As data privacy regulations tighten globally, implementing website cookie banners has become standard practice for hotels seeking to comply with frameworks like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
NB: This is an article from 80 Days
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date
While this is essential for legal compliance and fostering user trust, it can of course impact the valuable data captured in platforms such as Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
So, what should you expect when you correctly implement a cookie consent banner on your hotel website and how can you navigate the ‘consent conundrum’?
Data Tracking & Traffic Loss
Let’s start with a difficult to swallow stat. When a cookie banner is correctly implemented, giving users the choice to opt into tracking, you may see a noticeable drop in reported website traffic – anywhere up to 30% according to our recent research. Many users will opt out of tracking and, as a result, their sessions and activities won’t be captured by analytics platforms like GA4.
However, this doesn’t neccessarily mean you’re losing valuable insights. The data collected from users who do opt in is more reliable and reflects a privacy-respecting audience.
The key here is to view this shift positively. It’s not a loss of data but a refinement in the quality of the data you’re gathering.
Growing Data Loss Over Time
This initial decline in tracked data is expected to increase steadily over time. As users become more privacy-conscious and regulations shift from an opt-out model to an opt-in approach, hoteliers must obtain explicit consent before tracking any data.
This will likely lead to further reductions in the amount of data captured by third-party cookies, making first-party data even more valuable.
Focus on Trends, Not Absolute Figures
In light of these changes, it’s important to reframe how you interpret your hotel’s analytics data.
Rather than focusing on absolute numbers, which may fluctuate due to opt-out rates, focus on identifying trends over time.
By analysing patterns, such as the relative growth or decline in engagement, conversions, or bounce rates of your hotel’s website, you can still gain meaningful insights without being misled by the lower volume of tracked users. While the total number of sessions or users might decrease, the overall trends will still accurately reflect your hotel website’s performance, helping you make informed decisions based on the direction of key metrics.
