They grow up so fast, don't they? Today at ad:tech in San Francisco, Google announced that its multivariate testing tool, Google Website Optimizer, was coming out of beta and getting its own digs. Here's the official announcement.

Up until recently, the only way to use Google's free tool to test and improve your website's content was through a tab in AdWords. Now that Google Website Optimizer has moved on to the big leagues, it has a new standalone website independent of AdWords, where you can log on and start running tests right away.

Here's a look at the new multivariate walkthrough:

Read on for a list of new improvements and support options...

Continue reading "Google Website Optimizer Graduates from Google Beta" »

Learn how Google Website Optimizer tests can take your site to the Next Level in this New Webinar Being Hosted LIVE!

Featuring special Google guest Tom Leung!

Tom Leung is Google's Business Product Manager for Google's Website Optimizer. Previously, Tom was a Product Planner at Microsoft and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

On Tuesday, September 11th at 2pm ET (1 pm PT) ROI Revolution is hosting a *no charge* live Webinar presentation on how to use Google Website Optimizer.

This free Google software service allows you to test various components of your website to determine what will best increase your conversion rate. Learn from Tom, the Google Website Optimizer genius, which tests can best help you gain the edge over your competition.

This 60 Minute Free Webinar on Google Website Optimizer Will Cover:

• How to overcome the odds -- continual website improvements you can do to slingshot past your competition.


• How to set up a test with Google Website Optimizer in 3 simple steps.


• 6 tests to run on your site with easy to follow example layouts.


• Key questions to ask yourself in order to use Google Website Optimizer for valuable improvements.

So register today for this *totally free* live session. Space is limited.

You may have read my previous article on the subject of combining Google Website Optimizer with Google Analytics. With the new Google Analytics interface, of course, there are some changes I'd like to address.

First things first, the integration remains unchanged. You can refer back to my previous post for these instructions.

Finding the information, however, is now a little different. Since there is no more Dynamic Content report (*sniff*), finding the data takes a couple steps. But don't fret, it's not too bad.

Here's how:

Continue reading "Website Optimizer Integration in the New Analytics Interface" »

Nice interview here by Future Now's Bryan Eisenberg of Tom Leung, the Google Website Optimizer product business manager.

Tom discusses how Google's free tool helps to overcome the guessing prevalent in most companies as it pertains to how webpages get designed (I like to call it the HIPPO syndrome...Highest Paid Person's Opinion):

Let's say you had a bicycle Web site, and you sold bicycle accessories online. The way you'd design some of those pages is that, for the most part, you'd work with a Web designer. They come back with a few design mockups, and you kind of point at the one you think would work best. You would base that largely on your gut feel, or opinion. In some cases, whoever is the most senior person in the room will just tell you, "I like that one," and you go with it. This scenario is wrought with a lot of guessing and opinions. What we're doing is trying to change that with Google Website Optimizer.

And what the tool does:

What the tool does is allow you to instrument the page so that you can test a whole variety of ideas. So you aren't limited to picking just one of a few design mockups. You can literally test hundreds, if not thousands, of versions of a page. When a visitor arrives at your site, we'll show them a specific version, and it tracks whether or not they convert, whether it's purchasing a product, or signing up for a newsletter, or whatever you decide is a successful conversion. Then, it will report back to you which combination worked the best. It takes the guesswork out of marketing by letting customers tell you what works best for them by letting them vote with their clicks. You can constantly test new hunches, new ideas, and turn your Web site into a living laboratory.

I have had the pleasure of interacting with Tom as a part of the Website Optimizer BETA since almost the day he joined Google in December, 2006 (Tom worked previously at Microsoft). Tom is super fired up about Google Website Optimizer and completely committed to making the Internet a better (converting) place.

Continue reading "Bryan Eisenberg interviews Tom Leung about Google Website Optimizer" »

Updated June 14, 2007

Alright everyone, you may want to grab a drink and a comfy seat before we begin - this article's a whopper. So you may have heard about Google's new Website Optimizer tool that is available through Google AdWords. Google Website Optimizer uses a single metric, conversion rate, to determine which combination of variations is king.

