Does your author website need a cookie banner?

For Authors

For Readers

🛑 Lauren Layne does not provide legal services. The content on this page is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship between Lauren Layne and the viewer. If you have a legal question or concern, or want to ensure a legally-compliant website, you should consult with a qualified legal professional who can provide you with advice specific to your situation. 🛑

My understanding (again, not a lawyer!) is that whether or not your author website requires a cookie banner depends on the type of cookies you use on your website (if any), which is generally determined by the analytics you use on your website (if any). Here are some common scenarios I’ve encountered:

You may want a cookie banner if:

You’ve installed (or asked me to install) Google Analytics on your website.
You have a Squarespace website and have turned on (or asked me to turn on) Squarespace’s default analytics. (does not apply to Showit sites)

You may not need a cookie banner if:

You don’t have any site analytics on your site (and haven’t installed any third party cookies such as a Facebook or Pinterest pixel)
You have a Squarespace site, and are using their basic analytics, which does not use cookies. (does not apply to my Showit customers)
You’re using Fathom Analytics (← affiliate link), which is GDPR compliant, and does not use cookies.

I’m greatly over simplifying this matter, and strongly encourage you to do your own research. Here are some articles you might find useful:

What I do for my author website:

I use Fathom Analytics (← Affiliate Link), which does not require a cookie banner. This is a paid service, but digital privacy is My Big Cause. I refuse to hand over my website visitors’ behavior over to Google so that they can sell it to advertisers.

If you do decide you do need a cookie banner:

I haven’t used it personally, but several in my web designer cohort recommend this service.

Website Analytics for Authors »