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Analytics, conversion rate optimisation (CRO), search engine optimisation (SEO), remarketing, AdWords, PPC, so on and so forth. Getting the most out of your website and online presence can be a complicated and intimidating task. Enter Google Optimize – the free new testing tool that bridges the gap between analytics and adapting your website to improve your bottom line. Until recently, split testing to improve your site has required paid tools, beyond the budget of the average SME. However, we are thrilled to announce we can now use the free Google Optimize tool to help boost engagement and conversion rates for both new and existing clients.

Google Optimize – What Is It?

After releasing a free beta version of Google Optimize to rapturous applause, Google launched a fully developed product to the general public in March 2017. So what is it and who can use it?

In short, Google Optimize runs alongside Google Analytics and allows webmasters to test website changes quickly and easily, then determine their efficacy in achieving improved engagement and conversion rates. Put simply, it’s all about getting more out of your existing visitors – keeping them on the site longer and encouraging them to take a desired action whether that’s heading to your Contact Page or clicking Buy Now.

Changes in question could be as simple as changing the colour of an 'Add to Cart' button on an e-commerce website, moving a call-to-action or newsletter sign-up banner around a company’s homepage, or showing visitors different text copy or imagery depending on where they’ve navigated from. More complex testing could involve an entirely redesigned home page. Changes can take the form of A/B split testing in which a change (B) is tested against the existing control version (A), multivariate testing where different combinations of multiple changes are tested in unison, or redirect testing when two completely different versions of a page are tested against one another using different URLs.

Why Does The Free Release Matter And Who Can Use Google Optimize?

Previously this type of testing was a costly exercise requiring the services of a tech team and whatever pricey paid tool they used – an exercise that a lot of companies couldn’t justify. The release of the free Google Optimize tool means a tech-savvy business owner, who is curious about making website changes, can now test their hypothesis and view the results with little in the way outside assistance. For those who aren’t quite there yet, our Google Optimize-experienced digital marketing team can step in and take care of any requested testing, or better yet, dissect the site in question along with its Analytics data and suggest what changes to test. We'll speak to relevant existing clients about including Google Optimize in ongoing digital marketing campaign management.

Speedy WYSIWYG And GA

Optimize boasts a user-friendly What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) visual editor that allows drag-and-drop editing for the beginner, or HTML, JavaScript and CSS editing for the real boffins. Being tightly coupled with Google Analytics (GA), site editors can make data-led changes and see results that take into account their existing GA metrics and objectives. All-in-all this equates to data-validated changes, quick changes and reactive changes... If something works, great. If it doesn’t, you can remove it easily and try another tack.

Screenshot of WYSIWYG interface showing LLO branding

A Website That Moves Like Jagger

The old ‘rolling stone gathers no moss’ adage is one that needs to be applied to your website. Conversion Rate Optimisation needs to be an ongoing part of your website and marketing plan if you want to adapt to new trends and knowledge acquired through Google Analytics. Imagine if Microsoft Windows never progressed passed MS DOS? Now apply that logic to your number one marketing tool – your website. The improved accessibility of Google Optimize makes this a much easier task, and also means that because it provides valuable results and insight with every change made, each successive change benefits from those gone before it. In the words of Mark Vassiliou, our Senior Digital Marketing Manager, “Google Optimize lets you win fast or lose fast… either way, we learn fast.”.

To dress your website up in a snug-fitting conversion rate optimising pair of trousers and get it strutting its stuff out there on the world wide web, speak to Mark and his team. The release of the free Google Optimize tool has turned them into kids on Christmas morning. They see it as a key instrument in their ongoing CRO efforts and would love to add it to your company’s line-up, turning your website into a Rolling Stone with all the hot moves.