# [What is website tracking and can it align with data privacy laws?](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/website-tracking/) **Website tracking done right can align with data privacy laws and user privacy. Read our post to learn how to gather insights through compliant web tracking.** · [Try Cookiebot CMP free for 14 days](https://admin.cookiebot.com/signup) · [Get started with Google Consent Mode](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-consent-mode/) · [Scan your website with Cookiebot CMP](https://www.cookiebot.com/) --- ## What is website tracking? **Website tracking (also known as web tracking or page tracking) is the activity of monitoring users’ movements, interests and behavior on the Internet, most often through the use of cookies and other website trackers.** It’s a popular way to get information on your users and is legal if you make sure that all relevant data privacy law requirements are met and respected before tracking users. Website tracking works by collecting and processing data — often personal data — from users to obtain valuable insights into your website’s performance and your ad campaign’s reach. Different website tracking tools can be used to collect different kinds of data for different purposes, ranging from information about users (gender, age, location, search and browser history) to information about how users interact with your website (what they click on, scroll past, hover over, how they arrived at your site and where they go afterwards). --- ## What are the benefits of tracking users? Tracking user activity on a website offers benefits before the visitor even arrives on your website, and then again when they’re browsing. ### Drives relevant traffic **Targeted advertising:** By tracking online activity and interests, you can deliver targeted advertisements to an audience that is interested in your product or service, increasing leads and conversions. You can also analyze which ads are effective at driving traffic and can adjust paid advertising campaigns. **Organic traffic:** Tracking website activity helps you understand which marketing efforts successfully attract visitors. By identifying which strategies result in the most traffic sources, you can focus on these methods to enhance your return on investment. ### Streamlines the user journey **Improves user experience:** Tracking user behavior on websites enables you to provide personalized experience for visitors. For example, it can help remember visitor preferences, such as the preferred language, so that visitors don’t need to choose on every visit. **Increases conversions:** By analyzing how users interact with their site and pinpointing areas for enhancement, website owners can make changes that lead to more users completing desired actions, like making a purchase or signing up, thereby helping achieve their business objectives. --- ## How to track user activity on a website Website tracking online works through cookies and similar website trackers. [**Tracking cookies**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/tracking-cookies/) and other web tracking methods work by storing themselves on a user’s browser when the user lands on your site. Once stored on their browser, tracking cookies collect information on the user that is used to measure their visit, recognize them upon repeated visits, track them across browsers and devices and peek into their interests and behavior in general. --- ## Is web tracking legal? Most data that cookies and website trackers collect is personal data, which is protected by various global data protection regulations. **Website tracking is legal only if you ensure end-user privacy protection in accordance with the data privacy law in force in the user’s region, including collecting their explicit consent.** Website tracking in which people’s personal and sensitive information is harvested freely and without any regard to their privacy is illegal. --- ## What do data privacy regulations say about website activity tracking? If you have a website that tracks users or you want to start tracking users, the first thing you need to know is where in the world your website’s users are located. This is because the location of your end-users will determine which data protection law applies to your website tracking’s online collection and processing of personal data. ### The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and website tracking If you have users from the European Union (EU), then, regardless of where in the world you and your website are located, you need to be aware of the [**General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/gdpr/) and its requirements for consent and other data protection obligations. Tracking user activity on a website in compliance with the GDPR rests on three things: - explicit consent from end-users before tracking - extensive information about and transparency around your tracking practices - secure storage and documentation of end-user consents Consent is a legal basis for obtaining user data under the GDPR. Website trackers that collect and process users’ personal data need the **explicit consent of end-users before they can be activated and used for tracking website activity**. [**GDPR cookie consent**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/gdpr-cookies/) must be given freely (i.e. not forced or as a condition for services) and it must be granular (i.e. users need to be able to give their consent to some website trackers and not others). ### California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and website tracking If you have users from California, the state-wide [**California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/ccpa/), as amended by [**California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cpra/), applies to your website tracking if you meet its definition of a business. Unlike the EU’s GDPR, the CCPA doesn’t require you to obtain end-user consent before tracking users, but it does require you to provide all the same transparency around your website tracking practices as the GDPR. End-users from California need to be able to opt out of your web tracking by a link that says ”**Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information”** on your website’s [**cookie banner**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-banner/). Should