Knowing whether your landing pages or website content are hitting the mark with customers is vital. However, you don\u2019t want to confuse your site\u2019s users with duplicate pages of content, so gathering data for testing purposes has its challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, Google Optimize<\/a> offers some powerful tools that make A\/B testing your web pages much easier. The data you gather through Google\u2019s Marketing Platform<\/a> tools is a first-rate way to strategize User Experience (UX) improvements for your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this article, we\u2019ll explain what A\/B testing<\/a> is and why you should be using it. We\u2019ll also go over the Google Optimize application, and discuss how to set up testing for your site. Let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n A\/B testing is also sometimes referred to as \u2018split testing\u2019. It\u2019s a technique that enables you to monitor an existing web page\u2019s metrics, alongside a variation of the same page. In other words, you can create two versions of the same content to see which one performs better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal is to see which small changes to your page might result in significant increases in conversions, engagement, or whatever your target metric is. Then, you can make the best version live on your website for all users. An A\/B test can be conducted to see if something as simple as your Call-To-Action (CTA)<\/a> button\u2019s color is hurting your conversion rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of the aspect you decide to test, it\u2019s best to have one or two clear objectives rather than testing an entirely redesigned page. This is because when you make multiple changes, it\u2019s difficult to identify which one had the most impact on the metrics you\u2019re tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside the simple fact that A\/B testing is a tried-and-true method for gathering data, there are other reasons to use it. For example, it\u2019s an excellent way to pinpoint the exact elements of your site that need work, and fine-tune them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, as we mentioned previously, you can use A\/B testing to see if a blue CTA button yields better results than a red one. Other reasons to implement this technique<\/a> include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of what data you hope to collect, we recommend using A\/B tests as a part of your web design workflow<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Optimize<\/a> is a free tool that integrates with the Google Analytics<\/a> platform. It enables you to set up comprehensive A\/B tests for your website, and gather valuable data that you can use to improve your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While Google is widely recognized the leader in search and website data tracking, there are some pros and cons to consider before you jump in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In all honesty, there are more pros than cons when choosing to use Google Optimize. With that being said, let\u2019s dive into the steps you\u2019ll need to complete the setup process in WordPress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few things you\u2019ll need before you can get started with Optimize. Having a Google Analytics account<\/a> set up ahead of time will make the process easier. Once you have that in place, you can proceed with the following steps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From the Google Optimize home page<\/a>, you\u2019ll select Get Started<\/em> to begin the account setup process: <\/p>\n\n\n\n After choosing your preferred email notification settings, you\u2019ll need to select your Optimize configurations, accept Google\u2019s terms of service, and click on Done<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll be dropped into the Optimize dashboard, where you can create your first test. However, in order to connect to your WordPress website and leverage all of the available data, you need to connect your Optimize account to Google Analytics first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you set up your Optimize account, you\u2019ll see your first \u2018container\u2019. To link to your Google Analytics account, you\u2019ll want to select Link Property<\/em> on the right side of that container: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll be prompted to choose from your existing Google Analytics properties. If you don\u2019t have any listed, you\u2019ll need to set up your Analytics account first: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then you\u2019ll be asked to give approval. This means you\u2019ll allow data to flow back and forth between your website, Analytics, and Optimize. Check the All Web Site Data<\/em> box, and click on Link:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll then receive a snippet of code that needs to be added to your WordPress website, in order to enable testing with Optimize. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s where you\u2019ll have to make a decision. This process is simple if you\u2019re using the MonsterInsights Pro plugin<\/a>. If that\u2019s the case, you can simply add your Google Optimize<\/a> Container ID in the Insights > Settings > Conversions<\/em> tab of your WordPress dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t have the pro version of that plugin and are comfortable adjusting your site\u2019s code, you can add the snippet manually instead. This can require slightly different approaches, depending on which analytics code you are using. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three possibilities that require separate considerations: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google provides detailed instructions<\/a> for each of the different methods. What matters is that you\u2019ll need to place your code snippet in the appropriate place in order to test and track your pages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have your code snippet in place and your site is connected to Optimize, you can create your first A\/B test. This is done within the container that was created when you established your Optimize account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From your container screen in Optimize, click Let\u2019s Go<\/em> to get started. You\u2019ll have access to a panel on the right side of the page. There, you can name your experience and input the URL of the page you want to test, along with the type of test you want to conduct: <\/p>\n\n\n\n This sets the \u2018control\u2019 page for your test. When you\u2019re all set, click on Create<\/em>. You\u2019ll then be able to create variants of your main test page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At this point, you\u2019ll have access to all of the different configurations you can use in setting up your test. One of the key elements is the \u2018variant weights<\/a>\u2019: <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where you can establish how website users will encounter the variations of your page. Different amounts of visitors will be routed to one page or another, based on the weights you set for each. In the example above, traffic will be evenly distributed across the variants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Optimize offers a pretty sophisticated slate of testing options. After you set the initial variants and weights, you have other options you can tweak as well: This includes page (or URL) targeting<\/a> and audience targeting<\/a>. These are detailed and valuable ways to use your data, but they require a bit of know-how as well. For example, if you want to use Audience Targeting, you\u2019ll need to set up an \u2018audience\u2019<\/a> in Google Analytics before selecting that option in Optimize. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no doubt that A\/B testing can help you gather valuable data about your website<\/a>. However, we also understand that some of the steps involved might seem a little advanced, and we\u2019re here to help. Having the best developer resources<\/a> on hand can minimize the learning curve with new applications and platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Is A\/B Testing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why You Should Be A\/B Testing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Is Google Optimize?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pros & Cons of Using Google Optimize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Set Up Google Optimize for WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Create a Google Optimize Account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Link Your Google Analytics Account to Google Optimize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Add the Optimize Code Snippet to Your WordPress Website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Run A\/B Tests With Google Optimize<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Create an A\/B Test in Google Optimize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Input the Information You Want to Test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Adjust and Configure Your A\/B Test Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nImprove Your Business With WP Engine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n