In this guide
- A good banner gives a real choice (accept and reject equally easy), explains purposes, records the choice and controls tags.
- Pass the choice on with Consent Mode and tag consent settings, in the browser and in the server container.
- Test it in a private window, and review the cookie list regularly.
A cookie banner is the most visible part of privacy compliance and the one most often done badly. Some sites show a banner that changes nothing. Others block so much that analytics stops working. This page is a complete guide to getting it right: what the banner must do, how to set it up with Tag Manager and Consent Mode, how to test it and what to keep as records. It is general information and not legal advice. For the legal background see cookies, GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, and for the Google side Consent Mode v2.
What a compliant banner needs
- A clear first layer that says who you are, what you ask for and why.
- Accept and reject with equal prominence. Many regulators expect rejecting to be as easy as accepting.
- Choice by purpose: analytics, advertising and so on, not an all-or-nothing choice.
- No pre-ticked boxes for non-essential purposes.
- No cookies before consent except strictly necessary ones.
- A way to change the choice later, such as a link in the footer.
- A link to your cookie notice with the list of cookies.
Check your tracking in one pass
This is an example. Run the check on your own site to see where yours stands.
Choose a consent platform
| Look for | Why |
|---|---|
| Support for Google Consent Mode v2 | Passes four signals to Google |
| Support for Microsoft UET consent | For Microsoft Advertising |
| Records of consent with date and version | Evidence if asked |
| Regional rules | Different defaults for EU, UK, US states |
| Cookie scanning | Keeps your list current |
| Tag Manager template | Easier and more reliable set-up |
Set up with Tag Manager
Install the platform's tag
It should load first, before any other tag.
Set default consent to denied
For regions that require opt-in, before any tag fires.
Map banner choices to consent types
Analytics storage, ad storage, ad user data, ad personalisation.
Add consent settings to tags
Each tag lists the consent it needs.
Add the same logic to the server container
Server tags should not send personal data without consent.
Test
Accept all, reject all and a partial choice.
Raw events in. Clean events out.
Open Tracked collects each event on your own domain, removes the noise and sends what is left to Meta, Google Ads, TikTok.
Banner and server-side tracking
Server-side tracking does not change the rules. It can make consent easier to enforce, because the server container is one place to apply it. With Open Tracked, the Enricher has consent switches for what it may store and add, Cookie Keeper restores cookies only where you allow, and you can anonymise the IP with the Anonymizer power-up. Wire your banner to those settings. See GTM and GDPR.
Design choices that work
- Plain words, short text, no dark patterns.
- Buttons with similar size and colour for accept and reject.
- A banner that does not cover the whole page unless required.
- Mobile-friendly layout.
- A visible, permanent way to reopen preferences.
Records
Keep a record of each person's choice: the date, the version of the notice and the choices made. Keep your cookie list up to date, with purpose and lifetime for each cookie. Review it twice a year or after adding any tag.
Common mistakes
Works with your stack
Grab a logo and throw it. These are the tools Open Tracked already talks to.
Frequently asked questions
What must a cookie banner do?
Explain purposes, offer a real choice, record it and control the tags.
Do I need a reject button?
Many regulators expect rejecting to be as easy as accepting. Check your own regulator.
Does server-side tracking remove the need for a banner?
No. Consent rules still apply.
What is a consent platform?
A tool that shows the banner, records choices and passes them to your tags.
How do I test my banner?
In a private window, test accept, reject and partial choices and watch which tags and cookies appear.
Do I need spreadsheets to read my results?
No. Once tracking is live, the Open Tracked analytics shows spend, revenue, ROAS and profit, and you can ask Ari, the built-in AI assistant, questions about your own numbers in plain words. Ari's allowance depends on your analytics plan.
Is Open Tracked different from Open Track or Open Space Track?
No. Open Tracked is the official name of our server-side tracking platform, and the website is opentracked.io. Many people search for it as Open Track, OpenTrack or Open Space Track. All of them lead to the same product: server-side Google Tag Manager hosting, first-party analytics and a CRM pipeline.
Fix your tracking at the source
Open Tracked hosts your server-side Tag Manager, keeps first-party cookies alive and shows what each ad is really worth.
The Open Tracked team
We build Open Tracked: server-side tracking hosting, analytics and the tools around them, for stores that spend on ads. Questions about this guide, or an idea for the next one?
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