Hello Bar

Overview

Hello Bar is a conversion optimization tool that displays attention-grabbing notification bars, modal popups, slide-in panels, and full-page takeovers on websites. The platform is designed to capture email addresses, promote offers, and direct visitors to specific pages. Hello Bar uses A/B testing and targeting rules based on visitor attributes such as referral source, device type, and visit frequency.

What This Script Does

Hello Bar's script loads from my.hellobar.com and fetches the site's configuration to determine which notification variant to display. The script evaluates targeting rules — checking referral source, page URL, visitor cookie state, and device type — to select the appropriate bar, popup, or modal design.

The script sets cookies (typically HB_ prefixed) to track several states: whether the visitor has seen a particular notification, whether they dismissed it, how many times they've visited the site, and whether they've previously converted (submitted their email). These cookies control display frequency capping and prevent showing notifications to visitors who have already engaged.

When a visitor submits their email through a Hello Bar form, the data is sent to Hello Bar's servers and optionally forwarded to integrated email marketing platforms (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, etc.). The script tracks impression counts, click-through rates, and conversion rates for each notification variant, transmitting performance data to Hello Bar's analytics backend.

Hello Bar also collects visitor metadata including referrer URL, browser information, and geographic region to power its targeting and reporting features.

Consent & Compliance

Hello Bar is a marketing tool. Its notification bars and popups exist to capture leads and drive marketing conversions. The cookies it sets — while partly used for UX purposes like preventing repeat displays — primarily serve the marketing function of optimizing lead capture campaigns.

Under GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, Hello Bar's tracking cookies and email collection forms require prior consent. The A/B testing functionality and visitor metadata collection for targeting compound the consent requirement. Under CCPA, the collection of email addresses and behavioral data for marketing purposes requires disclosure and opt-out rights.

The consent category is marketing.

Should You Block This Without Consent?

Yes. Hello Bar's entire purpose is marketing-oriented lead capture and conversion optimization. Its scripts set tracking cookies, collect visitor behavioral data for targeting, and display promotional content designed to harvest email addresses. All of these activities require prior consent. Blocking Hello Bar without consent removes promotional overlays but does not affect the website's core content or functionality.