Implementing GDPR Cookie Consent on Websites: A Helpful Guide

Cookies are small text files that identify your computer while using a network. These files, also known as internet cookies, are designed for web browsers to track, personalize, and store information about each user’s session or visit to a specific website. While browsing the site, cookies collect data intended to give the user better, more relevant and tailored information based on their interests and activity.

While beneficial for both the user's browsing experience and for businesses, cookies cannot negate user privacy. It’s generally safe to accept standard cookies from a trusted website. However, third-party cookies track user behavior for advertising purposes and must be transparent on how user data is used and collected.

This article explores GDPR cookies, explaining their purpose and how they work. It also provides a detailed overview of GDPR cookie consent, including how to implement it and examples of content dialogue. And lastly, it discusses recommended consent management platforms for third-party tracking.

Person using laptop with digital file icons, representing success with website GDPR cookie consent implementation services

What is GDPR Cookie Consent?

Every time new users visit a website, a text box or interactive module will pop up, prompting the user to choose to allow or block cookies and trackers that collect their data. This form of GDPR cookie consent will enable businesses to track user data as long as they consent or opt-in to have cookies collect and track data.

Businesses use third-party tracking cookies to collect and analyze customer data. They can learn about their customers’ browsing activities, which helps them create more personalized content and ads.

There are legal implications for how these cookies can collect user data sets based on data privacy laws and regulations worldwide. For instance, the European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018. It applies to all companies and organizations operating in the EU and those outside the EU that collect and track the personal data of EU citizens.

The GDPR aims to safeguard the privacy of individuals in the EU and strengthen and unify data protection by giving them more control over their data. Businesses that do not comply with the GDPR may face steep and costly penalties.

How Does GDPR Cookie Consent Work?

As the GDPR cookie compliance plan states, businesses should provide a cookie policy, a cookie consent banner, and a cookie consent management plan.

A cookie policy should clearly state the type of information collected from users, how the information is processed, the measures taken to ensure its security, whether any information is shared with third parties, how the information is stored, and the procedure for users to access, migrate, request rectification, restriction, or deletion of their information.

The cookie consent banner is a notice displayed on websites when users browse a site. It informs users about the existence of cookies on the website and gives them the option to either accept or not accept them. A user will then need to consent for the website to deploy the cookies.

To learn more about GDPR cookie consent, read our article titled, “GDPR Principles: Unpacking Data Protection in the EU.”

What is a Consent Management Platform?

With users from around the world visiting websites, it’s hard to be sure your cookie consent complies with the different preferences relating to the proper usage of cookies and personal data. Therefore, cookie consent management tools and platforms are available to help manage and even automate this process.

Consent management platforms (CMP) can create, store, manage, and present consent on a website. For example, a competent CMP can generate the cookie banner, scan for cookies using a scanning tool, and obtain permission from those who accept the cookies. A business needs a CMP that efficiently manages cookie banners and consents through all channels, from websites to apps and other platforms.

Should You Use a Consent Management Platform?

A CMP is the best way to ensure businesses are always compliant and protect user privacy. In the near future, many changes will be made in how businesses serve ads to their website visitors, making the use of CMPs even more vital.

Google stated that starting on January 16, 2024, businesses that use ad services such as Google AdSense, Ad Manager, or AdMob will be required to comply by implementing the parameters directly inside Tag Manager or using a Google-certified consent management platform to use its ads platform.

Top Consent Management Platform Partners

Avoid costly fines and penalties by ensuring your business is compliant and transparent with user privacy. Discover trustworthy consent management platforms for your business with Americaneagle.com's list of recommended partners below:

  • Osano — The Osano data privacy management platform simplifies privacy compliance. It includes cookie consent, a unified consent and preference hub, subject rights management, data mapping, vendor privacy risk management, and assessments.
  • Ketch — The optimal solution for managing privacy data for new brands aiming to easily and quickly achieve privacy compliance. The Ketch platform includes fast and straightforward deployment, reduced business risk, and positioning privacy as a growth driver.
  • CookieYes — CookieYes provides a cookie consent solution to help your website quickly achieve GDPR and CCPA compliance. It enables you to create a fully customizable cookie banner, record user consent, and manage all your cookie compliance needs in one place.

How to Implement Cookie Consent Dialog

Create cookie messaging for your cookie banner or pop-up notification, which visitors first see when coming to your site. This messaging or cookie consent dialog must clearly let visitors choose whether to opt in or out of cookies on their devices.

This dialog can have various user prompts:

  • First, users may be prompted to either accept or reject cookies.
  • Second, a notice may be displayed to inform visitors about using cookies. This notice may also link to more information, such as a privacy policy.
  • Third, users may be redirected to a separate page where they can choose which types of cookies they want to allow.

What Does Cookie Consent Dialog Include?

So, what language is critical to include in each banner or pop-up? The cookie consent dialog needs language notifying the user of cookies, a brief explanation of why the website collects these cookies, and the option to opt in or out. This message can be on brand, humorous, or fun, as long as it complies with GDPR cookie consent.

Add Effective Tracking to Your Website

At Americaneagle.com, we are specialists in data privacy. Our team is available to assist you in ensuring your website is compliant and prioritizing your customer's data privacy. We can help you perform an audit on both your website and your third-party integrations, as well as provide you with compliance recommendations. Through our comprehensive audit, we review all of your database collection systems, forms, query strings, and any third-party systems that may be collecting information from your consumers.

Beyond our auditing services, we can help you identify and implement the best CMP for your business, including adding a custom suite of tools to help you navigate your consumers’ data.

To learn more about cookie consent compliance, contact us at [email protected]. We are here to help ensure your use of cookies is in accordance with data privacy laws. And to learn more about all of digital services Americaneagle.com offers, visit our expertise page.

About the Author

Lauren
O'Brien

Lauren O'Brien is a Senior Content Writer for Americaneagle.com's renowned content team. Her focus is to create compelling and high-quality content that speaks to the specific audience of each client and drives conversions across all platforms. As a writer, she has a strong desire for knowledge and an insatiable curiosity to explore the constantly evolving landscape of digital marketing.