Legal
Cookie Policy
Every cookie and browser storage key this site uses, what each one does, how long it lasts and how to change your choice.
Last updated 1 September 2026 · Effective 1 September 2026
1. What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store. It lets the site remember something between page loads — that you are signed in, that you dismissed a banner, or that this is your second visit.
Cookies are not programs and cannot read other files on your device. Related technologies do similar jobs and are covered by this policy too:
- localStorage and sessionStorage — browser storage that keeps small amounts of data for your browser only, and is never sent to us. We use it for conveniences such as remembering your progress through the interactive checklist.
- Pixels and tracking images — a tiny image that records that a page or email was opened.
- Device and browser fingerprinting — combining browser characteristics to recognise a device. We do not use fingerprinting.
This policy sits alongside our privacy policy, which explains what we do with any personal data these technologies produce.
2. How we use cookies
We keep this deliberately minimal. The site is built as static pages with local assets — no third-party fonts, no advertising network, no social widgets loaded by default — so there is very little to consent to.
We group cookies into four categories:
| Category | What it does | Set without consent? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Makes the site work: remembering your cookie choice, keeping you signed in to the course portal, protecting forms from abuse | Yes — the site cannot function without these |
| Preference | Remembers choices you made: a blog filter, your checklist progress, a dismissed notice. Stored in your browser only | Yes — no data leaves your device |
| Analytics | Aggregate statistics on which pages are read and where people leave | No — only after you accept |
| Marketing | Measures whether an advert led to a visit or purchase | No — only after you accept |
3. The cookies we set
Strictly necessary
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
ssp_cookie_choice | seostarterpack.net | Remembers whether you accepted all cookies or essential only, so the banner does not reappear | 12 months |
ssp_session | seostarterpack.net | Keeps you signed in to the member portal during a visit | End of session |
__cf_bm | Cloudflare | Distinguishes humans from bots to protect the site and its forms | 30 minutes |
__stripe_mid | Stripe | Fraud prevention on the checkout page only | 12 months |
Preference (browser storage, not sent to us)
| Key | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
ssp_checklist_* | Your ticks in the interactive on-page checklist | End of session |
ssp_last_submit | Prevents a duplicate form submission if you refresh | End of session |
Analytics — only with consent
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes visitors to produce aggregate usage statistics | 13 months |
_ga_* | Google Analytics | Maintains session state for the same purpose | 13 months |
Marketing — only with consent
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
_fbp | Meta | Measures whether an advert led to a purchase | 3 months |
Cookie names and providers occasionally change when a supplier updates their product. We review this list at least twice a year, and you can always inspect the current cookies yourself in your browser's developer tools under Application → Storage.
4. Your choices and how to change them
On this site
The banner on your first visit offers Accept all or Essential only. Your choice is stored for twelve months. To change it, clear this site's cookies in your browser and reload the page — the banner will reappear.
Choosing "Essential only" does not reduce your access to anything. Every page, guide and tool works identically.
In your browser
Every modern browser lets you block or delete cookies, and most offer a setting to reject third-party cookies entirely:
- Chrome — Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies
- Safari — Settings → Privacy → Prevent cross-site tracking
- Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection
- Edge — Settings → Cookies and site permissions
Blocking all cookies, including strictly necessary ones, will stop the member portal from keeping you signed in.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
We honour the Global Privacy Control signal where your browser sends one: if GPC is present we do not set analytics or marketing cookies, regardless of the banner.
5. Third-party and embedded content
Some pages embed content hosted elsewhere, for example a video. Those providers may set their own cookies once the embed loads. We reduce this in two ways: we use privacy-enhanced embed modes where offered, and where technically possible we do not load the embed until you click to play it.
We do not run advertising networks on this site, and we do not load social media sharing widgets — our share buttons are plain links that set nothing until you click them.
6. Changes to this policy
We update this policy whenever the cookies we set change, and we review it at least twice a year. The date at the top reflects the current version. Material changes — a new analytics provider, for example — will reset the consent banner so that you can make a fresh choice.
Questions about cookies can go to [email protected].