Not Yummy Cookies! Website Cookies Explained
LYNNIE VERSION
Would you like to read this article in more grown-up words, still easy to understand? Jump here.
Hi! I’m Lynnie! Today I’m telling you about website cookies. And sorry, not the yummy chocolate chip kind!
Almost every website asks you about cookies. When you have your own site, YOU are the one who has to ask.
Lynnie’s little note: This is just for learning. It’s not real legal advice for your business. Please ask a grown-up lawyer to check your own documents!
What are cookies?
Cookies are tiny files a website saves on a visitor’s phone or computer. They remember things, like what you chose, what you did, or that you’re logged in. They make visiting easier and more personal.
Like remembering your language. Or the things in your shopping cart! Without cookies, you’d have to log in on every page, and your cart would empty every time you clicked. Grumpy!
Why ask?
For some cookies, visitors have to say yes first. Which ones? It depends on the kind!
Two kinds of cookies
Needed cookies. Grown-ups call them essential. They make the website work. Keeping people logged in, remembering the cart, and safe checkout. They’re placed by the website itself, so they’re called first-party cookies. They usually don’t need permission. The site just can’t work without them!
Not-needed cookies. Grown-ups call them non-essential. They’re for tracking and ads. They’re often placed by other companies, to see what visitors do on lots of different websites. They’re called third-party cookies.
In lots of places, visitors must be able to say no to these. In stricter places, visitors must say YES first, before these cookies are allowed at all.
A fair cookie banner
- Ask where people can’t miss it, like a pop-up, or a clear message at the top or bottom.
- Boxes for not-needed cookies must NOT be ticked already.
- Give clear choices, like “Accept all,” “Reject non-essential,” and “Customize.”
- Put a link to your privacy policy right in the banner.
- Saying no should be just as easy as saying yes!
Do you even need not-needed cookies?
Lots of beginners add tracking tools they never even look at. Every not-needed cookie adds more rules to follow. Don’t use a tool? Take it away!
Your platform’s simple visitor numbers are often enough at the start.
On marketplaces and social shops
Selling only on a marketplace or social shop? The platform handles cookies on its pages. No banner needed! Your job starts when you send people to your OWN website. Another reason marketplaces are an easy start!
Cookies and ads
Not doing paid ads yet? Then you probably don’t need ad cookies at all!
Quick checklist
- Do I know which cookies my site uses, and which tools put them there?
- Are not-needed cookies blocked until somebody says yes?
- Is saying no as easy as saying yes?
- Is my privacy policy linked in the banner?
- Did I remove tools I don’t use?
All yes? Great job!
Cheap to do
Built-in banners or free cookie tools are usually enough to start. You need very little money. No monthly rule-following tools before anybody knows you!
What’s next?
The next article has a checklist for selling to other countries. The whole lesson is in the book on our products page. Want a grown-up to help with your cookie banner? Go to our services page.
What grown-ups usually ask (and I answer)
What are cookies?
Tiny files websites save on your device, to remember things about you.
What are needed cookies?
The ones that make the site work, like the shopping cart. They usually don’t need permission.
Are there step-by-step lessons for starting each of the ten ways cheaply?
Maybe! If lots of people want them. Join the waitlist and you’ll know first.
What are not-needed cookies?
The ones for tracking and ads, often from other companies. People must be able to say no.
Do I need permission for needed cookies?
Usually not.
My website already has a cookie banner. Is that enough?
Check it! No pre-ticked boxes, and a fair yes or no choice.
How can I start for free or almost free?
Lynnaider shows you how to start each of the ten ways for free, or for very, very little money. You’d be surprised! And a free robot helper called Lynnaider Compass helps you step by step!
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and should not be regarded as legal, tax, or business advice. Pursuing an online business does not guarantee income; results depend on many factors including the business environment, individual effort, skills, and consistency. Some links on this site may allow Lynnaider to earn a commission at no additional cost to the reader.
