Termly has a free plugin, GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner, that makes it easy to install and manage Termly features directly from your WordPress dashboard. Once you connect your Termly account, you’ll be able to scan your site for cookies, install a consent banner, and enable Auto Blocker using the WordPress plugin.
To add the plugin and install your consent banner, follow these steps:
Install Termly’s plugin using one of these methods:
Download Termly’s plugin and upload in your WordPress dashboard by clicking Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin, and selecting the downloaded plugin file.
Install directly from your WordPress dashboard by clicking Plugins > Add New, and searching for “Termly.”
After you’ve installed the plugin, click on the Termly menu that appears in your WordPress menu bar.
Use this page to connect to your existing Termly account, or sign up for a free Termly account.
If you have an existing Termly account, enter your Termly API key on the Termly sign-up page, and click Save API Key to connect to your Termly account.
Your API key can be found in your Termly dashboard under Settings in the left-side menu.
If you don’t have a Termly account, click Sign up & Get API Key. You will be prompted to fill out details to create your Termly account. Once you create a Termly account, your Termly API Key will automatically be added to your WordPress dashboard.
After you’ve connected your Termly account, you can scan your site and install your consent banner from your WordPress dashboard.
Click Site Scan to run a cookie scan and change scan settings.
Click Cookie Management to view and edit your cookies and cookie categories.
Click Banner Settings to add, delete, or enable the consent banner, and turn Auto Blocker on or off.
All other functionality, including banner customization, consent log management, and DSAR form creation, will be managed in the Termly dashboard. Visit Termly’s support page for frequently asked questions about Termly’s dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my scan failing?
Your scan may be failing because your website disallows scanning. If you disallow scanning from certain bots, you can try removing the entire Disallow: line. If you wish to only remove it temporarily, you can wait for the cookie scan to finish, then add the Disallow: line back in. However, this could prevent future scans.
Why are my scripts being blocked/How do I stop scripts from running?
Script blocking is an essential part of cookie consent. To manage scripts on your WordPress site, you’ll need to choose a cookie blocking method. One way to do this is by using Termly’s Auto Blocker, which automatically detects, categorizes, and blocks third-party tracking mechanisms based on user consent. You can customize Auto Blocker’s categorizations by either using manual blocking or a custom blocking map. Both of these options will allow you to set your own custom blocking behavior and override the defaults from Auto Blocker.
How do I integrate cookie consent with Google Tag Manager?
Scripts delivered via Google Tag Manager (GTM) must be categorized and blocked within GTM. Our guide to blocking cookies using GTM provides instructions for GTM cookie consent integration.
I installed the plugin before Termly took ownership — can I still use the legacy version of the plugin?
Yes, but the legacy version will not allow you to create a GDPR-compliant banner, and will not be supported or receive updates. If you would like to use the updated plugin, you can create a free Termly account to access the basic features.
Is GDPR Cookie Consent Banner free?
There is a free version of GDPR Cookie Consent Banner that includes all the basic plugin features. However, the free plan has a limit on unique monthly visitors to your consent banner. When that limit has been reached, your banner will be deactivated until the following month. Consider upgrading to a Pro+ plan to unlock additional monthly visitors and access even more features on your consent banner. Visit our pricing page for more information.
How does Termly’s plugin help with data privacy legislation compliance?
Laws like the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive have strict requirements about how websites can use cookies. Termly’s plugin can help you comply with cookie consent requirements, including scanning your site for cookies, gathering user consent, creating a cookie preference center, and more.
Do visitors need to consent to cookies to use my site?
If you choose to display your consent banner as a top or bottom bar, or as a left- or right-side tooltip, users will be able to continue using your site without interacting with the consent banner. You can also set your banner to disappear when a user scrolls (scroll to consent function). However, if you choose to display your consent notification as a full-screen modal, users will need to interact with the notice before continuing to use your site.
Will cookies on my site be blocked until a user gives consent to their use?
Yes, if you enable Termly’s Auto Blocker through the plugin, non-essential cookies will be blocked until your site’s visitors have consented to your use of cookies. You can choose to automatically adjust this blocking behavior based on a visitor’s region in your Termly dashboard under Consent Management > Banner Settings. To learn more about setting up Auto Blocker, read our developer’s guide.