4 parameters to denied by default.
Go to the section corresponding to your Axeptio integration method below!
If you chose integration via Google Tag Manager
▶️ Do you prefer a video explanation? Watch our tutorial here.
Open your Axeptio CMP tag in GTM. If you haven't created it yet, first follow Integrate Axeptio via Google Tag Manager.
In the Google Consent Mode v2 section, check Activate Google Consent Mode v2. New fields appear:
Here we can define the default values of Consent Mode, depending on the region.
Click on "Add a line".
In the "Region" field, enter the region code for which these default parameters will apply. If you leave this field empty, it will apply to everyone. This field should be filled in according to the ISO 3166-2 standard, for example for France, the code to enter is "FR".
You then have a dropdown menu for each of the 4 Consent Mode v2 parameters. For each parameter, you can set whether it will be Granted (accepted) or Denied (refused) by default.
Once the various fields are filled in, you can confirm adding your line.
Note that it is possible to create multiple lines to have different configurations by region.
Regarding the last two options "Redact Ads Data" and "Pass through URL parameters", these are additional functional options that are explained when hovering over the "?" next to the option. For their complete description, see Parameters of the Axeptio CMP GTM template.
Consent Mode is now active on your site! Congratulations
If you chose hardcoded integration
Loading Order — The Axeptio snippet must be placed before any Google script (gtag.js, gtm.js) in your <head>. Otherwise, Google tags may execute before the default consent signals are set.
We will add a googleConsentMode object to the axeptioSettings object, which will contain the default parameters of Consent Mode.
We will also pass a wait_for_update parameter which tells Google services to wait for consent for a defined time (in milliseconds) before executing. The standard value is 500ms.
An optional region parameter allows you to specify default parameters specific to a given region, in ISO 3166-2 format (e.g. "FR" for France).
Here is an example where the 4 parameters are denied by default, for all regions, with the correct loading order:
<!-- Axeptio first in the <head> -->
<script>
window.axeptioSettings = {
clientId: "yourProjectID",
googleConsentMode: {
default: {
analytics_storage: 'denied',
ad_storage: 'denied',
ad_user_data: 'denied',
ad_personalization: 'denied',
wait_for_update: 500,
}
}
};
(function(d, s) {
var t = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], e = d.createElement(s);
e.async = true; e.src = "//static.axept.io/sdk.js";
t.parentNode.insertBefore(e, t);
})(document, "script");
</script>
<!-- Google scripts after -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXX"></script>
Once your parameters are properly configured, Consent Mode is now active on your site. Congratulations!
If you chose integration via your CMS
Verify the implementation of Consent Mode v2
You can verify the correct implementation of Consent Mode v2 by following one of the following tutorials:
About the old Axeptio Consent Mode v2 tag model
About the old Axeptio Consent Mode v2 tag model
🚧 If you had followed the old documentation for implementing Consent Mode v2 via the "Axeptio Consent Mode v2" model in Google Tag Manager, you do not need to update your current implementation.
Furthermore, you do not need to enable the special Consent Mode screen in your cookie widget, as the Axeptio Consent Mode v2 model is based on the acceptance of Google Analytics and Google Ads directly. So make sure to have these two services listed in your cookie widget.
The Axeptio Consent Mode v2 model will continue to work, but may not be maintained if updates to Consent Mode are released. If you wish, you can update your implementation to the new method starting today, but it is not mandatory.
Official Google Documentation
To learn more about Consent Mode parameters and functionality, consult Google's official resources:
Consent Mode Concepts — understand how it works and consent types
Manage Consent Settings — gtag implementation — guide for sites that load Google Tag directly (gtag.js)
Create a GTM Tag Template for Consent Mode — guide for implementations via Google Tag Manager
Need help?
If you detect issues related to missing Consent Mode or TCF signals on Google tags, contact Axeptio first.