Google Ads announces privacy-focused changes for Analytics, Tag Manager and enhanced conversions

In a Google Marketing Livestream preview announcement of upcoming product launches, Vidhya Srinivasan, Vice President of Engineering at Google Ads, wrote about machine learning in Google Analytics, consent mode for Tag Manager, and enhanced conversions with first-party data.

Machine learning extended to behavioral analytics in Google Analytics. Google announced GA4 last year which includes conversion modeling to help close measurement gaps and get better insights into customer behavioral analytics data as privacy becomes more of a concern for users. In today’s announcement, Google said they are extending their advanced machine learning to behavioral analytics reporting in GA.

“For example, in User Acquisition reports, if there’s a gap in the number of new users a campaign has acquired, we’ll now use modeling to help fill that gap. With or without cookies, this feature will help marketers enhance their understanding of the customer journey across their apps and websites,” wrote Srinivasan.

Adjust Consent Mode in Google Tag Manager. Consent mode helps advertisers in Europe and the UK adjust how Google tags users based on their individual consent status. If a user does not consent to the use of cookies, Consent Mode uses conversion modeling to help marketers measure the customer decision journey instead.

“To make it easier for their website to integrate with Consent Mode, we’ll soon allow access directly from Tag Manager accounts where they’ll be able to modify and customize tag behavior in response to users’ consent preferences,” said Google’s Vice President of Engineering in the announcement today.

Enhanced conversions help preserve measurement in lieu of cookies. When cookies aren’t available, first-party and consented data can help fill in the measurement gaps.

“Enhanced conversions allow tags to use consented, first-party data and give a more accurate view of how users convert after engaging with ads. Marketers will also be able to get the data they need to unlock performance insights, like conversion lift, and improve measurement in cases when their ad is shown on one device and the user converts on another. The data is always hashed to protect user privacy and ensure security,” according to the Google blog.

More details about these products and features as well as announcements about new solutions happen May 27 at Google Marketing Livestream.

Why we care. With the ongoing conversation around privacy for users and maintaining targeting and measurement accuracy for advertisers, these solutions from Google Ads attempt to preserve user data while ensuring that search marketers have the best information to improve and adjust their campaigns.