Have you ever wondered why your website or mobile app gets a lot of visitors but doesn’t generate as many conversions as you hoped? The journey from browsing to buying can be notoriously tricky, with site visitors becoming distracted, uninterested, or frustrated and closing the tab for a host of reasons. The good news is there are tools specifically built to help you increase conversion rates.
Whether you were using Google Optimize to improve your web presence in the past and need an alternative, or are just starting the process of conversion rate optimization, this guide covers what Google Optimize was, how it worked, and current alternatives designed to help boost your revenue.
What was Google Optimize?
Obsolete as of September 30, 2023, Google Optimize (and its paid version, Google Optimize 360), was a free tool that connected to web pages to run experiments and test variants of features and layouts to encourage the highest level of conversion rate optimization (CRO). After it was discontinued, most features were transferred over to Google Analytics 4 in conjunction with Google Tag Manager.
Gauging a website’s performance through conversion rates involves leveraging metrics like bounce rates, broken links, and email sign-up frequency to ensure that a user’s experience is the best it can be. Google Optimize ran experiments primarily utilizing six strategies for optimization, including:
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A/B testing. A/B testing is the process of comparing two or more versions of a webpage or web feature to identify which one leads to a higher conversion rate. These versions are often very similar and used to fine-tune small adjustments.
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Multivariate testing. A multivariate test focuses on the best combinations of features within a webpage. Google Optimize allowed users to experiment with up to 16 combinations at a time.
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Split URL testing. Split URL tests, also known as redirect tests, essentially compare two completely different versions of a webpage for success rates by randomly redirecting site visitors to one or the other version. This is often used when redesigning an entire site.
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Server-side experiments. Server-side experiments test multiple elements of a webpage without making the changes live on the user side, meaning you can test out functionality and make changes without interfering with your audience’s experience.
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Personalization. Google Optimize’s personalization tool enabled you to tweak your web features and marketing tactics to align user behavior, target demographics, and geographic locations to create personalized experiences that lead to higher conversions.
5 alternatives to Google Optimize
Google shifted its business model to incorporate third-party software into Google Analytics 4, its current analytics program. Though you can no longer install Google Optimize, many other tools can provide similar optimization features. Here are some of the leading CRO applications to ensure your website is performing at its best:
1. Optimizely
Recommended in Google’s sunsetting announcement, Optimizely is a testing tool that allows you to tackle website optimization by conducting website experiments, feature experiments, content placement, and personalization.
Using consumer data, Optimizely identifies demographics, traffic sources, geographical location, and device types to create customer segments. This allows for advanced targeting and specific experiment objectives so you can adjust your digital presence to your audience’s preferences. Plus, you can run multiple experiments simultaneously.
Pricing: Optimizely structures each plan based on your needs; contact the company for pricing details.
2. Visual Website Optimizer
The primary objective of Visual Website Optimizer (or VWO) is optimizing digital experiences to maximize conversions. VWO allows for seamless integration with all your Google products, and can help you compare two different web pages and multiple experiment types to identify the areas of your digital presence that need improvement.
You can use VWO to test individual features on your website or run tests in your mobile app to increase user interaction. The platform also gives you access to a visual editor and advanced reporting metrics that reveal the statistical significance of features, layouts, and personalization that perform best.
Pricing: VWO has a free version with limited features and basic A/B testing capabilities. Paid versions start at $393/month.
3. AB Tasty
AB Tasty has a user-friendly interface and native integration with your Google Analytics account and website. You can run simultaneous experiments across multiple elements including layouts, features, mobile functionality, and personalized promotions to create the best experience for your customers.
The software also lets you incorporate your key performance indicators (KPIs) into each experiment, meaning features or adjustments to your digital presence can be rolled back if experiment results do not directly contribute to your goals.
Pricing: Contact AB Tasty for custom pricing details.
4. Shoplift
Designed to be integrated with your Shopify store, Shoplift has easy-to-navigate dashboards, comprehensive testing options, and offers data analysis directly linked to your store. You can use these features to create custom objectives and know when you’re meeting your goals. If you need to edit back-end Javascript, you can run experiment code without frequent glitches or broken links interrupting the user experience.
Pricing: Shoplift plans range from $99/month to $599/month.
5. OptiMonk
OptiMonk focuses on creating personalized pop-ups to boost your store conversions. Built for Shopify merchants, this software seamlessly conforms to the theme of your website and uses consumer data to create more advanced targeting strategies.
OptiMonk’s visual editor can tailor your pop-ups and customize them for emails, SMS communications, and landing pages. Then conduct A/B testing and analyze the results within the software to understand what works best.
Pricing: OptiMonk offers a limited free plan; paid versions range from $29 to $249 a month.
What is Google Optimize FAQ
Is Google Optimize still a thing?
As of September 30, 2023, you can no longer create a Google Optimize account. Similar tools—like Optimizely, AB Tasty, Shoplift, and OptiMonk—perform similar tasks.
What is replacing Google Optimize?
Google Optimize was partially replaced by Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager. You can find full functionality and testing capabilities on third-party software like Optimizely and VWO.
What are alternatives to Google Optimize?
Free Google Optimize alternatives include the base versions of Visual Website Optimizer and OptiMonk, while alternatives with a subscription fee are Optimizely, AB Tasty, and Shoplift.
