Imagine a scenario where your cookie banner is not only legally compliant, but also leads to higher revenues. In this article you will learn how consentmanager’s Traffic Flow Report can help you realise this scenario. We’ll show you how to find the report directly in your dashboard and together we’ll look at how you can use your data to significantly increase your cookie consent rate.
What is the traffic flow report from consentmanager ?
The Traffic Flow Report visualizes the visitor’s “consent journey” through a website. Whether the user clicks on the accept or reject button, whether they ignore it or simply left your website.
On your dashboard, the report looks like this:
The traffic flow report includes much more than just the 4 metrics we just mentioned. You will find in total 10 metrics of your report.
Metrics in the Traffic Flow Report
- All Pageviews
- Choice exists
- Choice not necessary
- Choice not possible
- Consent layer shown
- Accepted
- Rejected
- Custom Choice
- Ignored
- Left the website
Here you can find the definition of all the metrics mentioned above.
Where to find the Traffic Flow Report in your consentmanager Dashboard
To access the report, simply access your Dashboard. Then go to your Reports Section and you should find it in your Overview Report, on the bottom right side.
How you can interpret the Traffic Flow Data
The data presented in the traffic flow report can help you from different perspectives. Below we explain what data insights you can gain from the report, how you can interpret the specific data and what actions you can take to improve your consent banner and increase the acceptance rate.
Identifying High Drop-Off Points
Identifying high drop off points in areas such as “Rejected”, “Left the Website” and “Choice not possible” are key indicators that your consent banner or landing pages can be improved. Scroll down for some general ways to improve your consent banner.
The metric “Choice not possible” indicates that the CMP decided not to display the banner. This could be because either the user’s browser did not support cookies, or the visit ignored the consent banner too many times, when in fact the consent layer should have been re-displayed because either the user had not yet made a choice, or the user had new settings to consent to.
If you see a large number of users at the “Choice not possible” stage, this means that users may find certain consent options restrictive or too confusing.
An action point here is that you could simplify and clarify your consent options to provide additional information to address user concerns, especially if new settings have been added
Analyzing Custom Choices
A custom choice is when a user is presented with a cookie consent banner and the visitor has opted for a custom choice. If you see an increase in engagement with custom choices, it means that users are actively looking for personalised consent options beyond the ones you have provided. To maximise user acceptance, you can optimise your banner to allow for additional custom consent options. This way you can still collect data from your users, but give them the choice to decide what kind of data they want collected. It’s better than providing visitors with less choice and getting no consent at all.
Not sure how to proceed? Speak to one of our experts.
Understanding Ignored Requests
In your traffic flow report, “Ignored Requests” means the number of consent screens that were displayed and the visitor did not make a choice.
If you notice a high rate of ignored Requests, also known as a high frequency of users ignoring consent requests, the prevalence of Ignored Requests indicates that the current design and wording of the consent banner may not be prominent or engaging enough to capture your users’ attention.
An action point? Optimise the design and wording of your consent banner to make it more visually appealing and persuasive. This will encourage active choice and reduce the number of users who ignore consent prompts.
General Ways to Change Your Consent Banner to Improve Acceptance Rate
In addition to the actions you can take from analysing your traffic flow report, you can also simply follow our general guidelines below to optimise your consent banner.
Before we go any further, however, you should check whether your cookie banner is legally compliant. You can ensure this here with our free cookie checklist.
→ Free downloadable cookie banner checklist
Make it clear and concise
Don’t leave your users frustrated. Streamline your consent banner message to make it concise and easy to understand. Users are more likely to engage when they quickly understand the purpose of the consent request. A clear and concise message reduces ambiguity and allows your users to make informed decisions without feeling overwhelmed.
Place your banner strategically
Experiment with the placement of your consent banner. The location of your consent banner plays a key role in its visibility and user engagement. Consider moving the banner to a more prominent position, such as the top of the page, to increase its visibility. Strategic placement ensures that users are more likely to notice and engage with the consent request, leading to improved acceptance rates. Test different positions to find the optimal placement for your specific platform and audience.
Harness the power of A/B testing
Implement A/B testing with variations in wording and design. Each of these tips can be used for A/B testing. It is a powerful tool for refining your opt-in banner strategy. By creating variations in both wording and design, you can systematically assess how users respond to different approaches. This iterative testing process helps identify the most effective consent banner configuration based on user preferences. Whether it’s tweaking the language to make it more user-friendly or adjusting the visual elements to make them more appealing, A/B testing allows you to make data-driven decisions to optimise your consent banner.
Make your banner visually appealing
Improve the visual appeal of your consent banner. Consider using visually stimulating elements, colours and graphics that align with your brand while maintaining clarity. A visually appealing consent banner not only stands out, but also communicates professionalism and reliability, potentially leading to increased user confidence and acceptance rates.
Include Learn More Links
Include “learn more” links for users who want additional information. Some users may prefer a more in-depth understanding of the consent choices presented. By including “learn more” links, you provide a way for users to access detailed information about data processing practices. This promotes transparency and trust, which can increase consent rates as users feel more informed and confident in their choices. Striking a balance between simplicity and detail ensures that your consent banner will appeal to a wide range of user preferences.
Start leveraging your site’s data with consentmanager
Turn your data insights into action with consentmanager and deliver a seamless experience to your users. Start with a free cookie website scan now!
