This is a requirement of the EU Cookie law (ePrivacy Directive). You need to let users know when cookies are being used, and have them consent to their use. You now see these cookie banners on most websites to comply with the law. You can also link to your privacy policy here so that visitors can easily find further information.
It’s easy to add to your website by using a plugin. There are two options here. Jetpack have a cookie consent widget now which is available by default, and there’s also an independent plugin called Cookie Notice by dFactory that has similar functionality.
Jetpack Cookies & Consents Banner
This banner is a widget which means that it will only work on pages that display that widget. Make sure that you choose a widget location that is available on all pages (eg a footer section).
To enable the banner go to Appearance -> Widgets
Choose a widget area that will display on all your pages and drag the cookies and consents widget into that section.
Now you need to configure some basic settings for the banner.
You can leave the default cookie text as it is, unless you want to modify it.
Now you can update the privacy policy link to your own website which is http://yourdomain.com/privacy-policy/ if you followed the previous post to create your privacy policy page.
Decide when the cookie banner should capture consent and hide the banner. In this case I’m not collecting it until the user clicks the button.
You also need to decide how long the cookie last before expiring. 60 days in this example and whether you want a light or dark banner to suit your website design.
Finally you need to save the widget changes.
Go to your website homepage now and you will see the cookie banner displayed at the bottom of the page.
You can find out more about the Jetpack cookie banner on their website.
Cookie Policy by dFactory
This plugin has been in use for a while now and works well.
To add a new plugin go to the Plugins section on your dashboard and choose the ‘Add New’ tab.
And enter what you’re searching for – in this case it’s ‘cookie policy’
Look for the Cookie Notice by dFactory plugin and use the ‘Install’ button to download and install it on your website. When this is done the button will change to ‘Activate’ which will switch the plugin on.
Back in your Plugins section look for Cookie Notice and access the Settings.
Alternatively look for it under the Settings section in your dashboard
Your first option is to modify the default cookie notice message that you want to display in the banner.
Next you can enable a ‘read more’ button that will link to your website privacy policy
Now set the cookie expiry that you want and whether you want the banner to display at the top or bottom of your website pages.
Finally save your changes..
Go to your homepage and you will find the cookie notice banner displaying at the header or footer, depending on where you chose to show it.
You now have cookie consent and a privacy policy set up on your website. The next step is to go through your privacy policy page and make sure it covers everything that’s required for your particular website.