users click on this link, you’re not allowed to track their personal information any longer. --- ## How can you comply with the legal requirements for site tracking? There's no doubt tracking website activity can be invaluable to understand users and make informed decisions, and it's important to ensure you do so in a manner that complies with relevant data privacy laws and protects user privacy. ### Adopt privacy-first website user tracking practices Privacy-first web tracking is an approach to website analytics and user data collection that prioritizes user privacy and data protection. ### Obtain legally valid consent To comply with data privacy regulations that require opt-in [**cookie consent**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-consent/) (such as the GDPR), it's vital to obtain informed and explicit consent from users before collecting or tracking their data. ### Implement a consent management platform Use a [**consent management platform (CMP)**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-consent-solution/) like **Cookiebot CMP** for transparent and compliant user consent processes. Cookiebot CMP is a [Google-certified CMP](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-certified-cmp-requirement-cookiebot/) that integrates the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe’s [Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v.2.2](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/iab-tcf-cookies/). --- ## Tools and technologies for tracking websites There are many popular page tracking and analytics tools that offer different insights from different kinds of data. ### Website tracking tools: Google Analytics When it comes to website tracking, [Google Analytics](https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/) is the most popular tool. Using **Google Analytics** will set a third-party cookie from Google called ***_ga*** on your end-users’ browsers. ### Website tracking tools: HubSpot [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com/) lets you track visitors and gives you detailed information on how they behave on your domain. Using HubSpot as a website tracking tool will set several third-party cookies on your end-user’s browser. [**Learn more about how to make your HubSpot use GDPR and CCPA compliant with Cookiebot CMP**](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/hubspot-and-gdpr/). --- ## Frequently asked questions What is website activity tracking? Website tracking involves monitoring online users' activities and behaviors, primarily through cookies and other tracking technologies. How can I make my web tracking compliant? Cookiebot CMP offers a plug-and-play compliance solution for your entire website. [Learn more about Cookiebot CMP and Google Consent Mode](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-consent-mode/). --- ## Resources *Used by: Brand A, Brand B, Brand C* [Try Cookiebot CMP free for 14 days](https://admin.cookiebot.com/signup) [Scan your website with Cookiebot CMP](https://www.cookiebot.com/) [Get started with Google Consent Mode](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-consent-mode/) [Learn more about Google Analytics and GDPR/CCPA compliance](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-analytics-gdpr/) [Learn more about HubSpot and GDPR/CCPA compliance](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/hubspot-and-gdpr/) --- ## Product [Cookiebot™ Consent Solution](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-consent-solution/) · [Usercentrics for Wix](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-for-wix-by-usercentrics-app/) · [WordPress Plugin](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/new-wp-cookie-plugin/) · [Pricing](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/pricing/) ## Regulations [DMA (EU)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/digital-markets-act-dma/) · [GDPR (EU)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/gdpr/) · [CCPA (California)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/what-is-ccpa/) · [VCDPA (Virginia)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/virginia-vcdpa/) · [LGPD (Brazil)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/lgpd/) · [TCF v2.3 (IAB)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/tcf/) · [Google Consent Mode](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-cmp-google-consent-mode/) · [Microsoft UET Consent Mode](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/microsoft-consent-mode-cmp/) ## Partners [Become an affiliate](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/affiliates/) · [Become a partner](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/resellers/) · [Find a partner](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-reseller/) ## Resources [Blog](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/blog/) · [Digital Markets Act Hub](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/digital-markets-act-dma-resources/) · [Google Consent Mode Hub](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-consent-mode-resources/) · [Google Consent Mode V2 Certification](https://courses.usercentrics.com/course/google-consent-mode-v2) · [Google Consent Audit Fixes](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-consent-audit-fixes/) · [Developer documentation](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/developer/) · [Cookiebot vs CookieYes](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-best-cookieyes-alternative/) · [Cookiebot vs OneTrust](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/onetrust-alternative/) · [Cookie Banner Cost Calculator](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-banner-pricing-calculator/) ## Company [About us](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/about/) · [Careers](https://usercentrics.com/career/) · [Support](https://support.cookiebot.com/hc/en-us/) --- [Privacy Policy](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/privacy-policy/) · [Terms of Service](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/terms-of-service/) · [Cookie Declaration](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-declaration/) · [Data Processing Agreement](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/data-processing-agreement/) ©2026 Cookiebot™ by [Usercentrics](https://usercentrics.com/)