A Guide on Running AB Test with Google Analytics

Are you creating an ad for your product but don’t know where to conduct an AB test? You might find running AB test with Google Analytics helpful. This feature of Google Analytics is accessible, even for inexperienced AB testers.

AB tests are often difficult for most people. They don’t know which tools to use, how to set up a test, or when it’s done. If you fall into that group, you aren’t alone.

Here, I will show you a free A/B testing tool that is readily available to any website owner. I’ll walk you through creating your account, joining your first test, and monitoring your results.

I’ll also guide designing practical tests and other tips that will help you optimize your website for conversions. By reading this article, you will discover the benefits of running AB test with Google Analytics.

Initiating AB Test with Google Analytics: A Guide

What is AB Testing?

Before we explain how to use AB testing in digital marketing, you should know what AB testing is.

To be clear, each website owner should run AB tests.

As the most straightforward answer, they can allow you to identify potential improvements that can significantly impact your online success.

Divide your traffic between pages and see which page is more effective in converting your traffic into a target conversion. You then use that insight to make the parts of the more effective variation permanent.

With AB testing, you can determine how to create a page that gets the best results for a given goal. You can then publish your website as a page that all visitors see.

Why Run an AB Test?

The answer to that question does not depend on how you set up your tests.

AB testing can have a massive effect on the effectiveness of your business and its conversion rates. For example, WallMonkeys increased conversions by 550 percent using AB testing and heat mapping. When you conduct AB tests, you can find out what works for your audience.

If you’ve spent time browsing digital marketing blogs, you’re likely to see dozens of “best practices” that optimize conversion rates. Multiple studies have backed up a number of these, with site owners who have seen success raving about their effectiveness. You can sometimes convert more visitors by implementing the same changes on your website.

Your audience is likely made up entirely of different people. In other words, their findings may not apply at all. 

For example, adding social proof to forms is generally considered a best practice. Statistics showing your existing subscribers, satisfied customers, and a particular result your clients have seen can give visitors confidence in your brand. 

This is because social proof proved more effective with this specific audience.

Moreover, you’re not limited to forms or other conversion-specific elements. AB tests can also help determine which design concepts your visitors prefer. It may also include layouts that will push them to spend more time on your site. 

You can also take things even further by eliminating some aspects on your page to see how they affect your visitors. 

Why Use Google Optimize?

Several conversion testing tools exist, but the best usually require payment and add to your marketing expenses. However, it isn’t the same case with Google Optimize.

In 2016, Google Analytics launched a custom AB testing and personalization tool that is gradually replacing Content Experiments. If you have ever used Content Experiments, you’ll find that the interface and capabilities are similar. Hence, Optimize is a quick switch.

Even if you haven’t yet used a tool available in Google for AB testing, you’ll likely find Optimize very easy to use. 

Besides its ease of set-up, Optimize also integrates with Google Analytics. 

Google Analytics is considered a standard tool for all site owners. Therefore, having access to test data directly from your account is convenient.

Your tests enable you to analyze visitors who view each variation in Analytics. You can do this since experiment KPIs are tied right into your account.

CONCLUSION

Finally, you learned about the definition of AB testing. AB testing allows you to improve your website through data gathered from your website visitors. Also, you’re now aware of the importance of AB testing as a crucial part of your website’s success. Finally, you’ve learned why using Google Optimize will give you the best results for your AB tests due to its accessible and user-friendly features.