So, we’re only a few days away until the EU Cookie Law deadline is with us and Pauley Creative have taken the first step in working towards complying with the law. With all the consultations, seminars, papers and posts already written on the subject we thought that by making a small step forward it is better than taking no step at all. In my opinion the majority of marketers, web masters and business owners have adopted a ‘wait and see what others do’ approach. Only yesterday we heard that the ICO will be sending letters to the top 50 website owners but did not state which 50 websites they were but site traffic was one of the criteria.
Whilst we have seen various implementations for comply with the law I still don’t think there is a right or wrong solution. A few examples here from the ICO who placed a banner at the top of the site. Incidentally, here’s what happened to their website stats after they placed the banner on their site. Here’s another example from BT (wait for the pop up). Closer to home in the construction industry you may want to have a look at the banners placed on the Construction News website and the Glenigan website.
So what have Pauley Creative done?
Well, the first step we have taken is one which I have advised many within the CIMCIG LinkedIn group to do which is to audit the cookies your website currently sets. Ask your agencies or webmasters to do the audit for your site or do it yourself by viewing the cookies in your browser settings and then using Google to find out what those cookies are and which technology they belong to. Please note, the audit does not take long at all and you should not have to pay excessive amounts for it. A Twitter connection spotted a well known agency today charging £1500 for a cookie audit. Ridiculous! And when I visited their website they had no Privacy Policy or Cookie information.
First step for us was a cookie audit. We deleted some technologies off our site which set cookies which we no longer required or deemed as not useful. Let’s call it a spring clean shall we?
Second step was to create something which was eye catching hence the inclusion of a cookie in the corner of the screen and would be visible on every page of the website:
Cookie in corner waiting to be clicked on
And we have a link in the footer too:
Clear link in the footer of the website
When you rollover the section where the cookie is located the page peels back and you get a snippet of our simple cookie table:
Snippet of our cookie table
Third step allows you to click anywhere to be redirected to our ‘How we use Cookies‘ page.
What we have focused on is presenting cookie information as clearly as possible without using jargon or confusing language which is a criteria within the law. We have explained and shown in a simple table which cookies we set, how long they last, 1st party or 3rd party, which technology or application and additional information to support why we set cookies.
We felt it was important to use the logo’s of the technologies we use as this is a quick and easy way of reassuring visitors that we use well known, non-suspicious software or applications on our website which set cookies for our use.
Clear and simple table to show which cookies we set and why
Is this enough?
Well, to be honest, I am not sure, only time will tell but we have taken steps towards educating our visitors on the cookies we use. The bigger issue for us is the education and making visitors aware of which cookies the Pauley Creative websites sets which I think we have clearly done and achieved.
The ICO has already stated they will not be issuing fines for those who have taken legitimate steps in educating visitors which cookies they use and why those cookies are being set. At least it’s more than what the Government website has done already (as pointed out by @welshboy69) which contains a cookie policy link at the bottom of the site and that’s about it.
So, if you still have not done anything yet, keep calm but the least you can do is carry out a cookie audit and familiarise yourself with the cookies your website sets.
