Types of Tests and A/B Tests That Can Be Run on Google Optimize

Google Optimize is a tool that allows us to make changes on a website and track the conversion performance of the changes made on the site.

• A/B Testing

• Multivariate Testing

• Redirect Testing

• Personalization

• Banner Template

Today we are looking for answers to the questions of how to create A/B tests among these test types and what to pay attention to while creating them.

The Most Important Thing We Need to Pay Attention to Before Creating a Test; Of Course

A test must run for a period of 14 days. 14 days is the most healthy duration for data to be stored for us. Within 14 days, we can measure all activity correctly. Since the determined 14-day period includes both weekdays and weekend dates, we can evaluate all the active days of users throughout the week. In addition to the issue of reading data, there is a possibility that the code snippets we add after 14 days may break due to a software change on the site.

When creating an A/B test, we first encounter a screen like the one below. On this screen, the information section at the top tells us what needs to be done when creating a test. When creating a test;

• It should be created in the early stages.

• Where the test will run should be determined.

• Variants are directed to the Analytics account so that incoming data can be examined.

• The goals of the test we will open should be determined.

After this setup, we can create our tests.

Create Variants

In this area, we can create our working features within our site using the "Add Variant" button. However, there are a few positions that need to be checked before creating these variants.

You have more than one option. However, before creating the variants, pay attention to the number of sessions on the site. If the number of sessions occurring on our site is low; it means that our test, other than the Original and Variant 1, will take longer to run. This extended duration may prevent us from obtaining data correctly.

Adding Targeting Rules and Audience Targeting

In this area, we determine the pages where our test will run. For example, if we are creating a test within the URL "https://anatomi.io/" the created test will only appear to users who visit the "https://anatomi.io/" URL. Here, of course, we can determine the areas where our test will run not only based on URL but also by using some features. These are:

• URL

• Path

• Host

• URL Fragment

After determining the pages where our test will run, we can configure our audience settings that need to be specifically determined through our Audience Targeting section.

Depending on the country in general; the region where children live, category segments, only certain URL parameters, and additionally audiences for campaigns served through Google Ads can be used specifically for the audiences for which we created our tests.

Measurement and Goals

From the measurement and goals section, you can perform analyses to track the data differences occurring among our current ones. Through the Analytics account we have linked, we can perform verification processes specific to the goals in our properties.

During this side data tracking process, the device category for which we opened our test will be of great importance. If a test is created only for mobile devices, the analytics account must have a mobile view. If you do not have a mobile view on the analytics account, we need to create a report that includes only mobile users during the reporting stage of our test.

Below the goals section, we determine the tracking goal specific to variations. There are 3 goals we can choose when determining goals. Since at least one of the goals you select must be a dedicated goal, it enters display through Google Optimize. Google Optimize offers us 2 different methods for opening goals:

• Conversions previously defined on the Analytics account linked to Google Optimize
  

  

• Custom Events we will determine through Google Tag Manager and conversions tracked through page views that are not set up as conversions in Universal Analytics
  

  

Settings

Finally, in the Settings section on the panel, the following operations can be performed:

• You can check whether Google Optimize has been integrated into our site through the Optimize installation.

• Through Email Notifications, we can activate the feature to be informed about developments regarding our tests.

• Through Traffic Allocation, we determine the configuration of what percentage of visitors coming to our site will be included in this created test.

• Through Activation Event, we can ensure our test is triggered by an event sent through Google Tag Manager, rather than just by viewing the page.

In this article, detailed answers were sought to the questions of how to create our A/B tests through Google Optimize and what to pay attention to when creating our A/B tests. To be selected in upcoming posts.