Cookie Summary
This Cookie Policy explains how SmartBizTools.io ("SmartBizTools," "we," "us," or "our") uses cookies, local storage, session storage, pixels, tags, scripts, and similar technologies on the Site. It should be read with our Privacy Policy, which explains how personal information is handled more broadly.
The exact technologies present can vary by page, device, login state, location, consent status, provider configuration, and changes made by WordPress plugins or external services. The examples below are intended to be transparent and useful, but cookie names and durations controlled by third parties may change without notice.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
Cookies
Cookies are small text records stored by your browser. They can hold an identifier, login state, preference, consent choice, attribution value, or other limited information that a website can read later.
Local and session storage
Web storage allows a browser to save data for a Site. Local storage usually remains until cleared; session storage normally lasts for the current tab or browsing session. SmartBizTools uses browser storage for features such as challenge progress, community interaction state, temporary comment recovery during Google sign-in, and caching or navigation support.
Pixels, tags, and scripts
Small images or JavaScript supplied by analytics, advertising, CRM, affiliate, or performance providers can record page activity and communicate with those providers. These technologies may work with cookies or device identifiers.
First- and Third-Party Technologies
First-party technologies are set or read for the SmartBizTools.io domain, including WordPress session, preference, security, and browser-storage records. Third-party technologies are supplied or controlled by another organisation, such as Google, Automattic/Jetpack, HubSpot, Impact.com, PayPal, or an advertising or affiliate partner.
A third party determines its own cookie names, retention periods, combination of data, and processing purposes under its privacy documentation. SmartBizTools does not have direct access to every identifier stored by those providers.
Essential and Security Technologies
Essential technologies support functions reasonably necessary to provide the Site or a feature you request. They may be used to:
- Keep registered users signed in and maintain WordPress Account sessions.
- Protect forms using security nonces, detect automated submissions, and enforce rate limits.
- Remember authentication, language, interface, or consent-related state where configured.
- Operate caching, content delivery, load management, and referral integrity through LiteSpeed or hosting infrastructure.
- Preserve text temporarily while completing Sign in with Google on a comment form.
Blocking essential technologies may prevent login, comments, reviews, forms, checkout redirects, or protected features from working correctly.
Preferences and Local Storage
SmartBizTools uses local storage for non-cookie feature state. Current examples include:
- Saving 21-Day AI Challenge progress and selected challenge state on the browser.
- Remembering local like or interaction state in the community-review interface.
- Saving limited interface or navigation state used by SmartBizTools scripts.
- Using session storage for temporary Sign in with Google comment recovery and LiteSpeed referral handling.
Browser-only data may not be synchronised to your Account and can be lost when storage is cleared, private browsing ends, or you change browser or device.
Analytics and Performance
SmartBizTools currently uses Google Analytics 4 through Google Site Kit and Jetpack Stats. We may also use Google PageSpeed Insights and hosting or LiteSpeed performance information. These services help us understand traffic, page use, referrals, device categories, engagement, errors, and Site speed.
Analytics technologies may collect or derive online identifiers, IP-based location, browser and device details, page URL, referrer, timestamps, interactions, and performance measurements. Reports are generally used to understand audience patterns and improve the Site, but providers may process information under their own policies and configurations.
Advertising Technologies
Google AdSense or another advertising provider may use cookies, pixels, device information, and activity data to deliver, limit, secure, and measure advertisements. Depending on provider settings, consent, and applicable law, advertising may be contextual or personalised based on activity and inferred interests.
Advertising providers may recognise a browser across websites or apps. SmartBizTools does not receive your full browsing history from Google, but may receive aggregate reporting and revenue information. You can review advertising choices through your Google account or applicable provider controls.
Affiliate Tracking
Some outbound product links are affiliate links, including links managed through Impact.com or direct vendor programmes. When you follow one, a network or merchant may store an attribution cookie or identifier so it can determine whether SmartBizTools should receive credit if you later complete an eligible action.
Affiliate attribution windows and cookie durations are determined by each programme. Blocking or clearing tracking may prevent referral credit. It should not prevent you from visiting the provider directly. See our Affiliate Disclosure for the commercial relationship and editorial safeguards.
Accounts and Google Sign-In
WordPress uses authentication and logged-in cookies to maintain Account sessions and dashboard access. The cookies can identify that a browser is authenticated but do not store your plain-text password.
If you choose Sign in with Google, Google's identity scripts and related storage may be loaded to display the button, authenticate you, prevent abuse, and return the sign-in result. Google controls its associated cookies and processing. You can instead use available direct WordPress Account methods where offered.
HubSpot and Communications
The HubSpot WordPress integration may load scripts that support CRM, forms, audience measurement, or communication features. Depending on configuration and interaction, HubSpot may use cookies or identifiers to distinguish sessions, recognise returning browsers, record form activity, and connect interactions with a contact record.
