A/B Testing with Google Optimize

With Google Optimize, the search engine provider has introduced a new tool for conducting experiments on websites. Originally introduced as part of the Google 360 Suite, Google now offers the program, with a few restrictions, as a free version. This makes it easy for all marketers to use the tool for their own experiments.

Fig. 1: The homepage of Google Optimize

In addition to A/B tests, the program also supports multivariate and redirect tests. The following distinguishes the different types of tests:

• A/B Testing: This involves testing individual variations of the same webpage. Typically, the variations differ only in small parts, such as a different button color or a new call to action.

• Multivariate Tests: These tests work similarly to A/B tests, but in this case, several elements of a page are tested to find the best possible combination of elements. At the same time, it allows better investigation of user interaction between individual variations for conversion optimization. This quickly leads to a significantly larger number of variations.

• Redirect Tests: In these tests, separate pages with their own URLs are tested against each other. This way, different versions of entire pages can be effectively tested.

Creating an Account and Container in Google Optimize

To get started, users must open the homepage URL of Google Optimize. Upon initial opening, email subscriptions for (Tips & Recommendations, Product Announcements, and Market Research) should be considered, but they can also be declined. In the next step, the user must configure their account settings once.

Fig. 2: One-time configuration of the Google Optimize account

After making the changes visible in Figure 2, you can immediately begin setting up a website test. For the user, an account and a container are immediately created in which tests can be managed and configured. The setup is identical to the Google Tag Manager, which also relies on an account with individual containers. This significantly facilitates operation.

Start with a First Test

Before marketers begin creating a test, they must ensure that the website to be tested has many visitors. Only then can valid data be collected. If a website receives only a few visits per month, the evaluation of a test takes much longer to obtain statistically valid tests. In this case, only a few variations should be tested.

In addition, marketers should conduct only small tests initially, such as changing a button color or swapping out text. This allows them to learn how to use the tool and understand how to build meaningful and effective tests. More complex tests can be created later.

To start a test, the user must create a new experiment. Google offers templates for this, in which the user must select a name for the experiment, a URL for the page to be examined, and the type of test. Figure 3 shows the corresponding screen from Google Optimize.

Fig. 3: These details can be used to create an experiment in Google Optimize.

Work with Variations

Once an experiment is created, the user can create so-called variations. These are slight alterations within the website. Regardless of the number of variations, each variation is always tested against the original version of the website. The marketer can also specify at this point how much traffic should participate in the test and how much traffic each variation should receive. By default, 100% of the traffic participates in an A/B test, and this traffic is evenly distributed across all variations. So, if there is the original version of the website and one variant version, each will receive 50% of the traffic.

Fig. 4: For each test, a goal and a hypothesis must be set.

After the variations are created, goals and descriptions must be set for the test. Examples of test goals include:

• Reducing bounce rates

  • Increasing the number of page views

  • Increasing the number of transactions

Subsequently, the individual variations must be configured. A visual editor is used for this, allowing marketers to make directly visible changes to the website. For small changes, no knowledge of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript is necessary. For more complex changes involving HTML, CSS, or JavaScript, a general technical understanding of HTML and CSS is certainly required. For JavaScript changes, programmers should be consulted.

Fig. 5: Google recommends installing the Google Chrome browser plugin for operating the visual editor of Google Optimize.

To work with the visual editor, a browser plugin must first be installed. Google Chrome checks for the plugin and, as seen in Figure 5, suggests installation if necessary.

Once the plugin is installed, the user can open the website and make adjustments. Figures 6 - 10 show how users can make adjustments:

Fig. 6: By hovering the mouse, users select a webpage element. The individual elements are directly marked and highlighted by Google Optimize.

Fig. 7: Changes to the selected element can then be made using the visual editor at the bottom right of the screen.

Fig. 8: By clicking on "Edit Element" in the visual editor, further options can be selected, in this case, "Edit text".

Fig. 9: Subsequently, the text of the H1 headline can be easily modified.

Fig. 10: The bar at the top of the screen shows, among other things, which element the user is in (H1), how many changes have been made, and how each change appears on different device types such as desktop, tablet, and smartphone.

Once the desired changes are made and saved, the appearance and behavior of the changes must be checked on each device. Quick errors may occur due to individual programming that can be avoided through extended checks.

Linking Google Optimize with Google Analytics

In the next step, Google Optimize must be linked with Google Analytics. For this purpose, the user selects a data view within the desired Google Analytics property. The user behavior data of this data view is then used to evaluate the test. This way, changes in bounce rates, the number of transactions, etc., can be considered in the experiment.

Integration of Google Optimize via the Google Tag Manager

In its developer area for Google Optimize, Google recommends using a modified Google Analytics code. This loads faster and prevents screen flickering caused by the dynamically made changes to the website. As a result, the user does not see upon page load that they are being shown a different variant.

However, Google Optimize can also be integrated via the Google Tag Manager. In this case, the Google Tag Manager code should be placed as high up in the source code as possible. This is necessary to avoid possible screen flickering. The execution order of the different codes upon a page load is as follows:

• The user loads the page

  • The Google Tag Manager code is executed

  • The Google Optimize code is executed

  • The Google Analytics code is executed

Due to the use of the Google Tag Manager, there is a delay in execution, as Optimize can only be executed once the Tag Manager is loaded and executed. This is not the case when using a modified Google Analytics code, and the Google Optimize code can be executed immediately. As a result, on pages with many images or resources to load, the mentioned screen flickering can be reduced or completely avoided.

In any case, Google Analytics should only be executed after the Google Optimize code, regardless of the use of the Google Tag Manager. A corresponding configuration must be set in the advanced settings of all Google Analytics tags on the website.

Figure 11 shows the configuration of a Google Optimize tag in the Google Tag Manager. In this tag, essentially only the property ID of Google Analytics (also known as the UA number) and the container ID of the Google Optimize experiment must be entered. To comply with data protection, the IP address should also be anonymized. The trigger should be configured as precisely as possible to trigger the tag only when the corresponding page is called or the corresponding event is triggered.

Fig. 11: Configuration of a Google Optimize tag in the Google Tag Manager.

Defining the Target Audience and Timeframe

Once the Google Optimize tag is published in the Google Tag Manager or the Google Optimize snippet is embedded in the page's source code, the further configuration of the experiment can proceed. For this, the target audience and duration of the test must be defined.

In the free version, only the number of users participating in the test can be selected for the target audience. Currently, granular settings related to the target audience, such as age, gender, source of access, etc., are not possible.

The timeframe can be individually set. Alternatively, the test can be started immediately and, if desired, ended immediately. Figure 12 shows the currently possible settings.

Fig. 12: : Target Audience settings in Google Optimize.

After an experiment, marketers can evaluate the results in the reporting area. Here, the data is displayed both in total and for each variation separately. In addition to standard data such as page views, the winner of the test is also displayed, including the improvements collected over the baseline.

The individual variations are also checked against the set goals. This allows, in conjunction with further Google Analytics data, easy identification of which day and time each variation improved.

Fig. 13: Evaluation of the results of an experiment. Source: https://support.google.com/360suite/optimize/answer/6218117?hl=en.

What We Can Do for You

Would you like to test individual elements of your website to increase conversions, leads, or transactions? Start with the free version of Google Optimize to quickly and easily conduct individual experiments. We are happy to advise you on the implementation and evaluation of corresponding tests for conversion optimization, in connection with your set website goals. Contact us.