Cookie Policy

Last updated: 6 October 2026

This page explains which cookies and similar browser storage searchenginewatch.com uses, why, and how you can control them. It sits alongside our Privacy Policy.

The short version

We use one analytics service, Google Analytics, to count visits and see which articles people read. We don’t run ads, and we don’t add advertising or social-media trackers to the site. A few features (comments, the light/dark switch) save small notes in your browser only when you use them. You can accept or reject analytics cookies, and change your mind at any time.

What cookies are

Cookies are small text files a website saves in your browser and reads back on later visits. Browsers also offer similar storage, called local storage and session storage, which stays on your device and is not sent with your requests.

Cookies we use

Analytics: Google Analytics

  • _ga: tells one browser apart from another, so we can count readers without knowing who they are. Kept for up to 2 years.
  • _ga_…: keeps track of the current visit for the same statistics. Kept for up to 2 years.

Google Analytics sets these cookies on our domain and turns the data into visitor statistics for us, such as how many people read an article and which countries they come from. Google may also use this information under its own terms, explained in how Google uses information from sites that use its services. You can stop Google Analytics on every website with Google’s opt-out browser add-on.

Comments: only if you ask us to remember you

When you post a comment and tick “Save my name and email in this browser for next time”, WordPress saves three cookies (comment_author_…, comment_author_email_… and comment_author_url_…) so the form is filled in for you next time. They last just under a year. If you don’t tick the box, none are set.

Security: Cloudflare

The site is protected by Cloudflare. If Cloudflare needs to check that a visitor is not a bot, it may set a short-lived security cookie, such as __cf_bm (30 minutes) or cf_clearance (after a check). The comment form uses Cloudflare Turnstile to block spam. These are strictly necessary to keep the site safe and are not used to follow you across other sites.

Site staff only

People who log in to manage the site get WordPress login cookies. Readers never need to log in, so readers never get these.

Your choice

If you visit from the EU, the UK or Switzerland, a banner asks whether we may use analytics cookies, and Google Analytics only runs after you click Accept. Everywhere else there is no banner: Google Analytics runs unless you click Reject in Cookie settings. We remember your choice for 12 months.

You can change your mind at any time with Cookie settings, which is also at the bottom of every page. If you reject, we delete the Google Analytics cookies from your browser.

Similar storage in your browser

These notes are not cookies. They stay in your browser and are not sent with your requests:

  • sew-consent (local storage): remembers your cookie choice for 12 months.
  • sew-theme (local storage): remembers whether you picked the light or dark look. Stays until you clear your browser data.
  • sew-liked (local storage): remembers which comments you liked, so the same like isn’t counted twice. Only saved when you like a comment.
  • sewv… (session storage): makes sure one visit to an article counts once in our “Most read” list. Deleted when you close the tab.
  • wpEmojiSettingsSupports (session storage): WordPress checks which emoji your browser can display. Deleted when you close the tab.

Content from other sites

Some articles include videos, posts or other material embedded from sites such as YouTube or X. When you view or play them, those sites may set their own cookies under their own policies. Our newsletter sign-up form is provided by MailerLite; if you subscribe, your email address is handled as described in our Privacy Policy.

How to control cookies

You can see, block and delete cookies in your browser settings: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge. Blocking Google Analytics doesn’t stop the site from working. Clearing your browser data also removes the browser notes listed above.

Changes to this policy

If we add or remove cookies, we’ll update this page and the date at the top.

Contact

This website is owned and operated by Search Engine Watch LTD. For questions about cookies or this policy, please use our contact page.