Cookie Banners & Consent Mode V2
Having a cookie consent banner is necessary for compliance with EU regulations, and it serves as a means to inform users about the use of cookies on the website and obtain their consent, particularly when running analytics.
A lot of sites don't bother or have fakes ones that don't actually do anything. Realistically, not much is going to happen if you don't have one. The ICO is just going to tell you to install one in the worse case.
However, with recent changes to the regulatory environment has forced Google to make changes. Basically, if you are using any data for ads personalisation, you need to get consent.
- Enhanced Enforcement of EU UCP: From 2024, Google will intensify the enforcement of its EU UCP for audience and measurement solutions. This change necessitates advertisers in the European Economic Area (EEA) to provide verifiable consent signals to Google, ensuring the continued effectiveness of their ad campaigns.
- Upgrades to Consent Mode: Google has announced improvements to the consent mode for Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform, and Google Analytics. These upgrades require immediate actions from advertisers to maintain the personalisation features of their ads before March 2024. With V2, there are two additional flags that Ads needs to work as before.
With this in mind, getting a properly configured cookie banner installed is a must for people using Google remarking and anything that requires ads personalisation.
This includes Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns so if you rely on those for traffic then you will be impacted.
You can read more about the Digital Markets Act Here
Cookie consent management solutions
Google's list of certified consent management platforms is extensive, featuring a variety of options, each with its own set of features and pricing structures. I settled on Cookiebot for several compelling reasons.
Firstly, its ease of use stands out. Cookiebot offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies the complex process of managing cookies and user consent. This aspect is crucial for efficiency and effectiveness in consent management.
Secondly, the pricing is attractive, especially for small sites, with a free tier that accommodates the needs of smaller online entities. This accessibility in pricing ensures that compliance with cookie regulations is not just a luxury for big players but is achievable for websites of all sizes. If you are on the free plan (50 pages or less), its just a one time install cost
Cookiebot's seamless integration with Google Tag Manager significantly streamlines the implementation process. This integration is a key factor in my decision, as it eliminates the need for extensive configuration and testing with different platforms. The goal is to find a solution that not only meets all compliance requirements but also fits within a reasonable budget, allowing you to focus on your core business activities without the hassle of constant adjustments in your consent management approach.
I am reseller too, so I can subsidise install costs with the ongoing commission from Cookiebot thus creating unbeatable price point for intallation. This scheme is beneficial not only for my business but also for those I serve, allowing them to access top-tier consent management solutions economically.
Cookiebot provides a blend of functionality, affordability, and convenience, making it an optimal choice for anyone seeking a robust and user-friendly consent management platform.
Cookiebot Pricing
Cookie banner installation cost
If you sign up Cookiebot under my account, I will install the banner for you for €120 + VAT (depending on complexity). You can get a quote from Cookiebot for their charge here.
You can sign up via my link here and then get in touch about installation. Either by the form below or book a free 15 minute call.
Other Cookie Consent Management Platforms
Google have a list of Certified Consent Management Platforms. Some are private, so you can't sign up up to them. Here are the list on public certified CMPs.
Non Private Certified CMPs
| Certified CMP | TCF CMP ID | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| AdMetricsPro CMP | 77 | Web |
| Admiral CMP | 9 | Web |
| AdOcean CMP | 104 | Web and app |
| Adtelligent Inc. CMP | 396 | Web |
| Associated Newspapers Ltd CMP | 27 | Web and app |
| Axeptio | 260 | Web |
| Borlabs Cookie CMP | 323 | Web |
| CCM19 CMP | 343 | Web |
| CHEQ Privacy CMP | 224 | Web |
| CIVIC COMPUTING LTD CMP | 259 | Web |
| Clickio CMP | 63 | Web |
| Clym Inc. | 213 | Web |
| Commanders Act CMP | 90 | Web and app |
| Complianz CMP | 332 | Web |
| Consentmanager CMP | 31 | Web and app |
| Cookie Information CMP | 162 | Web |
| Cookie Script CMP | 374 | Web |
| Cookiebot CMP | 134 | Web |
| CookieFirst CMP | 382 | Web |
| CookieHub CMP | 354 | Web |
| CookieYes CMP | 401 | Web |
| Didomi CMP | 7 | Web and app |
| Enzuzo, Inc. | 418 | Web |
| Ethyca Inc CMP | 407 | Web |
