Advertisers who want to display personalized ads to consumers in the European Economic Area (EEA) should take immediate steps to prevent campaign performance issues.
As search engines prepare to increase enforcement of the EU User Consent Policy (EU UCP), marketers must send verifiable consent signals to Google.
why do we care? Google warned that ignoring these steps promptly can negatively impact campaign performance, impacting both reach and return on investment.
Next step. If you or your technology partner uses Google APIs/SDKs to share audience data with Google, you must upgrade to the latest versions of the Google Ads API and Display & Video 360 API.
Meanwhile, we recommend that app advertisers update to the latest version of the Google App Conversion Tracking API or SDK. This update enables proper communication of consent signals, ensures compliance with user choices, and facilitates comprehensive measurement and modeling.
If you are an app advertiser working with an App Attribution Partner (AAP), upgrade to the latest AAP SDK/API version and work with your AAP partner to ensure consent signals are communicated to Google. is needed.
Global impact. This news affects all advertisers targeting consumers within the EEA, regardless of whether the advertiser is located within the EEA.
Why now? In an evolving privacy landscape with regulatory changes and the obsolescence of third-party cookies on the horizon, it's important for advertisers to implement solutions such as consent modes to ensure their audience and measurement solutions work effectively.
What is the EU UCP? The EU User Consent Policy (EU UCP) introduced by Google is designed to comply with European privacy regulations, specifically the ePrivacy Directive (ePD) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy requires marketers who use Google for advertising to obtain and respect end-user consent. Its purpose is to ensure compliance with established privacy standards within the online advertising ecosystem.
What Google is saying. A spokesperson said in a statement:
- “This year marks a turning point in marketing with Chrome’s planned retirement of third-party cookies in the second half of 2024 and regulatory changes in the landscape.”
- “Consent mode helps prepare the right foundation for durable solutions powered by consented first-party data and Google AI.”
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deep dive. Read Google's full announcement to learn more.
