Don't collect any information you don't actually have to, and if you do hold personal information, treat it basically like you'd want your own information treated, and you're basically good. It's really that simple.
The only people who think it's particularly hard or onerous are the people referenced by "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."
Obnoxious banners are not required under GDPR. In fact, unless denying consent is as easy as granting it, they're illegal.
It's not the law's fault that companies would rather implement such detrimental UX than either give up the teat of personal data or give people their rights.
It is, however, the fault of regulators for not stamping down on such behaviour when it is against both the letter and spirit of the law.
And, honestly, I consider the fact that so many websites are forced to admit that they are trying to take and sell my data to be positive.
The great "mistake" of GDPR is that it has consent provisions at all.
After previous cookie banners, they really should've known better. (Or, let's be real, absolutely did know, but left it in for corporate interests anyway.)
if you don't collect personal data or analytics, you aren't covered by GDPR at all.
in the abstract sense of course everyone has to know all the laws of society - the law in its majestic equality forbids unsafe construction practices from builders and greengrocers alike - but that's not a particularly interesting or insightful observation.
https://gdpr-info.eu/