The WP Consent API plugin helps different plugins understand and follow the same consent settings, making it easier to comply with privacy laws. WebToffee’s GDPR Cookie Consent Plugin has enhanced its compatibility with the WP Consent API. This integration empowers website administrators to manage user consents across multiple plugins hassle-free without much configuration.
This article will explore how WP consent API can be integrated with Google Site Kit to respect user consent preferences. The WP Consent API serves as a central hub for managing user consent, allowing both Google Site Kit and GDPR Cookie Consent Plugin(CMP) to work in tandem. When visitors interact with the CMP’s consent banner, the WP Consent API captures their choice. It then informs Google Site Kit whether tracking and analytics scripts should be activated, ensuring that these scripts load only when the user has granted permission.
Step 1: Install and Configure the WebToffee GDPR Cookie Consent – CMP Plugin
A CMP (Consent Management Platform) like WebToffee GDPR Cookie Consent, helps manage cookie consent and compliance with GDPR/CCPA.
- Install WebToffee’s GDPR Cookie Consent – CMP plugin in WordPress.
- Enable Google Consent Mode (GCM) within the CMP settings. Follow the steps mentioned in the following article to implement GCM : Implementing Google Consent Mode v2
- Why? This ensures that the consent data collected by the CMP is properly passed to Google services.
- Configure consent categories.
Step 2: Enable WP Consent API
The WP Consent API acts as a bridge between your CMP and other WordPress plugins.
- Install and activate the WP Consent API plugin.
- WebToffee’s GDPR Cookie Consent plugin(CMP) automatically integrates with WP Consent API. The CMP calls the WP Consent API to update the user’s consent choices—the CMP’s automatically maps the cookie categories of the CMP to that of the WP Consent API. The mapping is shown below:
| GDPR Cookie Consent (CMP) – Cookie Category | WP Consent API – Cookie Category |
|---|---|
| Functional | Functional, Preferences |
| Analytics | Statistics, Statistics-anonymous |
| Advertisement | Marketing |
- WP Consent API standardizes consent categories so all plugins (including Site Kit) can read and respect them.
Step 3: Configure Google Site Kit
Google Site Kit connects WordPress with Google Analytics, Tag Manager, and AdSense.
- Install Google Site Kit and connect your Google account.
- Enable Google Consent Mode (GCM) in Site Kit under settings.
- Why? This ensures Site Kit respects the user’s consent choices before sending data to Google Analytics, Ads, or other services.
- Site Kit will read consent settings from WP Consent API, which gets its data from the CMP.
Step 4: Verify Consent Integration
- Test consent settings using Google Tag Assistant or Google Debug Mode.
- Reject consent in the CMP and check if Google Analytics and Ads are blocked.
- Accept consent and check if tracking starts working.
How they work
- GDPR Cookie Consent Plugin (CMP) – The CMP collects and sends user consent choices.
- Google Site Kit – The Site Kit respects consent and applies it to Google services (e.g., Analytics, Ads). It’s GCM manages consent only for Analytics tags that Site Kit controls. It does not pass consent to GTM.
- Google Tag Manager: For consent, CMP needs direct integration. Site Kit’s GTM connection adds the GTM snippet. If you use GTM, disable GCM in Site Kit. CMP must talk directly to GTM for consent.
With this setup, Google Analytics, Ads, and other Google services will only track users who have consented, ensuring GDPR and CCPA compliance.
