What is Google Optimize

Google’s free optimisation tool that helps marketers, designers, or anyone in charge of a website increase visitor conversion rates and overall satisfaction by continually testing different combinations of website content. Without extensive dev work, you can run a Google Optimize test on your website to see which piece of copy, call to action or layout is more effective in driving conversions.

What You Can Do

A/B test

For those who need a refresher, an A/B test is a randomised experiment using two variants of the same web page. It’s excellent for testing the optimal performance of single page elements, e.g., body/ header copy, images, call to action, and button design/ placement. This is great if you are like us and prone to passionate “discussions” about what you think will work best for a project. Using the A/B test in Google Optimize lets the users tell you which option is performing better.

You can even test elements of a page in stages; the first stage might be testing copy variations, the following stage might be testing call to action, and the final stage might test different imagery.

Multivariate tests

Expanding on an AB test, a Multivariate test can test two or more elements simultaneously to see which combination creates the best outcome. It can test the same elements as an A/B test but is more suited for eCommerce sites with higher conversion rates. As it can test multiple aspects of a page and how it affects user behaviour.

Redirect tests

The redirect test is the whole enchilada if you will. A redirect test allows you to test two separate web pages against each other; pages can be completely different, testing total page redesigns and differing landing page designs.

Redirect tests are great for brands wanting to try new branding without changing over a whole domain a very cost-effective way to test without extensive dev work.

Targeting

Targeting options is where the Google Optimize tool sells itself. You can serve tests to audiences by targeting separate ad campaigns, ad groups, and keywords. So you could set up two different campaigns simultaneously and drive customers to different versions of the website to see which version gets the most conversions.

Why You Need To Do It

UX/ Design conflicts

Google Optimize can use data to navigate potential design/UX conflicts. Google Optimize can provide you with concrete data to back up why one design will work over another. It’s a great way to choose the best design or UX feature.

Optimise experiences

Google Optimize ensures pages deliver the optimal experience for conversions. If your site has a page you believe should be driving more conversions. Use Google Optimize to test page layout/ call to action, etc., to determine why you’re not getting conversions.

Customisation

Customise page content based on user attributes such as location, age, and gender for a richer user experience. Perhaps a 16-year-old user and an 80-year-old user will interact with the site differently. You can use Google Optimize to deliver different page experiences to each targeted audience. 

Like most items in the Google suite, Google Optimize links directly to Google Analytics so you can easily optimise for preset conversion goals. Post-testing, you can continually target participants from either category as a segment in analytics.

Google Optimize will run an experiment, generally for 30 days. If a clear winner is found early, Google will automatically end the experiment. 

We have seen great results testing copy variations. In one optimisation test, we tried out two different versions of copy for a product one focused on the product features, and the other focused on the user benefit. We found a significant increase in conversions when using the ‘use benefit’ copy variation.

If you run a smaller site you would need about 1000 sessions before it would be worth undertaking a Google Optimize test. The site itself will instruct you whether it still needs more time and data for the test. 

Once you have a clear winner, it’s recommended you take the updates back to the source code to update with the winning option.

We’re always looking for ways to improve our websites. If you are looking to update your online presence you can get in touch here