Campaign platform: how to deploy a third-party cookie consent banner (Cookiebot) using Google Tag Manager

How to implement a Cookiebot consent banner

If your campaign requires multiple marketing cookies you must use a third-party consent banner (such as Cookiebot), instead of the campaign platform’s built-in consent banner. Cookiebot is the current recommended tool for the campaign platform, as used here: https://digitalskills.campaign.gov.uk/. Other options such as Civic Cookie Control have also been used, as seen on https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/ 

You will also need to use Google Tag Manager to implement Cookiebot so should consider acquiring additional specialist support. Each department is responsible for its own cookie consent banner and will need to undertake their own checks.

Please be aware Cookiebot have made the decision to no longer provide support to free subscribers.

  1. Set up a Google Tag Manager account and create an ID for your website.  
  2. Paste your GTM ID code into the ‘Cookies & Analytics’ area in WordPress – this connects GTM to your site.
  3. Set up a Cookiebot account Follow steps 1 and 2, but ignore step 3. 
  4. Implement the Cookiebot tag in GTM 
  5. Paste your Cookiebot ID into your Cookies & Analytics page (it should look something like: 4e2d14ff-2a67-4610-8a0d-ffab3c8e9d1c).It is at this point you will see the new consent banner appearing on your website.
  6. Draft a Cookie Notice – a legal requirement: 
  • In WordPress, select a ‘Short Code’ block (you will find this in the ‘Widgets’ section), and add this to your cookie notice page. 
  • Add [cookiebot_declaration] to the Short Code block. Cookiebot should automatically generate the cookies declaration text, i.e names, types and purpose of any cookies used, and this will populate the page once published. 
  • Delete the boilerplate text that was originally on the page.

Google Tag Manager (GTM) ID code

  • When inserting your GTM code (which should look like: GTM-56XYZ) in the Cookies & Analytics section, you must delete any other codes – for example a GA4 tracking code – from WordPress, and save/reset. The page should only contain the GTM code (and the Cookiebot ID). If you do not do this, you will effectively be duplicating cookies which could cause issues with consent. There is guidance on the platform user-guide that covers cookies.  
  • For more about GTM, follow this course: Google tag manager fundamentals

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