Consent Mode: A Key Tool to Improve the Measurement of Your Google Ads Campaigns

Consent Mode is a tool that can enhance the measurement of your Google Ads campaigns. Are you making the most of it?

Proper implementation of Consent Mode not only helps comply with privacy regulations but also significantly improves the ability to measure and understand campaign results, especially in a context where user consent is becoming increasingly complex.

What happens without Consent Mode?

Ad clicks that lack appropriate consent turn into lost data for platforms, leading to incomplete conversion reports. For instance, a campaign might appear less effective than it actually is, prompting decisions such as cutting budgets or changing strategies based on inaccurate data. This impacts the efficiency of advertising investment. With partial information, decisions are based on an incomplete reality.

How does Consent Mode help?

With Consent Mode, Google can model conversions that would otherwise remain invisible. This is achieved using statistical modelling techniques that analyse similar behavioural patterns to estimate how many conversions likely occurred, even when direct data is unavailable. Even without cookie consent, statistical modelling allows the estimation of conversions to provide a more realistic view.

The difference is clear: a 5% conversion rate without Consent Mode could rise to 5.9% with conversion modelling enabled, representing an 18% improvement in reporting accuracy.

Implementation is key

Ensuring that Consent Mode is properly configured is crucial. It’s not enough to rely on just any CMP (Consent Management Platform). A Google-certified CMP, such as Cookiebot, can automate this process, simplifying management and ensuring compliance with regulations.

In my experience, there are several ways to check if a website has implemented Consent Mode correctly. Some useful tools include Consent Mode Inspector and Google Tag Assistant (the latter is used to verify proper implementation of Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics on the site). You can even perform a more in-depth analysis through Google parameters, where "gcs: G111" would indicate that Google recognises Consent Mode.

Do you already have Consent Mode implemented on your website?

Paid Media Strategies to Leverage the Low Season and Prepare for Success

The low season is an opportunity to refine strategies, test new approaches, and strengthen the brand, though it can also present challenges. What can you do to make the most of these moments in paid media?

First and foremost, optimising your budget is essential. Keeping only the best-performing campaigns active allows you to maximise returns by focusing on products or services with high demand or strong growth potential, even during the low season. For instance, identifying high-performing campaigns through key metrics such as ROAS or conversion rates can help determine where to continue investing. Less is more: every pound counts when resources are limited.

Another key strategy is to tailor creatives to the context of the low season, measuring the effectiveness of these changes using indicators such as engagement or click-through rate (CTR) to ensure the adaptations yield positive results. For B2C, relaxed tones can evoke preparation for future key moments, while in B2B, positioning your offer as part of planning for the next quarter or cycle is key. This keeps the message relevant and avoids creative fatigue.

The low season is also the perfect time to explore new channels. Often, brands focus on media that generate short-term conversions, but this is the time to test emerging platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, or even Spotify. While these may not yield immediate results, they help build presence and familiarity, which can be invaluable when demand picks up.

Retargeting and reactivation are crucial during these periods, allowing you to capitalise on audiences who have previously shown interest. This is particularly effective in low seasons when acquiring new users is more challenging and expensive. Targeting users who expressed interest but didn’t convert, offering personalised incentives, can make all the difference. Additionally, segmented reactivation email campaigns can rekindle potential customers who already know the brand but haven’t yet taken action.

There’s also room for creativity. Producing micro-content that’s educational or adds value provides an extra benefit to the customer, keeps them engaged, and strengthens the perception of the brand as a sector leader. Short videos, tips on social media, or ads that educate rather than just sell can also stand out.

Finally, preparing for the upcoming season is one of the most profitable actions you can take during periods of low demand. Investing time in creating high-quality creatives, messages, and offers tailored to future trends and target segments ensures a competitive edge when demand returns.

The low season doesn’t have to be a hurdle—it can be a springboard to the next period of high demand. It’s all about perspective and strategy.

What are your best strategies for the low season?

Strategic Decision-Making in Destination URLs: How It Impacts the Performance of Your Advertising Campaigns

The destination of an advertisement is an element that often goes unnoticed but has a significant impact on the performance of advertising campaigns. What happens when you change the destination URL or decide to send users to a different page? The answer depends on several factors, such as the relevance of the new page’s content, loading speed, mobile usability, and how well it aligns with the expectations created by the ad.

Changing an ad’s destination can profoundly affect conversion rates and user behaviour. Every time the landing page is modified, it impacts the user experience. For example, if the new page takes longer to load or is not mobile-friendly, users may leave before completing the desired action. If the new page does not align with the expectations set by the ad, performance may drop significantly. For instance, if the ad promises a specific offer and the landing page doesn’t clearly display it, users may feel frustrated and abandon the site. Consistency between the ad’s message and the landing page experience is crucial to maximising performance.

The new page must be optimised and aligned with the specific goals of the campaign. For example, if the focus is on lead generation, the landing page should facilitate conversion with simple forms, clear CTAs, and a seamless mobile experience. Additionally, technical aspects such as loading speed and proper structure for Google’s ad rank remain fundamental.

Another important point is that when you change an ad’s destination, advertising platforms often need time to readjust. The algorithm may need to recalibrate conversion patterns, which can temporarily affect performance. If the new page serves a similar purpose to the old one, this impact can be minimised. However, if it differs significantly, there might be a learning phase that negatively affects results for a period.

Such changes can also influence how users perceive the brand’s credibility. Each transition between ads and pages involves a fraction of a second in which the user evaluates whether the presented content remains relevant and whether it meets the expectation created. Maintaining the initial expectation can make the difference between a wasted click and a conversion.

This is why I always recommend approaching ad destination changes as a strategic decision. It is essential to analyse factors such as user intent, the technical aspects of the page (loading time, structure, metadata, keywords, mobile version), and historical performance data of the old page before making decisions. Before changing the URL, ensure that the new destination is optimised for the objective and enhances the user experience. If it does, it could lead to a considerable performance improvement. But if it’s just a change without a clear improvement in experience, it may harm the campaign’s efficiency without a valid reason.

What has been your experience when changing the destination URL in major campaigns? Has it affected your campaign performance? Let me know in the comments.