But what about other metrics that may be just as valuable, like Page Value, Avg. Time, Conversion Rates for multiple goals, Bounce Rate, Exit %, and Full Navigation Analysis? What if you want to segment your traffic or filter out internal hits? Well, now you can find out just about everything you want to know about combinations by using Google Analytics! We're still just starting to understand how powerful this method is, but I can say that I'm extremely excited about it (hopefully not just because I developed it).

So kick back and read on to find out how...

Continue reading "Google Website Optimizer and Google Analytics: A Perfect Marriage" »

Whew! The announcement of Google's new Website Optimizer tool now gives us the opportunity to spill the beans about our experiences with the Beta test, and tell you about our free webinar for those of you who are looking for more information about the tool.

My experience with the Website Optimizer has been a little up and down, but I'm happy to admit that I've ended on the upswing. The limitations and annoyances that were present in the tool at the very beginning of the Beta have since been either removed or fixed, leaving only an extremely powerful and easy-to-use tool that no website owner should be without.

Here's the scoop:

Continue reading "Google Website Optimizer: Finally, it's for Everyone!" »

Google just launched a wildly-super-awesome-incredibly-cool FREE application, the Google Website Optimizer. Can you tell I'm in love?

The stand-up comedian Mitch Hedberg once said, "I have a cheese shredder at home. That's a positive name for a cheese shredder. They don't call it by its negative name, because nobody would buy it: 'sponge-ruiner.'"

Ok, in the same vein, the positive name for the Google Website Optimizer is 'free money', because if you use it that is what you are going to get. See why I'm in love?

Continue reading "FREE MONEY! (a.k.a. Google Website Optimizer)" »

Ok, so we've used our analytics software to pinpoint problem pages of our business website. But where do we go from there?

* Do we patiently perform hundreds of separate A/B landing page tests?

* Do we hire a third party to conduct expensive multivariate testing?

* How can we be sure that the ugly red button in the middle of our page isn't scaring away our customers?

Well, as it turns out, I just finished implementing a tool on our website which answers all of these questions and more. Quite simply, our visitors should be the ones that determine the content of our website using multivariate testing, and Google's new Website Optimizer seems primed to tackle any website testing problem.

Continue reading "Google Optimizer Test" »

This rocks! Just moments ago at the eMetrics Summit in Washington, D.C., Google's Brett Crosby (Senior Manager, Google Analytics) announced the launch of a new tool, the Google Website Optimizer, designed to help Google AdWords advertisers test different website landing pages in order to determine which ones drive the most conversions--whether they are online sales, sign-ups, or downloads.

I've been here in Washington, DC at the eMetrics Summit since Saturday evening, and there is no doubt that Brett's announcement completely stole the show, generating a buzz of excitement over many of those in attendance.

So what's this new tool all about and why does it matter?

Google Analytics, and now Google Website Optimizer, are both designed to help Google AdWords advertisers and website owners make smarter business decisions and to increase the return on their marketing investments. The new Google Website Optimizer gives advertisers the power to improve the content on the pages within their websites in order to generate more conversions with the same or less advertising spend.

Specifically, Google's new multivarient landing page testing and optimization tool, Website Optimizer, enables marketers to test different ideas for variations of headlines, promotional copy, or images and provides easy-to-read graphs showing which variations resonate best with their website visitors. Through the step-by-step interface, you can quickly and easily plug in the different versions of each page section you wish to test.

Google Website Optimizer automatically applies these versions to create every possible different combination of landing pages, and randomly displays each combination to your users as they come in from your Google AdWords campaign. You simply set up the experiment, plug in your variables, and read the comprehensive reports as the experiment progresses with each click.

Brett covered that the beta launch of Google Website Optimizer is a limited release that is offered to Google AdWords advertisers on a sign-up and acceptance basis (i.e. your application for the beta must be approved in order to qualify for the use of this tool during beta)...but once you are accepted into the beta, the use of it is free.

We were able to take a sneak-peek into the vast wealth of information you will have at your fingertips with Google Website Optimizer.

Here's what we learned:

Continue reading "Google's Brett Crosby announces Google Website Optimizer Beta!" »