| Ezoic CMP | 299 | Web |
| FastCMP | 388 | Web |
| Google LLC CMP | 300 | Web and app |
| Gravito CMP | 302 | Web and app |
| illow CMP | 406 | Web |
| Impala CMP | 303 | Web and app |
| InMobi Choice CMP | 10 | Web and app |
| Iubenda CMP | 123 | Web and app |
| Ketch CMP | 340 | Web |
| Lawwwing CMP | 405 | Web |
| Learnings CMP | 387 | App |
| legal web GmbH | 410 | Web |
| Legally ok CMP | 420 | Web |
| Liveramp CMP | 3 | Web and app |
| Mediavine CMP | 46 | Web |
| Mozilor Limited (Trading as WebToffee) | 404 | Web |
| My Agile Privacy CMP | 403 | Web |
| NitroPay CMP | 242 | Web |
| One Consent CMP | 273 | App |
| Onesecondbefore B.V. CMP | 355 | Web |
| Onetrust / Cookiepro CMP | 28 | Web and app |
| OptAd360 CMP | 305 | Web |
| Osano CMP | 279 | Web |
| PrivacyPillar CMP | 335 | Web |
| Pubtech CMP | 352 | Web |
| RCS CMP | 218 | Web |
| Real Cookie Banner CMP | 367 | Web |
| Securiti, Inc. CMP | 312 | Web |
| Setupad CMP | 379 | Web |
| Seznam.cz CMP | 247 | Web |
| SFBX CMP | 2 | Web and app |
| Sibbo CMP | 76 | Web and app |
| Singlespot | 212 | App |
| Sirdata CMP | 92 | Web |
| Snigel Adconsent CMP | 229 | Web |
| Sourcepoint Dialogue CMP | 6 | Web and app |
| Termly CMP | 412 | Web |
| Traffective CMP | 21 | Web and app |
| Transcend CMP | 399 | Web and app |
| Tri-table Sp. z o.o. CMP | 61 | Web |
| TRUENDO CMP | 304 | Web |
| Trustarc CMP | 47 | Web |
| Uniconsent CMP | 68 | Web and app |
| UserCentrics CMP | 5 | Web and app |
| WebAds CMP | 236 | Web |
Ben's Micro Reviews
I didn't go through and evaluate all of these solutions. These are so brief I can't even call them mini reviews. Maybe some are better than Cookiebot. Some notable ones I saw.
illow CMP – this was on AppSumo. I had a lifetime on deal on it. I just couldn't get it to scan my site so decided to ask for a refund. Keep checking back and it might come back on sale. Lifetime deals are generally good value if you use them. With hindsight, I should have kept it.
Complianz.io, this is a WordPress only one. I used to use the free version on this site and it worked very well. The problem is that you don't get consent mode unless you get a paid version. For a lot of people the free version is fine.
When you pay, its only €5 a month for one license and drops to as low as like €1.20 a month when you sign up a for an agency license at €359 a year for 25 sites.
Cookieyes – has a small free version for sites with up to 100 page and 25k page views. I've not used it but heard good things about it. That was on AppSumo years ago, so some people have a lifetime license.
CookiePro – Quite a popular one. I've not really looked much in to it but I'll be glad when I don't have to check for C0002 before firing any analytics tags. There is no free plan and looks like an overkill for a lot of sites.
Legally OK CMP – have a great name. They are Swiss and have a free plan. Nothing more to say.
Any Need for Any more?
After a while, its sort of becomes a bit of chore to go through. I have found a few that do what I need. I am not going to keep going. Feel free to read the full list of Google Certified CMPs and let me know if there are any other ones worth looking at.
Piwik Pro CMP
One that is not on the list is Piwik Pro Its not been certifed but it works and is available on the free plan. Categorize data from Analytics and Tag Manager so that data purposes always agree with the consent received. Customize consent forms to match each website’s design and language.
It can be self hosted too, so if you want the hassle of managing your own server, then it could worth a try. Also, if you want to move away from the Google tech stack, its something to look at.
I personally think that GA4 and possibly MS Clarity is all you need for Analytics but if for whatever reason, you want to move away from Google and Microsoft Pikik could be the answer.
It does seem extra work passing on the Piwik data to ads when GA4 just integrates so seamlessly. Even as back up analytics I wouldn't bother. For WordPress, something like wpstats is fine or for other platforms I would use a cookieless solution like Fathom.
Get in touch
If you want more information about my cookie banner installation, get in touch by either the contact form or book a free consultation. I can also verify your installation. I offer a wide range of GDPR Cookie Compliance Services.
The subject is complex and challenging to navigate, especially with misleading information coming from sources that are generally reliable or appear to be trustworthy. You can safely ignore anyone that claims that all this is to help with the phasing out of 3rd party cookies.
Even I get baffled sometimes and I've been doing this for over a year now.
Google Verifying Sites
If you a nice Ad rep, they can put you in touch with Google's implementation team who will verify your set up. Presumably, if you haven't got anything set up, they will help you set up too.
In the first instance, you might want to ask your Google Ads rep for help.
