Chester Zoo is one of the UK’s most renowned and cherished wildlife attractions. Founded in 1931, it has a rich history of wildlife conservation, boasting a diverse collection of over 35,000 animals representing more than 500 species. 

The zoo has consistently been at the forefront of conservation efforts, actively participating in global initiatives to protect endangered species and their habitats. With a mission to connect people with wildlife and inspire passion for nature, Chester Zoo is a trailblazer in environmental stewardship. 

Like many forward-thinking organisations, Chester Zoo faced a series of challenges when it came to digital analytics, data and compliance. The announcement of the enforced GA4 migration in July 2023 presented an immediate need for the zoo to establish a GA4 property with reporting capability that met their objectives and requirements. 

Google’s strategic decision to limit reporting access within GA4 posed an additional challenge. With the reporting capability constraints and API limitations, Chester Zoo, like many organisations, were exploring ways to maximise their insights to drive revenue.

As Chester Zoo embraced Google Analytics 4, the need for comprehensive GA4 training became evident. The shift from a session-based to an event-based model meant there were changes to the interface and work processes that needed to be understood to leverage the full power of the tool.

In addition to the Google Analytics challenge, the zoo’s management of Google Tag Manager (GTM) was a concern. Like many of our other clients, Chester Zoo’s GTM installation had been through ‘many hands’ and had led to a lack of documentation and implementation errors. 

In addition to their analytics and data reporting needs, Chester Zoo required a robust approach to ensuring user privacy, trust and compliance. 

One of the primary challenges involved was navigating the complexities of GDPR Cookie Compliance. The regulatory framework requires organisations to obtain user consent before deploying cookies that track personal data. The zoo needed to ensure compliance with GDPR while providing a seamless and transparent user experience. 

The presence of three different cookie banners appearing upon changing subdomains created a disjointed user experience and also led to potential consent fatigue.

The transition from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 was a pivotal moment for many organisations, including Chester Zoo. Our team migrated the zoo to GA4, ensuring a future-ready analytics infrastructure was in place. 

One of the key shifts in this migration was the move from a session-based model to events-based. This signified more than just a technical update; it represented a fundamental change in the way data is processed and analysed. Our digital analytics team worked closely with Chester Zoo to demystify these changes, emphasising the importance of understanding the new interface and work processes that accompanied this new platform. 

Installation-specific training became a cornerstone of our approach. We recognised that a one-size-fits-all training model wouldn’t suffice, given the intricacies of Chester Zoo’s digital ecosystem. 

The training equipped Chester Zoo’s team with the ability to extract richer and more granular data creating the potential for faster, well-informed decision-making.

Our team addressed the critical aspects of GDPR cookie compliance and the implementation of a Consent Management Platform (CMP). This has not only ensured Chester Zoo’s regulatory compliance but has also prioritised a transparent and trustworthy digital experience for the zoo’s online visitors.

Our team deployed a CMP that facilitates compliance with GDPR regulations and also aligns with the zoo’s commitment to user privacy and data protection. The CMP enables users to make informed decisions about their data while engaging with the zoo’s digital assets.

One of the challenges outlined by our team was the presence of three disparate cookie banners across the zoo’s subdomains, which created a fragmented and frustrating user experience. Recognising a unified approach, we consolidated these banners to streamline the consent process. This approach enhances user convenience and also reduces consent fatigue which encourages a user-friendly interaction between the zoo and its online users. 

GDPR Cookie Compliance and CMP implementation is more than just a regulation checklist; it reflects our dedication to empowering Chester Zoo with tools and strategies that meet or exceed legal requirements and enhance the overall online user experience.