How to Ensure Your Ads Still Track — Even with a Cookie Banner compliant with updated GDPR requirements

If you’re running ads in the UK and showing a cookie banner on your website, you’re not alone in wondering whether your tracking is still working as it should. With GDPR and the UK’s Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), gaining user consent before setting cookies — especially for marketing — is not just best practice, it’s a legal requirement.

But here’s the catch: if users don’t opt in, your ads (think Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, or LinkedIn Insight Tag) may stop tracking — leading to lost conversions and poor campaign insights.

So how can you stay compliant and keep your ad performance on point?

1. Use Google Consent Mode (v2)

Consent Mode allows your tracking tools to run in a privacy-friendly way. Even if users reject cookies, Google can model conversions using anonymous signals — meaning your campaign data stays more complete.

Tip: Implement Consent Mode through your Cookie Management Platform (CMP) like Cookiebot or OneTrust, and link it to Google Tag Manager.

2. Customise Your Cookie Banner

Make sure your cookie banner clearly separates necessary and marketing cookies, and allows users to change preferences later. A good UX here increases opt-ins.

Pro tip: Use geo-targeted banners if your audience includes users from outside the UK, such as the EU or US.

3. Audit Your Tags

Check that your ad pixels (Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.) are firing only after consent. Most tag managers allow conditional triggers based on cookie choices.

4. Respect Consent, But Optimise for Opt-In

Word your banner carefully — people are more likely to consent if they understand how tracking helps improve their experience. Avoid dark patterns, but do test wording and design placement.

Final Thoughts

Cookie banners don’t have to kill your ad tracking. With smart implementation of tools like Google Consent Mode and a transparent consent strategy, you can stay compliant with UK privacy laws while still gathering valuable marketing data.

Need help implementing cookie consent and ad tracking the right way?
We help UK businesses strike the perfect balance between compliance and conversion. Get in touch to learn more.