Undoubtedly, the world is evolving. Things that are possible today were even difficult to imagine a decade back. However, with revolutionary initiatives, dreams are coming true. That being said, while people are becoming comfortable with this internet-era, threats are something that is keeping them distressing.
Since the past few years, cases of hacking and data breaching have only skyrocketed alarmingly. Although people find efficiency in the development, they’re even scared when it comes to sharing their sensitive information online, such as card details, and more.
Keeping this in mind, the European Union came up with certain laws, meant to protect the privacy of users. And, those who aren’t aware of it completely, might actually be breaking it and calling hassles for themselves.
If you’re a WordPress user, there are chances of your website already using cookies to gather visitors’ data and to provide specific website features. And, if you aren’t showing any notification for cookie consent on the website, you might get fined heavily or might have to handle serious trouble.
Don’t fret out. Problems can easily be avoided by displaying cookie consent notifications and setting them up is quite easy too. You may also need other methods like to delete user data stored on your website. In this post, let’s learn more about WordPress cookie control notification and how it can be advantageous for you.
What Is a Cookie Consent?
Not to keep you under any confusion, a browser cookie or an HTTP cookie is a kind of file that is utilized by websites with the purpose of remembering or collecting user data. In the browser, this file gets stored to make the website remember users.
For instance: whenever you log in to Facebook, this platform stores cookies in your browser that remembers your login ID and password; hence, the next time, you wouldn’t have to enter the same detail but login instantly.
Websites built on WordPress use cookies to store a variety of data. Moreover, even Google Analytics uses cookies with the purpose of tracking visitors and collecting their data, like device type, visitor location, operating system, etc.
As a businessperson, you might think that these cookies are harmless. However, you must not forget the fact that you are collecting data from visitors without their conscience. That’s the reason why cookie consent notifications were introduced.
It’s a way of letting visitors know that your website is collecting their data. If they’re fine with it, they’ll stay; or else, they’ll leave. It will be your visitors’ wish.
So How WordPress Cookie Control or Consent Notifications Can Benefit You?
This law was formed with the intention of keeping online privacy safeguarded by spreading awareness among customers and users about how their digital information is being gathered and used. It also provides them a choice over if they are comfortable with sharing their details or not.
This legislation was first introduced in the United Kingdom and was even appreciated for the positive benefits that it brought. This law:
- Gave users control and choice over their information
- Allowed people to decide whether or not businesses should be using their details
- Let business websites have transparency among customers
- Kept gathering and usage of data pretty clear
And then, after the United Kingdom, this law was spread among other countries and slowly, website owners are trying to match the pace by notifying their visitors about cookies. Moreover, showing up this notification on the website is also a great practice that lets you build loyalty and trust with your audience, especially if you’ve just joined the market competition.
Also, if you have visitors coming from the United States and Europe, it becomes mandatory for you to post a cookie consent notification on the website.
Different Types of Cookies
Basically, whether you need a cookie consent notification or not is also decided by the cookie type that your website is using. There are two primary types of cookies that the law distinguishes-
- Session Cookies:
These are the ones that are stringently necessary for website functionality, and they aren’t responsible for tracking the activity of users once the browser is closed. Examples of these cookies include user authentication cookies, faceted search filter cookies, cookies utilized to enable multimedia content playback, and cookies that enable the functionality of shopping carts.
- Persistent Cookies:
These are the ones that are used to keep a track on user behaviour even if they have moved away from your site or have closed the browser altogether. The most common types of cookies that are covered in this one are advertising tracking cookies and analytics program cookies.
To conclude it, if your website uses session cookies, you wouldn’t have to put up a consent notice. However, if your WordPress website uses persistent cookies, you surely do need to display a notification for consent.
How to Write Cookie Consent Messages?
The basic idea of a cookie consent notification is to let your visitors know that your website is collecting their data and how it’s using it. But, there is a majority of websites out there that let users decide whether they accept cookies or decline them.
One thing that you must keep in mind is that you don’t have to add all the information in it. Keep it customized and let people know in your own quirky way. Let’s look at some of these examples-
- No-nonsense message by Apple:
“Cookies enable you to use shopping carts and to personalize your experience on our sites, tell us which parts of our websites people have visited, help us measure the effectiveness of ads and web searches, and give us insight into user behavior so we can improve our communications and products.”
- Short notice by CookieCuttr:
“We use cookies, just to track visits to our website, we store no personal details.”
- Fun notification by Innocent:
A cookie is a small text file containing information that a website transfers to your computer’s hard disk to record-keeping purposes and allows us to analyze our site traffic patterns. It does not contain chocolate chips, you cannot eat it, and there is no special hidden jar.
How to Set-Cookie Consent Notification?
WordPress users always remain at a positive end, thanks to a variety of Privacy policy plugin that is available out there. These plugins can easily help you create and display a cookie consent notification on the website. Follow these simple steps, and you’re done –
- Login to the admin dashboard of your WordPress website. Visit Plugins > Add New page.
- Type Cookie Consent plugin in the search bar and find out the best one from the list.
- Click on Install and then Activate to enable the plugin.
- Once you’re done with the installation, visit Setting > Cookie Consent page and customize the setting of the installed plugin according to your requirements.
From there, you can select how the notification should be displayed to your website visitors. You can also style the notice according to the theme of your site.
- And then, visit the Content tab and edit the message however you’d like to show.
- Click Save, and it’s done.
Final Words
Now that the cookie consent notification has been legalized, you wouldn’t dare to neglect it at any cost. If you do, be ready to face the repercussions. Also, once you’ve installed and set up the plugin, also add how you’re going to use cookies and the type of data you’ll be collecting.
It will surely make your website GDPR-friendly and will prevent any unnecessary hassle in the future. So, move forward and create a quirky message for your website and let people know what you’re doing with their data.
This is a guest post by Sanjeev Pandey. He loves everything about WordPress. Always in constant search for new tools and Plugins keeps him hungry all the time. He spends his day brainstorming new ideas about new plugins and themes on WPeka and CyberChimps. You can follow him on his personal blog
