Google Website Optimizer

RIP Google Website Optimizer

Posted by Landon Poburan on June 27th, 2012

This month we wrote a guest post on a local Edmonton Real Estate Blog on the recent announcement of Google retiring Google Website Optimizer. This will be happening on August 1st, 2012. Since we are avid Split Testers, we wanted to review the change to move GWO into Google Analytics under the name Google Content Experiments.

You can read our full guest post to see how Google Content Experiments stacks up against the soon to be gone Google Website Optimizer.

Here is a little teaser:

Earlier this month, Google announced that it is retiring Google Website Optimizer as of August 1^st 2012. For avid split testers, this wasn’t a surprising move by Google. Google Website Optimizer hasn’t evolved quite the same way as google analytics, and was at times tricky to work with as it required a technical knowledge to run.

For myself, saying goodbye to Google Website Optimizer is like parting with an old friend. Being a graphic designer who eventually worked his way into online marketing, I got my first taste into how powerful graphic design can be with Google Website Optimizer. I tested different identity systems against each other, and the results helped me to become who I am today.

All hope isn’t lost however. Google announced that it is replacing Google Website Optimizer with the launch of Content Experiments, a split-testing feature within Google Analytics. So what does this mean for marketers? How do the tools compare?

Read our full guest post: RIP Google Website Optimizer.

Split Testing – The Perfect Solution

Posted by Landon Poburan on June 13th, 2012

Split Testing is the perfect solution to most discussions on website changes!

I had a very interesting conversation last night (June 12, 2012) with a client. This conversation falls in line with what we preach to our clients, “Only a test will show!”

Our client is looking for a simple WordPress template that can be recycled and re-purposed for a number of small projects they are working on. The template will be simple, clean, responsive and provide them the ability to modify the background color/image and banner image.

The client did have a concern:

“My existing template has rounded corners, but it uses CSS3, so they do not show up in IE8. I would like to use images so they show up in all browsers.”

I understood where he was coming from. I then explained we can definitely use images if he wished but explained our standpoint. We prefer to use CSS3 and HTML5 where we can to keep our work as current and future proof as possibly.

With this in mind, I explained we try and use these techniques for things like rounded corners, gradients, shadows, etc. These techniques degrade nicely. If their browser does not support rounded corners the website still functions (it is not broken). They just see a square corner and they don’t know any different.

We then got started to discuss if this would have an impact on lead generation. The consensus?

“Let’s test it!”

So once our template is done, we will run a split test to see if the rounded corners vs. no rounded corners have an impact on lead generation and conversions. At the end of the day, everything but data is speculation. Raw data tells the truth.

If you ever have ideas, questions, thoughts, or theories … Test them! It is the only way to truly know. Sometimes you change something from Blue to Red because Bob in Accounting thought it would Look better, therefore it should generate more clicks. There’s no need to tell Bob no or to blindly make the change not knowing the potential impact. You can simply test it! Let the data tell you what works better.

If your not testing, your not improving! Always be testing.

Tracking Google Website Optimizer Conversions Using AJAX Forms

Posted by Landon Poburan on February 20th, 2012

We recently ran into an issue with tracking Google Website Optimizer Conversions when using a form that submits using AJAX with no page refresh. Typically you place Google Website Optimizer’s conversion code on your “Thank you” page but we needed a solution that worked when using AJAX.

We found the solution and we hope it provides you some help to!

The Issue – Tracking conversions using AJAX and no conversion page

If you have used Google Website Optimizer you are aware that you need a page that is the “Control Page” then you need a “Conversion Page”. Now we were doing Landing Page Optimization and we were testing out headlines on a lead form. However we processed the form with AJAX so upon successful submission the user was simply presented with a thank you message rather than being directed to a thank you page.

We were using AJAX to submit the form using the following process:

Javascript validates form upon submission
Posts to PHP file
PHP file returns if message was sent or not
If successful, display thank you message

Note: our process is more in depth but this is an overview.

Now this all happens with the user never leaving the page, never going to a stand-alone “Conversion Page” so we were left without the ability to track conversions for our test.

Typical GWO (Google Website Optimizer) Conversion Code

<script type="text/javascript">
      var _gaq = _gaq || [];
      _gaq.push(['gwo._setAccount', 'UA-XXXXXXXX-X']);
      _gaq.push(['gwo._trackPageview', '/XXXXXXXXXX/goal']);
      (function() {
        var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
        ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
        var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
      })();
    </script>

Replace the X’s with the information from your tracking code.

The Solution

Now, we can make 2 calls from the javascript file to make this all work. In our script.js file we check the response from the php file, if it was successful we display the thank you message. Now you can also add the Conversion code as follows:

_gaq.push(['gwo._setAccount', 'UA-XXXXXXXX-X']);
_gaq.push(['gwo._trackPageview', '/XXXXXXXXXX/goal']);

Replace the X’s with the information from your tracking code.

Adding those 2 lines from the Conversion code is all that is needed. If you review the rest of the code, you will notice it is all included in the standard Google Analytics Tracking Code so you do not need to repeat it.

Once you add that to your javascript, upon successful submission it triggers the “__gaq.push” javascript and tracks the Goals in Google Website Optimizer. Tried, Tested and True!