How to Setup Google Optimize to run A/B tests on your Website

11 months ago

Setare Afsharzadeh

4 minutes

This guide will walk you through setting up Google Optimize for A/B testing on your website. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional setup, ready to launch experiments and improve your user experience with data-driven insights.

Why it Matters:

Smarter Decisions: A/B testing lets you experiment with different website elements to see what works best for your users. This data-driven approach helps you optimize your website for better conversions.
Free and Easy: Google Optimize is a free tool that integrates seamlessly with your existing Google Analytics.
One-Time Setup: You only need to set up Google Optimize once per website.

Who Does This?

Anyone responsible for website management or conversion rate optimization (CRO) can handle this process.

The Tools You’ll Need:

Google Tag Manager (GTM)
Google Optimize

1. Install the Chrome Extension:

Head to the Chrome Web Store and install the “Google Optimize” extension.

2. Sign Up for Google Optimize:

Click on the newly installed Google Optimize extension icon in your Chrome toolbar. This will redirect you to the Google Optimize setup page.
Sign in with your Google Account and click “Get Started”.

3. Configure Notifications and Account Settings:

Choose your notification preferences. You can opt-out of promotional emails and data sharing by selecting “No, thanks” for each option.
Select your country, agree to the terms of service, and click “Done”. You can adjust data sharing settings here as well.

4. Link Google Optimize with Google Analytics:

Once on the “My Container” page, click “Settings” in the top right corner.
Locate your Google Optimize ID within “Container Settings”. You’ll need this later.
Click the “Link to Analytics” button.
In the “Edit link to property” panel, choose your Universal Analytics property (identified by the “UA-” prefix in the Property ID) from the dropdown menu. Do not select GA4 properties.
Select the specific views within your chosen property that you want to connect with Google Optimize.
Note: If your Google Analytics property isn’t listed, ensure you’re logged in with an account with appropriate permissions.

Streamlining Google Optimize Deployment with Tag Manager

This section explains how to deploy Google Optimize using Google Tag Manager (GTM). This method eliminates the need for developer involvement or website code edits. However, for those with access, directly adding the code might offer slightly faster variation delivery.

Let’s Get Started:

Open Google Tag Manager: In a separate Chrome tab, navigate to https://tagmanager.google.com/. Sign in with your Google Account.
Select Container: If you manage multiple containers, choose the one associated with the website where you want to deploy Google Optimize.
Create a New Tag: Click “Tags” followed by “New”. Give your tag a relevant name.
Configure Google Optimize Tag: Click the “Tag Configuration” icon and select “Google Optimize”. Paste your “Optimize Container ID” (obtained earlier) and choose the appropriate Google Analytics settings variable.
Save the Tag: Click “Save” in the top right corner. Ignore any prompts about missing triggers.
Link Optimize to Analytics Tag: Locate your existing Google Analytics Page View tag (usually “Universal Analytics” firing on “All Page Views”). Click “Tag Configuration” -> “Advanced Settings” -> “Tag Sequencing”. Check “Fire a tag before” and choose your Google Optimize tag. Click “Save”.
Review and Publish: Click “Overview” on the sidebar to see your GTM dashboard. If everything appears correct, proceed to “Submit”.
Version Control (Optional): In the “Submission Configuration” panel, consider adding a descriptive name and explanation for this version (e.g., what changes are being implemented). Click “Publish” when finished.

Creating Your First Experiment and Verifying Setup

Now that Google Optimize is linked with your website, let’s create your first test experience!

1. Define Your Experiment:

In your Google Optimize “My Container” tab, click the “Let’s Go” button under “Create your first experience.”
Give your experiment a clear name and enter the specific URL of the page you want to optimize. Click “Create”.

2. Link Experiment to Analytics (Optional):

Within the “Details” tab, scroll down and click the “Link to Google Analytics” button.
Choose the relevant Google Analytics property and select the specific views you want to connect to this experiment.

3. Set Objectives:

Google Optimize offers various objectives (both custom and pre-defined) to track during your test. Choose a single objective relevant to your experiment.

4. Verify Installation:

Head over to “Settings” and navigate to “Optimize installation”. Click the “Check Installation” button to confirm Google Optimize is set up correctly.
After clicking “Run Diagnostics,” a success message should appear within seconds.

Troubleshooting Installation Issues:

If you encounter an error mentioning missing Google Analytics on your website, ensure you’re not using privacy extensions, ad blockers, or the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on.
While less precise, you can also verify Google Optimize using Google Tag Assistant. Navigate to the test page, click the extension, and look for a “Google Optimize” entry with a green tag symbol.