Overview

Consent Mode allows you to adjust how Google tags behave based on a user’s consent choices, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations while still collecting valuable insights for optimization. With Elevar, Consent Mode can be implemented in two ways, either through Google Tag Manager (GTM) or with a GTM-less setup.

While both paths support Google Consent Mode (GCM), they differ in how consent values are captured, stored, and passed downstream. Understanding these differences will help you decide which setup is right for your store.

Consent with Google Tag Manager:

When GTM is enabled, Elevar loads your GTM container and relies on Google Consent Mode for managing consent values. This approach gives teams the flexibility to handle complex or highly customized event tracking, but it does introduce additional technical considerations.

How It Works:

When GTM is enabled, Elevar loads your GTM container and relies on Google Consent Mode (GCM) to interpret consent values. Consent is passed into GTM, where tags and triggers control how it flows to Google platforms. In some cases, additional GTM tags need to be configured to properly map consent from Shopify’s Customer Privacy API or Elevar into GCM. This approach is powerful but places responsibility on the accuracy of GTM container configuration and a misfire or missing trigger can lead to incomplete consent signals.

Features:

High flexibility for merchants with centralized GTM setups.
Supports advanced customization across tags, triggers, and variables.
Developer or agency involvement often required for updates and troubleshooting.
Higher risk of errors if containers are not properly maintained.

This method is best suited for merchants who already maintain centralized GTM setups or require advanced customization of their client-side tags. However, it often requires developer or agency support to manage changes, troubleshoot misfires, or add new parameters.

Consent with GTM-Less Setups:

With GTM-less setups, Elevar bypasses Google Tag Manager entirely. Instead, consent values flow directly from Shopify or Elevar’s Consent API into Google Consent Mode. This reduces the number of moving parts and simplifies the setup process.

How It Works:

In GTM-less setups, Elevar bypasses Google Tag Manager and pushes consent values directly into Google Consent Mode. On Shopify, Elevar listens to the Shopify Customer Privacy API and maps those values into GCM automatically. For Shopify Markets, consent can come from either the Shopify Customer Privacy API or Elevar’s own Consent API. In non-Shopify or headless environments, Elevar’s Consent API surfaces consent defaults and updates directly. This approach removes GTM as a dependency, making the flow simpler, faster, and less prone to technical issues.

Features:

Faster implementation without GTM container setup.
More reliable thanks to fewer layers where consent signals can be dropped.
Marketer-friendly setup managed in Elevar’s UI without developer support.
Less customization compared to GTM setups.
Limited client-side extensions for merchants who rely on complex GTM logic.

Elevar Consent API (for GTM-Less Environments)

How It Works:

For merchants not using Shopify or those running headless setups, Elevar’s Consent API offers a direct way to manage consent. It surfaces defaults and updates directly in the browser console, making it easy to debug and confirm that consent values are applied consistently across sessions.

Features:

Direct integration without Shopify dependency.
Browser console visibility for consent defaults and updates.
Streamlined compliance without needing to build custom consent logic.

Integration Options

Consent integration looks slightly different depending on whether GTM is enabled.

With GTM Enabled:

Shopify: Consent handled through Google Consent Mode.
Shopify Markets: Consent handled through Google Consent Mode.
Non-Shopify APIs: Consent handled through Google Consent Mode.

With GTM Not Enabled:

Shopify: Consent handled through the Shopify Customer Privacy API. Google Consent Mode can also be used if sending anonymous data to GA4.
Shopify Markets: Consent managed with either the Shopify Customer Privacy API or Elevar Consent API. Google Consent Mode is supported for anonymous GA4 data.
Non-Shopify APIs: Consent handled through the Elevar Consent API, with optional Google Consent Mode for anonymous GA4 data.