Privacy is vital.

Countries are tightening their rules, expanding enforcement, and demanding better standards from websites of all sizes.

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), for example, comes with fresh changes in 2025, including stricter fines, a higher revenue threshold, and new conditions for conducting cybersecurity audits.

The UK is set to pass its new Data Use and Access bill later this year, which differs slightly from GDPR regarding data subjects’ rights and automated decision-making with AI.

With the enforcement of privacy regulations worldwide now getting stricter, even small WordPress sites can face fines for non-compliance, depending on where their users are based.

• Use tools with international coverage, like WordPress cookie consent plugins, which have region-specific consent solutions.
• Build in geolocation-aware consent in your sites so that cookie banners and privacy policies adapt to visitors’ countries or states.
• Automate compliance monitoring using background site scanners and alerts to catch issues before regulators (or users) do.

After years of speculation – and some heated debate – Google’s plan to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome has hit yet another delay. Although 2025 was initially set out to be the year, recent reports suggest Google may now retain these tracking mechanisms indefinitely. If you haven’t helped your clients move away from third-party cookies, now is the time. Regulatory scrutiny, browser-level changes, and evolving user expectations are forcing major shifts in how plugins, themes, and ad tools work, especially on platforms like WordPress.

• Shift towards first-party tracking and server-side analytics tools that offer compliant, accurate insight.
• Update cookie banners and tracking scripts to delay firing non-essential cookies until consent is granted.
• Audit client sites for legacy third-party tracking scripts and replace them with privacy-respecting alternatives.

AI is transforming how websites interact with users – and how users interact with the internet in general. People are increasingly reliant on AI to carry out their web searches, with 27% of American respondents in a recent survey favoring ChatGPT over traditional Google searches.

And search engines like Google are now using AI to enhance results.

But AI comes with serious privacy implications. From chatbots to recommendation engines, AI systems often require vast amounts of personal data to function effectively.

That raises questions: What data is being collected? How is it processed? Can users opt out? Users are becoming increasingly concerned about how their data is being used by AI.

Governments are beginning to regulate AI systems that use personal or sensitive data, and legislation such as Europe’s AI Act is expected to have an impact.

• Make sure privacy policies disclose how AI is used, what data it processes, and under what legal basis.
• Use consent management tools that can track when users agree to AI-powered features.
• Help clients design clear user journeys that explain AI usage transparently and offer users real choices.

With user consent now being a requirement in most regions, the UX around consent is now an important differentiator.

Websites with clunky consent banners create a frustrating user experience, leading to higher bounce rates. Users will favor competing sites that make the consent process as easy and frictionless as possible.

Since cookie consent banners are now the norm, users expect them on every website they visit, which means the consent experience will differentiate you from other websites.

• Create clean, easy-to-understand banners that match the site’s branding.
• Offer a persistent consent settings option so users can review or revoke their choices anytime.
• Log and manage consent with a reliable consent management platform that keeps detailed, timestamped records.

Privacy breaches are on the rise.

Ransomware, credential stuffing, supply chain attacks, and the like are only increasing. In response, regulators are emphasizing the need for security-by-design.

Secure builds are now a standard expectation for your clients. Failing to provide them will risk not only your client’s data but also your reputation, making it even more essential to prioritize security-first dev practices.  

• Implement HTTPS by default and use secure coding patterns (e.g., input sanitization, role-based access control).
• Avoid storing unnecessary personal data. Collect only what’s needed for functionality.
• Use ISO 27001-compliant tools that ensure secure data storage, transfer, and logging practices.

Ensuring compliance with global privacy legislation can give your clients a real headache.

This is your chance to differentiate yourself by offering them the antidote they need: provide privacy setups that automatically update in the background, so they don’t have to worry.

• Choose tools that offer self-updating legal documents, so your clients don’t need to rewrite policies every time a law changes.
• Set up ongoing compliance scans and automated alerts to help you or your clients stay on top of issues.
• Offer privacy maintenance packages as a recurring service to increase your monthly revenue.

Most websites are accessed internationally, even small ones. Which means single-region compliance isn’t enough.

Whether your client’s customers are in California or Copenhagen, their site must comply with the laws in every relevant jurisdiction.

• Use location-aware tools that adapt policies and banners depending on where the user is browsing from.
• Apply consent rules that meet each jurisdiction’s standard (e.g., opt-in for GDPR, opt-out for CCPA).
• Work with tools that offer large libraries of legal clauses vetted by international privacy lawyers.

International legislation requiring websites to be accessible is also on the way. The European Accessibility Act, for example, will come into force later this year.

That means your website must be easy for users with disabilities to use and manage their privacy preferences. If a user with a disability can’t understand or interact with your cookie banner, for example, that isn’t just bad consent UX—it could violate accessibility laws.

• Ensure consent banners and privacy notices are navigable by keyboard and screen reader.
• Choose tools that meet WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 standards.
• Test privacy elements on your site by using tools like WAVE to catch accessibility blockers early.

Privacy and SEO are more connected than many developers realize. Compliance missteps and poorly executed consent mechanisms can hurt page speed, rankings, and crawlability.

For example, an intrusive, animated pop-up cookie banner could affect your page’s load time, impacting SEO.

Moreover, GDPR and CCPA regulations impact how and when trackers can be deployed. If analytics tools aren’t firing due to a lack of consent, you may miss critical SEO insights. On the other hand, failing to block scripts can lead to legal trouble.

It’s a real balancing act.

• Use a consent management platform that’s optimized for performance and SEO.
• Ensure banners are lightweight, asynchronous, and don’t block rendering.
• Use Consent Mode and privacy-safe analytics integrations to maintain SEO-critical data collection, without compromising compliance.

Privacy is now a competitive differentiator. Users prefer sites that are transparent, respectful, and easy to navigate, especially when it comes to data.

And your clients will crave the peace of mind that comes with greater compliance with international privacy legislation.

If you can offer builds that are not only beautiful and functional but also privacy-compliant, you will have an edge over the competition.

Ensuring data privacy isn’t just a legal checkbox; it’s a business opportunity.

Forward-thinking developers (like you) who offer privacy as part of their packages stand to win more trust, contracts, and long-term revenue.

• Highlight privacy-first features as part of your pitch to clients.
• Offer premium features like consent analytics, detailed logging, or AI disclosures as upsells.
• Position yourself as a developer who builds trust, not just templates.

Web development is evolving—now, privacy is becoming a central part of it. That means it’s essential for you to keep up by staying on top of the latest trends.

From global legislation updates to the growing role of AI, developers now play a critical part in helping clients stay compliant, protect their users, and build trust.

The good news is that there’s never been a better time to embrace privacy-first development as a business opportunity. With the right tools, the right mindset, and a proactive approach, you can turn compliance into a competitive advantage.

How are you currently addressing privacy in your WordPress projects? Are there any 2025 trends you’re already seeing that affect your client work?

Let us know in the comments.