SmartBizTools also stores newsletter signups and chatbot human-follow-up requests in WordPress. Those form submissions do not depend solely on cookies, although security, analytics, or provider scripts on the page may process related technical data.
Payment Providers
If you proceed to PayPal or another displayed payment provider, that provider may set its own cookies for login, checkout, language, security, fraud prevention, transaction processing, and advertising. Payment-provider technologies operate under the provider's policies, especially after you leave SmartBizTools.
Technology Examples
| Provider or feature | Typical purpose | Storage type | Typical control |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Login, Account sessions, security, comments, and interface preferences | First-party cookies | Sign out, browser controls, or Account settings |
| SmartBizTools AI Challenge | Remember challenge progress on the current browser | Local storage | Clear Site data in the browser |
| Community review interface | Remember local interaction state | Local storage | Clear Site data in the browser |
| LiteSpeed and hosting | Caching, delivery, performance, and referral/session handling | Cookies or session storage | Browser controls; some functions are essential |
| Google Analytics 4 / Site Kit | Audience and engagement measurement | Cookies, identifiers, and scripts | Browser controls and Google analytics choices |
| Google AdSense | Ad delivery, security, frequency, personalisation, and measurement | Cookies, pixels, and identifiers | Google ad settings and browser controls |
| Sign in with Google | Identity authentication and abuse prevention | Third-party cookies/scripts and temporary session storage | Use another login method or Google settings |
| Jetpack Stats | Page-view and traffic measurement | Scripts, identifiers, and possible cookies | Browser or content-blocking controls |
| HubSpot | CRM, form, session, or communication measurement | Third-party cookies and scripts | Browser controls and HubSpot choices |
| Impact.com / merchants | Affiliate referral and conversion attribution | Redirect identifiers and third-party cookies | Decline the link or block/clear tracking |
| PayPal | Checkout, security, fraud prevention, and payment processing | Third-party cookies and device data | PayPal and browser settings |
Names such as WordPress cookies beginning with wordpress_ or wordpress_logged_in_, analytics cookies beginning with _ga, and provider-specific identifiers may appear, but names and durations can change. Inspect your browser's Site-data panel for the current records stored on your device.
Session and Persistent Storage
Session technologies expire when a browser or tab session ends, although browser restoration features can sometimes extend them. Persistent technologies remain until their expiry date or until you clear them. Durations can range from seconds for security or rate-limiting state to months or longer for preferences, analytics, or affiliate attribution.
SmartBizTools does not set every third-party expiry period. Providers may refresh an identifier when you revisit or interact with their service.
Managing Your Choices
SmartBizTools does not currently provide a universal on-site cookie preference centre for every visitor. Your available choices therefore depend on the technology, provider, browser, device, location, and any consent interface displayed by a third party.
- Use browser settings to block, delete, or limit cookies and Site data.
- Use private browsing or separate browser profiles to reduce persistence.
- Review Google advertising and privacy settings while signed in to Google.
- Use reputable browser extensions or device controls that limit analytics or advertising requests.
- Avoid affiliate links by navigating directly to a provider.
- Sign out to end the active WordPress Account session, then clear Site data if desired.
Browser and Device Controls
Most browsers let you view stored data, delete data for one website, block third-party cookies, block all cookies, or clear data when the browser closes. Mobile operating systems and browsers may also provide tracking-prevention or advertising-ID controls. Consult the help documentation for the browser or device you use because menu names change.
Deleting cookies does not delete information already submitted through an Account, comment, review, form, payment, or other server-side record. Submit personal-data requests under the Privacy Policy.
Do Not Track and Privacy Signals
Browsers may send Do Not Track or other privacy preference signals. Because there is not one universally implemented response for all technologies and jurisdictions, the Site may not respond uniformly to every signal. Where a legally recognised opt-out signal applies and is supported by the relevant Site or provider configuration, it should be honoured as required by law.
Effects of Blocking Technologies
Blocking optional analytics, advertising, or affiliate tracking should generally leave public editorial content accessible. Blocking essential cookies, all JavaScript, local storage, or provider domains may break login, Google sign-in, comments, reviews, saved challenge progress, forms, advertisements, media, checkout, or other interactive features.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy when Site features, plugins, providers, legal requirements, or tracking practices change. The date above identifies the current revision. Because third-party technology can change independently, this page may describe provider categories and typical examples rather than an immutable list of every cookie name.
Contact Us
For questions about a technology described here or to report an unexpected tracker, use the SmartBizTools contact page. Include the affected URL, browser, approximate time, and cookie or storage name if available. Do not send authentication tokens or complete cookie values.