How to Configure Google Tag Manager Tags to be Consent-Aware

What this article covers:

This article explains how to make Google Tag Manager (GTM) tags fire only when a visitor has given consent through the Usercentrics CMP. It covers two configuration methods, when to use each, and how to verify everything is working.

Before starting, confirm all of the following:

• The Usercentrics CMP script is installed on your website. If not: Implementing Usercentrics CMP v3 using Google Tag Manager
• Google Consent Mode is enabled in your Usercentrics Admin Interface under Configuration > CMP Settings.
• The service you want to configure (e.g. Google Analytics 4) has been added to your Usercentrics Admin Interface under Data Processing Services.
• You know the exact service name as it appears in the Usercentrics Admin Interface, including spelling, capitalization, and hyphenation.
• The GTM tag for that service already exists (or you are creating it now).

Which method should I use?

Option A: Consent Variable + Trigger (recommended for most services)

Use this for any third-party service. You will create three components and link them together: a Tag, a Variable, and a Trigger.

Step 1: Create the Tag

1. In GTM, go to Tags and click New
2. Name the tag after the service, for example, Google Analytics 4 Tag.
3. Click Tag Configuration and select the appropriate tag type. For GA4, select Google Tag
4. Paste your Measurement ID (e.g. G-XXXXXXXXXX) in the Tag ID field. 
5. Go to Advanced Settings → Tag firing options and select Once per page. (Note: If the service needs to fire more than once per page view, select Unlimited instead. Once per page is the Usercentrics recommended default.)
6. Save the tag. You will add the trigger in Step 3.

Step 2: Create the Consent Variable

This variable reads the visitor's consent status for this specific service from the GTM data layer.

1. Go to Variables → User-Defined Variables and click New.
2. Name the variable after the service, for example, Google Analytics 4 Variable.
3. Click Variable Configuration and select Data Layer Variable.

4. In the Data Layer Variable Name field, enter the exact service name from your Usercentrics Admin Interface, for example, Google Analytics 4.

   ⚠️ The name must match exactly, including spelling, capitalization, and hyphenation. A mismatch means the variable will always return false and the tag will never fire.

5. Check Set Default Value and set the default to false.
6. Save the variable.

Step 3: Create the Consent Trigger

This trigger listens for the Usercentrics consent event and checks whether the visitor has opted in for this specific service.

1. Go to Triggers and click New.
2. Name the trigger, for example, Google Analytics 4 Trigger.
3. Click Trigger Configuration and select Custom Event.
4. In the Event Name field, enter consent_status.* and check Use regex matching.
5. Under This trigger fires on, select Some Custom Events.
6. Set the condition: Google Analytics 4 Variable contains true. This ensures the trigger only fires if the visitor has consented to this service. If they have not consented, the variable returns false and the tag does not fire.
7. Save the trigger.

Step 4: Connect the Trigger to the Tag

1. Open the tag you created in Step 1.
2. In the Triggering section, remove the default All Pages trigger and add the trigger you created in Step 3 and save the tag.
3. Publish your GTM container to make the changes live.

Option B: GTM's Built-in Consent Settings (Google tags only)

Use this method only for native Google tags (Google Ads, Floodlight, Conversion Linker). These tags support Advanced Consent Mode natively and have built-in consent checks.

Step 1: Create the consent trigger

1. Go to Triggers and click New.
2. Name it, for example, Consent Status.
3. Select Custom Event as the trigger type.
4. Enter consent_status.* in the Event Name field and check Use regex matching.
5. Leave This trigger fires on set to All Custom Events.
6. Save the trigger.

Note: If your tag uses an interaction-based trigger (e.g. clicks or link follows), you do not need to create or replace the trigger, only page-view based triggers need to be swapped.

Step 2: Configure the tag's Consent Settings

1. Open the tag you want to configure.
2. Scroll to Advanced Settings → Consent Settings (BETA).
3. Select Require additional consent for tag to fire and enter the appropriate consent category (e.g. ad_storage).
4. Replace the All Pages trigger with the Consent Status trigger from Step 1.
5. Save the tag and publish your container.

How to verify your setup

After publishing, use the Google Consent Mode Checker in your Usercentrics Admin Interface to confirm your implementation is correct:

1. Log into the Usercentrics Admin Interface.
2. Go to Configuration → CMP Settings.
3. Scroll to the Google Consent Mode Status section and run a check.

You can also verify using Google Tag Assistant:

1. Open tagassistant.google.com and enter your website URL.
2. Check that the consent_status event appears in the event list.
3. Click the Consent tab and confirm the parameter values are set correctly for both the default and update events.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Glossary

Consent-aware tag

A GTM tag configured to fire only after Usercentrics has confirmed that the visitor consented to that specific service.

Basic Consent Mode

The tag is fully blocked until the visitor gives explicit consent. No data is sent before consent. This is what Option A configures.

Advanced Consent Mode

The tag always loads but adjusts its behavior based on consent signals. Built into native Google tags. No manual variable or trigger setup needed for those tags.

Data Processing Service (DPS)

Any service registered in the Usercentrics Admin Interface under Data Processing Services. The service name entered there must be used exactly when creating GTM variables.

consent_status event

The GTM data layer event that Usercentrics fires once it knows the visitor's consent choices, either when they submit the banner on a first visit, or immediately on page load for returning visitors whose preferences are already stored.

Data Layer Variable

A GTM variable that reads a value from the GTM data layer. Used here to check whether a visitor has consented to a specific service, returning true or false.