[Easy Tutorial] How to enable Google Consent Mode V2 on a WordPress site with the ConsentMagic extension?

Consent Mode V2 allows website owners to customize data collection based on user consent preferences. As of March 6, 2024, it becomes mandatory to enable this mode to remain compliant with regulations such as GDPR. 

This article will guide you step by step through enabling Google Consent Mode V2 on your WordPress site using the plugin ConsentMagic.

Why activate Consent Mode V2?

Legal obligation

Regulations like the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe require websites to obtain consent from users before collecting and processing their personal data. 

Failure to comply with Google Consent Mode V2 can result in serious consequences, such as the inability to create or edit audiences on Google Ads, target remarketing audiences, and even suspension of your ad account.

Risks in the event of non-activation: 

• Financial Sanctions: Severe fines may be imposed for non-compliance.
  
• Loss of advertising features: Suspension of advanced conversion tracking and inability to effectively manage advertising campaigns.
  
• Loss of user trust: Visitors may lose trust in your site, which can negatively impact your reputation and traffic.
  

Understanding Consent Mode V2 settings

Google's Consent Mode V2 works thanks to the integration of four essential parameters:

1. analytics_storage : Manages the storage of information necessary for audience measurement.
   
2. ad_storage : Controls the storage of information dedicated to advertising.
   
3. ad_personalization : Allows you to define user consent for personalized advertising.
   
4. ad_user_data : Defines user consent for sharing data with Google for ad targeting.
   

For more details, see the official Google documentation.

How to activate Consent Mode V2 with ConsentMagic?

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have installed the Google Tag on your site. You can use the extension Site Kit by Google for easy integration.

ConsentMagic installation and activation

1. Access your WordPress dashboard : Log in to your site's administration interface.
   
2. Navigate to the Extensions tab : Click on “Extensions” in the side menu, then click on “Add”.
   
3. Search for the ConsentMagic extension : In the search bar, type “ConsentMagic” OR Upload the .zip version of the extension. Once successfully found or imported, click “Install” then “Activate”.
   
   
   

Configuration and Personalization

1. Go to ConsentMagic Settings : A new tab “ConsentMagic” will appear in your side menu. Click on it and follow the prompts for activation.
   
   
2. Disable “Google Font” : Disable Google Font in “Scripts and Cookies”. Google Fonts can cause privacy issues because it loads resources from Google’s servers, which can result in the collection of user data, such as IP address. This data collection can cause GDPR compliance issues because it can be considered a form of tracking without the user’s explicit consent.
   
   By disabling Google Fonts and hosting the fonts locally, you avoid these problems and improve your site's compliance with data protection regulations.
   
   
   

3. Configure consent options : Define the types of consent to collect (analysis, advertising, etc.).
   
4. Customize the consent banner:
   
   
   

• Design and text : Adapt the design (colors, fonts) to match your site by creating a new template in the “Design” tab.
  
• Apply the Design in 3 clicks
  
  
• Consent messages : Write clear and simple messages explaining the types of data collected and their use. You can also leave the default settings. The texts are already optimized to maximize user experience.
  

Verification and Testing

1. Test the consent banner : Access your site in incognito mode to check the banner display and the functioning of the consent choices. You can also use the “Preview” mode to check the consistency of design and text content.
   
2. Use GA4 to verify successful activation : Google offers diagnostic tools to check the correct implementation of Google Consent Mode V2. Use these tools to make sure everything is working as expected. But for this article, we'll show you how to check using Google Analytics 4.
   
   • This is what the non-active consent mode looks like in “Data Feed” on GA4. 

• 48 hours after activating Consent Mode V2, you should see that the consent signals are active.

Conclusion

Setting up Consent Mode V2 on your WordPress site using the ConsentMagic plugin is a crucial step to comply with data protection regulations. 

By following this tutorial, you will not only ensure your site's compliance, but also build trust with your users. Remember to monitor plugin updates and stay informed about regulatory changes to keep your site up to date.