Track websites and comply with Privacy Laws
To those who have never heard of website tracking, it might seem like magic that an ad will appear on a website unrelated to a product they previously viewed. Many websites track the behavior of users so they can be targeted (and re-targeted) for advertising purposes. It’s an effective marketing trick, but it does raise some privacy concerns.
Tracking websites is big business
Tracking websites has become an essential part of conducting business online, which is why a vast majority of e-commerce sites use some form of website tracking. This practice allows businesses to see how their ads are doing and whether their targeted messaging is reaching the intended audience.
Be compliant with website Data Tracking
Cookie Script has made it easy to ensure your website data tracking practices comply with current and future data privacy laws and regulations. Whether you use Wix or another website service, ensuring compliance is as easy as installing a simple tool and modifying the settings to comply with relevant regulations.
Why businesses track websites visited
The reason nearly 80% of commercial operations track websites visited is that the practice is highly lucrative. By tracking websites, retailers, restaurants, and service providers can learn about your interests and habits. This information is then used to customize the browsing experience or to highlight products or services that may be of interest to the user.
How trackers on a website work
With trackers, a website can follow your movement and gain data from users in several ways:
- IP addresses. IP addresses are essentially your virtual street address on the web. Using a digital “handshake,” IP address tracks can record your movements online, usually through the help of a line of JavaScript code.
- Cookies. Cookies are one of the most common ways websites gather data on users. Cookies can follow users’ movements from website to website and can be used to determine a user’s buying habits and interests.
Data Tracking benefits users too
In this data privacy-aware era, the benefits of data-tracking are sometimes overlooked. Cookies and other trackers can also be helpful to users; cookie trackers allow you to save your shopping basket without logging in to the website. Trackers also allow content creators to tailor their offerings to meet the genuine interest of users.
Frequently asked questions
Is website tracking against GDPR compliance?
No, but you have to make appropriate adjustments to remain in compliance. There are tools on the market to make sure that your website remains in compliance with GDPR or any other privacy regulations that you may need to follow. It’s as easy as installing a piece of software and customizing the settings in accordance with the relevant data regulations.
Why do businesses use website tracking?
The information that you provide a business can help them to customize the browsing experience, and lead to more sales. Website tracking also allows them to gauge whether their targeted messaging is reaching its intended audience. The practice can however lead to privacy issues or GDPR violations if not handled properly.
How do website trackers work?
Website tracking works primarily through cookies and IP addresses. Cookies follow user’s activity across the web and can be used to determine buying habits and interests. IP addresses track movement through the help of JavaScript.
What are the benefits of data tracking for users?
While many people focus on privacy concerns, there are some advantages to website tracking for the user, that may sometimes be overlooked. Cookies and website trackers allow you to save an online shopping cart or find offers more directly tailored to your general interests. They may help you arrive at better deals, faster.
How do you track websites within GDPR compliance?
Tracking websites has some distinct advantages for the business or organization, as well as the end-user, but it does raise some privacy concerns. The installation of a simple cookie tracking tool can help you maintain GDPR compliance while still benefiting from the information your customers' consent to providing.
Be Compliant with Cookie Script
Are you looking to utilize the power of website data tracking while remaining compliant with CCPA, GDPR, ePR, and other regulations? Cookie-Script can help. Register with Cookie Script today and see how easy it is to comply with data privacy laws and regulations.