Comments on: 5 Common misconceptions about the Google Website Optimizer

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:37:29 +0000

Thanks a lot!

me and my partner were a bit worried this optimizer was for only Adwords. Glad I found this blog post.

-Eric
http://ericsender.com
http://mydrupaladventures.com

By: Tonee

Tonee — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:43:45 +0000

The most important factor that must never be forgotten when dealing with Google AdWords, is that taking shortcuts doesn’t pay off! Relevance is so important — just give people what they are looking for! After all, this is the primary differentiating factor between Google AdWords and other more traditional forms of advertising!

By: Lenny de Rooy

Lenny de Rooy — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:22:12 +0000

Today, Google announced that the Website Optimizer is out of Beta (http://adwords.blogspot.com/2008/04/website-optimizer-now-out-of-beta.html)

Most important update is that you no longer have to open an account through your AdWords account. The Website Optimizer is now one of the services offered that can be used with a Google account only.
Sign up via http://www.google.com/websiteoptimizer

By: Alasdair Bailey

Alasdair Bailey — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:47:45 +0000

Hi Lenny,

Great article, it’s good to see the profile of multivariate and A/B testing being raised somewhat compared to where we were at this time last year!

Just to let your readers know that commercial technologies for multivariate testing with a richer feature set also exist. For example, the Maxymiser technology can test variables on multiple pages simultaneously and continually optimize tests – showing proven best performing versions to future site visitors.

We also provide account management and managed services around what to test in order to generate the best sales uplift. From our experience, a good part of the challenge clients face is knowing what to test; the technology is only part of the puzzle.

Kind regards,
Alasdair

By: Lenny de Rooy

Lenny de Rooy — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:47:27 +0000

Hi Gab,

Multivariate testing is indeed most suitable for testing minor changes on your pages. You can use it to fine-tune the pages once you have figured out a good basic lay-out.

You are right that the last three points are more about A/B and Multivariate testing in general. However, by making it a free service, Google has now made these kind of tests available to the general public, who have never before heard about them or used them before. So Website Optimizer users are the most likely ones to get confused.

I am currently working on some interesting cases and will definitely post about them when the results are available!

By: Lenny de Rooy

Lenny de Rooy — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:29:42 +0000

After setting up a fake campaign and choosing your login name & password, you should login again to Google AdWords. You are then being taken to the Campaign Management tab. In the green bar, there is a link to the Website Optimizer. There shouldn’t be any questions about providing billing information.

Perhaps you can send me a screenshot?

By: Gab Goldenberg

Gab Goldenberg — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:29:52 +0000

BTW, did you run this search: Are you familiar ab testing and multivariate testing?
I wrote something a while back about monitoring logs to see who searches for something just before you get a new link, and this seems to be an interesting application.

By: Gab Goldenberg

Gab Goldenberg — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:19:38 +0000

Lenny, thanks for the link on the difference between ab and multivariate testing.

Couple of things I’d like to share.

1) The pros at SMX suggested doing AB for important issues first, then running multivariate. Not sure I understood why, but I guess it’s so that you’re at least 100% certain about the big things right off the bat.
2) Good idea stating that a/b can go to n variations. That should be repeated as often as possible!
3) The last three points are general stuff about testing, rather than Website Optimizer specifically. I’d love to see more from you, especially with case studies :).

By: MAcsSNAcs

MAcsSNAcs — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:06:59 +0000

I tried setting up the AdWords acct, without the billing info, and when I click New Features to get the Website Optimizer link on the tab bar, click that, it just takes me right back to the “set up your billing info” page… Is there something I missed?