What Is an Age Gate? (& How to Set One Up)

If you’re looking to set up an age gate, or age verification system for your website, this is the guide for you.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the following:

• What an age gate is.
• Websites that can benefit from installing age gates.
• How to add an age-gate to your website (in a few simple steps).

So first thing’s first, let’s walk you through the basics of age gates so we’re on the same page.

What is an age gate?

An age gate is a page or pop-up that automatically appears in front of your website visitors to ensure they are within the right age range to access your content.

These age gates, or age checkers work by requiring the visitor to verify their age. This can be done in a variety of different verification methods:

• By asking them to input their date of birth.
• With a birthdate slider.
• With a yes/no button.

What makes these particularly useful add-ons is that they can give you many customization options to ensure that those of the correct age only view the content displayed.

If you’re running a WordPress site, you might wonder in which cases it is best to add a WordPress age verification plugin. Usually, if you are displaying content relating to alcohol, tobacco products, vaping, cannabis, gaming, and firearms, you should include an age gate.

Let’s look at these in a little more detail.

Types of websites that can benefit from an age gate

Many different types of websites could benefit from having an age-gate to restrict content based on the user’s age.

Sometimes adding an age gate has nothing to do with the preference of the website owner and everything to do with the law. There is certain content that is restricted to minors by law. In these cases, an age gate plugin is mandatory.

In other cases, the following types of websites would benefit from adding an age-gate to their website.

Websites selling age-restricted products

Alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaping products are some of the most likely products to be found online on websites with age gates.

Even when buying these products in real life, there are often age restrictions that you need to comply with.

For this reason, it makes sense not to allow underage people to check out from these websites. Particularly for WooCommerce WordPress sites dealing with these products, setting up a minimum age can be an important part of complying with the law.

Online streaming platforms

When it comes to streaming platforms, it is not usually a requirement for an age gate to exist. However, depending on the type of content available for streaming, setting up age verification methods can help. In some cases, you can also restrict content based on their age rating.

Online forums and communities

Forums and communities are created for people to find like-minded individuals. These communities will often have age requirements which can help in both making the content more SEO-friendly-friendly and ensuring that only users in the right age group will find the content.

This helps create a more protected environment for interactions, helping grow communities of like-minded individuals.

Online dating and matchmaking websites

Online dating and matchmaking websites are web pages that can benefit the most from custom age gates. This is because people looking to date want someone in a similar age group as themselves.

Age verification will also help decrease the number of bots and even minors who try to access these apps. This is particularly important as it helps promote a safe place for romantic interactions in an age-appropriate setting.

How to add an age gate to your website

So now we know what an age gate is and its benefits for particular websites, let’s get it set up.

If you run a WordPress website, adding an age gate is a straightforward process. All you need is a WordPress age verification plugin to do it.

Introducing the WordPress plugin Agy

If you’re looking for the best age gate to add to a WordPress website, Agy has your back.

Agy is the best age verification plugin because it is easy to use and set up. With Agy, you can add a modern and easy-to-use age verification pop-up to any website you handle.

Whether you have an ecommerce website, a simple blog, or a streaming platform, Agy will work seamlessly without affecting your page loading speed.

Agy has three easy ways to check your visitors’ age. They can click a Yes/No button, enter their birthday, or use a slider to show their age. You can choose the method that works best for your site.

You can also change how Agy looks to match your site’s style. Change colors, add your logo, and more. You can also choose which pages or products need an age check. This way, you can make sure young visitors can’t see stuff meant for adults.

Agy even works with your WooCommerce products, so your shop can also be safe for all ages. Plus, using an age check like Agy is good for your site’s SEO. This means more people can find your site on search engines like Google.

So now we know what Agy can do, let’s get it set up and running.

How to set up an age gate using Agy

Setting up an age gate with Agy is quick and straightforward. In this tutorial section, we’ll walk you through the steps.

First, you need to get the Pro version of Agy. After you’ve installed it, we’ll set up the age limit and how your age check will look.

Step 1: Setting the age limit

First, we need to choose the lowest age someone can be to visit your site.

Here’s how:

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard and click on WooCommerce > Agy > General.
2. The first thing you’ll see is a Display Mode dropdown. You can choose between Yes/No buttons, an age slider, or a date picker for your visitors to prove their age.

3. Next, you’ll see Minimum Age. Here, you can set the lowest age for your visitors.
4. There’s also an Exit URL. This is where visitors go if they’re too young for your site.
5. Cookie Lifetime lets you choose how many days the age check remembers a visitor.
6. Show for unregistered users only makes it so only visitors who haven’t signed up see the age check.
7. If you want the age check on specific pages or products only, turn on Invert Blacklist to Whitelist.

The next step is to customize how your age gate looks when visitors land on your website.

Step 2: Make your age check look how you want

You can change what your age check says and how it looks.

1. Go to the Texts tab at the top. Here, you can change the Headline, Message, Enter Button Label, Exit Button Label, Separator Text, Subtitle, and Slogan.

2. When you’re happy with the words, save your changes.
3. Click the Design tab at the top to change how your age check looks. You can change the Background, Content Box layout, Texts, and colors.

4. When you’re happy with how it looks, save your changes.

Lastly, and this is optional, if you want to age check only certain pages or products, follow these steps next.

Step 3: Choose where you want the age check (optional)

If you only want the age check on certain pages or products, here’s how to do it:

1. Go to WooCommerce > Agy > General.
2. Scroll down and turn on Invert Blacklist to Whitelist.

3. Now, the age check won’t be on your site. To put it on a page, go to Pages > All Pages and edit the page you want. Alternatively, you can do the same with WooCommerce products.
4. On the right, find Agy Display options and turn on Activate Age Verification for this content.

5. Save your changes, and that page will have the age check.

That’s it! You’ve set up age checks on your WordPress site with Agy.

Get to grips with age gates today

There are many benefits to adding age gates to your website. Whether you are running a forum or an ecommerce website, it will be up to you to ensure that it is safe for your audience to use.

Depending on the type of website you are running, this safety and security could help elevate your website traffic and help you grow your audience more.

Now, it’s never been easier to add an age gate to your website. With Agy, you can have it set up and running in minutes.

What’s more, Agy can help make your website more SEO-friendly by handling bots and crawlers while not reducing your page loading times.