TersbyTersby blog· 3 min read
Cookie banners and GDPR: what you need when your ads target Europe
How a simple banner differs from a GDPR one, why pixels can't run before consent and how not to lose conversions in your ad account along the way.
While your ads target Ukraine, a short strip saying «This site uses cookies» is enough. Once traffic comes from the European Union or the UK, the rules get stricter: trackers may run only after a person's explicit consent. Let's see what that means in practice.
What GDPR requires
- Ask first, track later. Ad and analytics pixels must not load until the person says yes.
- Saying no as easy as saying yes. The «Reject» button has to sit next to «Accept» and be no smaller. A grey «settings» link in small print doesn't count.
- A choice by category. A person may allow analytics but refuse advertising.
- A way to change their mind. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
A plain «We use cookies. Accept» strip doesn't meet these rules: it asks nothing, and trackers run from the first second.
Why it concerns your pixels
The Meta pixel, TikTok pixel, Google Ads tag and Google Tag Manager set cookies and send data about the visitor. Under GDPR that's processing personal data, and it can't happen without consent. So a proper banner doesn't just show buttons: it really keeps trackers off until there's an answer.
Google has a separate mechanism, Consent Mode v2: the site tells Google what the person agreed to. Without it, Google Ads models conversions from Europe less well.
Won't we lose conversions
Some people will press «Reject», and the browser pixel won't see them. That's normal and fair. What matters is that a lead the person did leave reaches the ad account. That's what server events are for: Meta's Conversions API and TikTok's Events API. The server sends the lead itself, and the ad algorithm keeps learning from real leads.
A checklist for ads in Europe
- A banner with «Accept all», «Reject» and «Customize», buttons of the same size.
- Trackers don't load before consent to their category.
- Google gets Consent Mode v2.
- A «Cookie settings» link on the privacy policy page to change one's mind.
- Server events are connected so leads reach the ad accounts.
- The site's privacy policy explains what data you collect.
How to do it in Tersby
In the site's settings choose «Cookie banner: GDPR (European Union)». Facebook and TikTok pixels, Google Ads and GTM wait for consent to their category, Google gets Consent Mode v2, and the banner disappears once a choice is made. The visitor can change their mind with the «Cookie settings» link on the policy page. Conversions API and TikTok Events API tokens are connected once, in Tersby's ad account.
More: «Cookie banner: simple or GDPR».
This isn't legal advice: if you're unsure how the rules apply to your business, check with a lawyer.
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