Cookie banners are everywhere, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a website that doesn’t have one.
But in truth, a lot of people find cookie banners to be a nuisance. And yet, they’re necessary:
- For businesses, they help ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.
- For users, they’re meant to provide transparency and control over their privacy and personal data.
Cookie banners are well-intentioned, but somewhere along the way, they became a source of frustration. So much so that scholars began studying the phenomenon and coined the term “consent fatigue”.
How did this happen? And is it possible to design a cookie banner that maximizes user-friendliness while maintaining legal compliance?
The answer is “yes” – let’s explore how.
How users feel about cookie banners
It doesn’t take much browsing on social platforms and forums like Reddit to confirm that people find cookie banners annoying. Even UX industry juggernauts like Nielsen Norman Group found this to be true in a small-scale study.
Intuitively, this makes sense because cookie banners fundamentally introduce friction. And they often stand in the way of the website or content users are trying to interact with.
However, an important nuance in this regard is that the issue is not so much with any single cookie banner in isolation. No, it’s mostly a question of scale.
Consider the number of cookie banners users encounter during the average browsing session. Each time they access a different domain, they’re faced with a new banner, compounding any frustration with the concept as a whole.
Users do care about their online privacy, though. This also fuels frustration because a lot of cookie banners don’t respect the law, are confusing, difficult to use, or rely on deceptive designs to encourage users to accept cookies.
The result is that many users have tangible apathy towards cookie banners – so-called “consent fatigue”.
What is “consent fatigue” and why does it matter?
Consent fatigue:
The term “consent fatigue” refers to the exhaustion users feel due to the constant barrage of consent requests. The frequency and repetitiveness of consent requests decrease user engagement, and their primary goal becomes getting the cookie banner out of the way as fast as possible.
The effect of consent fatigue is that users become less mindful in their consent decisions. They simply choose the easiest and quickest option. In turn, consent loses its intended purpose.
A worry is that users are more likely to click “accept” because many cookie banners are designed to make it the easiest choice. This in turn creates more “consent fatigue” among users, and the circle repeats.
But we want users to click “accept”?
That’s totally fair – we get it.
But, first of all, you shouldn’t design your cookie banner to nudge users into making certain consent decisions. That’s illegal.
Secondly, relying on user apathy isn’t the way to go, and getting consent from apathetic users won’t benefit you as much as you might think.
If you use cookie data for targeting or personalization, the goal is to engage users genuinely interested in your offerings. But when users accept cookies out of habit rather than intent, your data becomes skewed – wasting time and budget on people who aren’t actually interested.
First-party vs. third-party cookies: What users need to know
Not all cookies are the same, and users are often more concerned about third-party tracking than first-party cookies.
- First-party cookies: Set by the website itself to remember preferences, login details, and shopping cart items. These are generally seen as helpful.
- Third-party cookies: Set by external advertisers or analytics platforms to track users across multiple websites. These raise more privacy concerns.
This distinction is crucial because many users don’t mind functional cookies that improve their browsing experience, but they object to being tracked across sites without clear consent.
When designing your cookie banner, transparency is key:
- Clearly distinguish between first-party and third-party cookies in your descriptions.
- Allow users to opt out of third-party cookies separately.
- Explain how first-party cookies improve their experience (e.g., saving settings, keeping items in their cart).
This level of clarity helps users make informed choices while improving trust in your brand.
Do you have an overview of first and third-party cookies on your website?
Scan your website with our free cookie checker tool, and get detailed insights into the types of cookies used and your compliance status.
How to create a cookie banner that users actually like
Your cookie banner experience is the first impression users get of your website. If it’s bad, the worst-case is they bounce off your website. User experience and legal compliance mostly go hand in hand – after all, privacy laws are made to protect the user, ensuring that cookie banners are clear, offering users a real choice.
By improving usability, businesses not only create a better experience but also foster trust and transparency.
5 types of cookie banner users – which one are you designing for?
When you’re trying to improve the user experience, it’s obviously important to know your users and how they interact with your service. In a small study on user behaviors in relation to cookie banners, researchers learned that:
- Users’ willingness to share data and how they interact with cookie banners varied pretty drastically.
- Users’ behaviors are contextually dependent.
In addition, the researchers discovered five common user types:
- “The denier”: Adjusts cookies every time because they want to share as little data as possible.
- “The skeptic”: Is willing to share data only for sites they’re familiar with or that seem trustworthy.
- “The tech-savvy”: Selects “Accept all” but clears cookies at a later time.
- “The impatient”: Selects “Accept all” to get the cookie banner out of their way.
- “The enthusiast”: Is open to sharing their data and wants to have personalized ads.
Understanding how different categories of users interact with your cookie banner gives you a better idea of who your design decisions might annoy or appease.
Design guidelines for user-friendly cookie banners
1. Consent options
- Provide clear, low-granularity options, including: “Accept all”, “Deny all”, and “Manage settings”.
- Ensure all options are immediately available – don’t require users to click through extra pages.
- Provide options for category-based consent (however, it’s important that you don’t pre-select any categories).
- Allow users to revisit, edit, or change their consent preferences easily, for example by implementing a widget.
2. UI design elements
- Avoid deceptive UI patterns that push users toward accepting cookies, such as unequal button weighting, sizing, or highlighting.
- Display the banner immediately, without unnecessary animations or delays that disrupt browsing.
3. Scannability of cookie descriptions
- Use clear, plain language to describe cookie usage.
- Present information about individual cookies in bullet points to make it easy to scan and understand.
4. Accessibility features
- Ensure the banner is fully navigable for users with disabilities.
- Optimize for screen readers and follow the WCAG framework to accommodate low-vision users.
5. Optimize for different devices
- Implement a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and browsers.
- Ensure your cookie policy accounts for all cookies deployed on various devices.
- Design for mobile-first usability:
- Use compact banners that don’t obstruct the screen or require excessive scrolling.
- Ensure buttons are large enough to be easily tapped without misclicks.
- Avoid excessive text – use collapsible sections or a “Learn more” link.
- Test visibility under different lighting conditions (dark mode, outdoor glare).
A/B testing your cookie banner designs
A/B testing, or split testing, is a powerful tool in the design arsenal. It involves comparing two versions of a web page to determine which performs better in terms of user engagement. When it comes to cookie banners:
- Test placement: Top, bottom, or a floating banner – which garners better user interaction?
- Experiment with texts: Does an attention-grabbing headline improve user engagement? Or adding a “Learn more” link?
- Assess visuals: Sometimes, a simple color change can drastically improve click-through rates.
- Optimize consent wording: Does a formal approach (“We use cookies to enhance your experience”) work better than a conversational one (“We’d love to personalize your experience – okay with you?”)?
- Measure bounce rates vs. consent rates: Does a less intrusive design lead to lower bounce rates while maintaining sufficient consent opt-ins?
By continuously testing and iterating, businesses can find the optimal cookie banner design that aligns with user preferences and compliance requirements.
Enhance user experience and comply with privacy laws
With Cookie Information’s customizable cookie banner, you can offer visitors a seamless, transparent privacy experience. Try it free for 14 days and see how easy it is to build trust while staying compliant.
