What are cookies?

Cookies can also be referred to as an HTTP cookie, a web cookie, an internet cookie, or a browser cookie. Regardless of its name, a computer cookie consists of information. When you visit a website, that website releases a cookie onto your computer. Your computer then stores it in a file located in your web browser. 

Their Purpose 

The purpose of these cookies is to track your activities when you revisit the website. This is not something you need to be incredibly alarmed about as you’ll come to find you have already experienced the benefits of cookies and their usefulness. For example, when you make purchases by visiting an online retailer and add items to your shopping cart, the cookies in place allow you to continually add items to your cart while exploring the site. Without these cookies, the cart would automatically reset anytime you clicked on a link. This would make it impossible for you to purchase anything. 

Websites also use cookies to remember your login details. Web users will find this useful to store passwords and usernames for the sites they regularly visit rather than having to enter their details each time they visit the site. 

What types of cookies are there?
Multiple types of cookies are used for different activities and purposes. Broadly, there are 4 main types of cookies a website typically uses.

1. Strictly necessary cookies

Strictly necessary cookies are cookies that must be present for the website to provide the basic functions of the website. As mentioned above, these cookies are essential for e-commerce websites to allow visitors to add items to their shopping cart to make purchases.

2. Performance cookies

Performance cookies monitor website performance. They collect data anonymously on how visitors navigate while on the website. These cookies provide information to help improve how a website works.

3. Functionality cookies

Functionality cookies are used to remember user preferences. This allows the website to customise its site for a better and enhanced user experience. Examples can include remembering visitors’ usernames and language preferences. 

4. Targeting/Advertising cookies 

Targeting or Advertising cookies are used to gather information about you. With this information, online ads can then be displayed based on your behaviours and searches when browsing online. 

 

These types of cookies can then be placed into other categories. These include:

 

Session Cookies

As mentioned, cookies are used to remember what a user has put in their shopping basket as they continue to browse. These types of cookies are referred to as session cookies. They are temporary and are deleted when once the web browser is closed.

 

Persistent Cookies

Persistent cookies, also known as, permanent cookies, will remain on your device for a set period specified in the cookie. This can be even after you have closed your browser. The purpose of these cookies is so the site remembers your actions and preferences. They allow for the site to remember your log-in details so you can gain access to the site quicker. This enables the site to track your preferences so your browsing experience can be fast, efficient, and convenient as possible. 

 

First party cookies

These cookies allow website owners to collect analytics data, remember language settings, and perform other useful functions that provide a good user experience.

 

Third-party cookies

Third-party cookies are cookies that have not been put onto your web browser by the website or domain you are visiting. Third-party cookies are available to all websites that load third-party code. They are used for ad serving, cross-site tracking, and retargeting.

What cookies does this website use?

Category of Cookie	Cookie Name	Purpose
Functionality	hssrc	This cookie is used by HubSpot. Whenever HubSpot changes the session cookie, this cookie is also set to determine if the visitor has restarted their browser.
Functionality	Hubspotuk/hstc	Hubspot uses this cookie to store and track visitors. They have an expiration period of 13 months. It can be used to store and read data from a pixel, an API, or other resources.
Functionality	ga/sstk/ss	These are Google Analytics cookies. They are used to identify such metrics that include unique users, unique user sessions, the average time that is spent on a page, etc.
Functionality	gid	Also, a Google Analytics cookie registers a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website. This cookie expires after 1 day. It is used to send data to Google Analytics about the visitor’s device and behaviour. It tracks the visitor across devices and marketing channels.

For more information visit https://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Cookies