So ...

Most likely you are using different plugins that store or process data like contact forms, analytics, email marketing, online store, membership sites, etc.

A lot of the best plugins have already gone ahead and added GDPR enhancement features, but is still an ongoing precess.

Now let's see some common areas that are impacted by GDPR ...

Google Analytics

If you are using Google Analytics to get website stats, it's possible that you’re collecting or tracking personal data like IP addresses, user IDs, cookies and other data for behavior profiling. So if you want to become GDPR compliant, you need to do one of the following:

• anonymize the data before storage and processing begins

• add an overlay to the site that gives notice of cookies and ask users for consent prior to tracking

Now both of these methods are quite difficult to do if you inserted the Google Analytics code manually on your site.

But you can easily do it if you are using the Pro version of the well-known MonsterInsights Google Analytics plugin. They have released an EU compliance addon that will help you to automate the whole process:

Forms

If you are using forms on your site (for example a contact form), then you may have to add extra transparency measures specially if you’re storing the form entries or using the data for marketing purposes.

Here are a few things you might want to consider for making your forms GDPR compliant:

• get explicit consent from users to store their information

• get explicit consent from users if you are planning to use their data for marketing purposes (for example: adding them to your email list)

• disable cookies, user-agent, and IP tracking for forms

• comply with data-deletion requests

• make sure you have a data-processing agreement with your form providers if you are using a SaaS (Software as a Service) form solution

If you are using plugins like WPForms, Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms, Contact Form 7, etc, then you don’t need a Data Processing Agreement because these plugins DO NOT store your form entries on their site. Your form entries are stored in your Wordpress database.

Generally speaking, simply adding a required consent checkbox with clear explanation should be good enough for you to make your forms GDPR compliant. Any good, reliable plugin will provide an easy-to-use method to display a consent checkbox on your forms:

Recently I created a short tutorial on this topic. Here it is:

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/training/why-and-how-to-crea...

Also, if you have any email marketing opt-in forms like popups, floating bars, inline-forms, etc, then you need to make sure that you are collecting explicit consent from users before adding them to your email list.

And you have two options here:

• adding a checkbox that user has to click before opt-in

• simply requiring double-optin to your email list

Needless to say, the reliable lead-generation solutions like OptinMonster, etc has added GDPR consent checkboxes and other necessary features to help you make your email opt-in forms compliant.

WooCommerce

If you are using WooCommerce, then you need to make sure your website is in compliance with GDPR. A specific ecommerce-based approach is required and the WooCommerce team has prepared an awsome comprehensive guide for store owners to help them be GDPR compliant. Here it is:

https://woocommerce.com/gdpr

OK. Let's move forward to the last lesson for some closing thoughts ...