An effective cookie consent management platform is the key to complying with privacy regulations like GDPR and LGPD. That’s where CookieFirst comes in, offering automatic cookie consent and policy generators that seamlessly integrate with Google Tag Manager and other systems.
Our goal is to make compliance easy with quick implementation and effective solutions. Keep reading to learn more about why you should use CookieFirst to manage your cookie consent needs!
Cookie Management that Complies with Privacy Regulations
CMPs or Consent Management Platforms are not something new. Although they have been around for quite some time, they have recently become more important for businesses everywhere – thanks to the introduction of stricter privacy regulations. At first, before regulations became more strict, you would just see a simple cookie notice on most websites.
The GDPR legislation in Europe – and other data protection laws like the CCPA, LGPD, and ePrivacy – have significantly impacted the way organizations can collect and process consumer data. These regulations are also interpreted differently in each member state.
The GDPR in the Netherlands is known as the AVG: Algemene Verordening Gegevensbescherming. France, Italy, and Spain call it the RGPD, while Germany refers to the EU legislation as Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO).
Even though the regulations are broadly followed at the EU level, the local interpretations can affect how they are applied and enforced. When you combine these nuances with the fact that the world of privacy laws is constantly evolving, it can be difficult to ensure that your organization remains compliant.
The rules require advertisers to get consent for the use of cookies and third-party tracking. This is often referred to as cookie consent regulations and applies to many business processes like retargeting. So, to help follow these laws, organizations developed cookie consent management platforms. This technology allows you to easily manage your tracking scripts, user consent, and cookies. Now we also have to take a closer look at how we implement tools like Google Analytics GDPR wise.
One of the first CMPs was Cookiebot, but other platforms like CookiePro, Didomi, lubenda, CookieYes, Osano, Usercentrics and Cookie Yes quickly followed. Not only full CMP’s, but also plugins like Borlabs Cookie appeared on the market. While these addressed the basic needs of cookie consent management, they were not perfect systems. For example, cookie banners were not easily customized – leaving many banners looking ‘ugly’ or disjointed compared to the rest of the website.
Likewise, these banners significantly slowed down website load times and performance. That left businesses in a tough position, as they can’t afford to run slow websites, but they also need to comply with privacy regulations.
The user interfaces to manage these CMPs were also inefficient. Generating cookie policies was cumbersome and time-consuming, so organizations often had to hire a dedicated staff to manage them.
In other words, these early cookie consent management platforms still needed to be improved to truly meet the requirements of users and website administrators alike.
If you would like to know more about different cookies then read the article: What are cookies ?
Cookie Consent Management Platform
As you may have guessed by now, there was high demand across organizations and digital agencies for an effective cookie consent management platform. They needed a tool that was easy to use and implement, but that allowed website performance to remain optimized.
For instance, banners need to be easily changed and styled. The goal is to integrate them nicely on your website, so they do not appear out of place or intrusive. As such, the idea for CookieFirst was born!
The CookieFirst CMP solution is a cloud-based SaaS tool designed to make complying with regulations simple and convenient. It is an all-in-one consent management platform that allows you to easily manage your cookie policies, third-party tracking, and more in a user-friendly way.
Here are some of the key functionalities that make CookieFirst unique:
- Advanced customization and styling for your cookie banner
- Third-party tracking management
- Fully automated cookie scans
- Automatic cookie policy generator
- JavaScript API to connect custom banners
- WordPress Cookie Consent plugins and integrations
- Consent statistics and analytics
- Audit trails to demonstrate proof of consent
- Re-consent tools to get higher opt-in rates
The CookieFirst CMP offers an integration with GTM and Google Consent Mode. You can use the CookieFirst GTM template from the Google Community Template Gallery to expedite the implementation.
Beginning in March 2024, the use of Google services including Google Analytics and conversion tracking on websites will require the new Google Consent Mode v2 integration. This update is a result of Google’s obligations as a gatekeeper under the European Digital Markets Act (DMA), necessitating the introduction of this revised version of Google Consent Mode.
These are just some of the many features that have been added to the CookieFirst consent management platform. Similarly, we understand that the legislative environment surrounding data privacy and consent is ever-changing – which is why the platform is continuously adapting to respond to these shifts. That means you never have to worry about whether your CMP platform is up to date and can ensure that your organization remains compliant.
Let’s dive into more detail about some of the best features of CookieFirst: Third-Party Tracking Management and the Automatic Cookie Policy Generator.
Cookie Policy Generator
You might already use a privacy policy generator for describing how you handle your users’ personal data and which measures you take to protect your users’ privacy. To make your website compliance complete, the automatically generated cookie policy by CookieFirst is a great addition.
Coming up with a cookie policy for your website can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be! CookieFirst can generate a standard cookie policy that you can manage directly within your account. It is offered in more than 40 languages – just like the banner and preference panel – so you can hit the ground running with your CMP.
The program will automatically show the correct language for the visitor, enabling you to optimize your opt-in rates. The banner can also be launched at an interval to improve the success of your marketing efforts.
Third-Party Tracking Management
Most advertisers rely on Google Ads, Hotjar, and other third-party tracking tools to deliver targeted content to their customers. This requires you to use third-party scripts, though, and you must ensure that they will only run if the user has provided their consent.
CookieFirst gives you many ways to manage and block third-party services from executing before you obtain consent. Whether you choose to leverage your tag manager within the CookieFirst account or alter hardcoded scripts on your site, you have complete control.
You can even integrate CookieFirst in Google Tag Manager (GTM) so that you can provide an opt-in for cookies across all services on your site.
More Ways to Partner Together
In addition to partnering with you as your CMP provider, CookieFirst also offers an affiliate program and reseller model. This can work well for organizations across sectors, such as web agencies, web developers, marketing firms, and more. Consider the other implications for companies that offer services to improve compliance and privacy – including privacy lawyers, experts, and data protection officers (DPOs).
Learn more on our site here: CookieFirst.com
