Overview of Analytics and Website Optimizer
Objective: In this lesson, you'll learn how to:
- how Website Optimizer and Google Analytics can work together
- the steps necessary to use Google Analytics and Website Optimizer on the same pages
- how to understand and troubleshoot common issues with using Google Analytics and Website Optimizer simultaneously
Troubleshooting and Best Practices for Analytics and Website Optimizer
Troubleshooting
The issues encountered when using Website Optimizer and Google Analytics on the same pages are often related to improper implementation of their scripts.
The issues encountered when using Website Optimizer and Google Analytics on the same pages are often related to improper implementation of their scripts.
Most frequently, you'll see no impressions recorded if the Website Optimizer code hasn't been correctly modified on pages that are already being tracked with Google Analytics. If you have modified your Google Analytics code, carefully review whether you have made the corresponding modifications to the Website Optimizer code. And if you're tracking across multiple domains and subdomains, ensure that you have customized the control script to account for modifications to the cookie domain, cookie path, or cookie hash in the Website Optimizer tracking scripts.
Best PracticesUsing Google Analytics data can help you determine what to test with Website Optimizer.
Test pages
One of the simplest recommendations for running successful experiments with Website Optimizer is to choose a test page that receives a lot of traffic. You can use the Google Analytics Top Content report to identify pages on your site that draw the most users. Use bounce rate to determine which pages users are departing quickly and are therefore ripe for optimization. The e-commerce section of your Google Analytics report can also help you learn whether product performance is down for any particular categories or products whose pages could use a redesign.
Test content
Google Analytics can also help you identify what sorts of test content might be effective on your pages. Use the keywords report to identify which keywords are driving users to which pages, when highlight those keywords in your test content on those pages. The Destination Pages report can also help you find which pages are difficult to locate on your site and which you should highlight further in your content or landing pages. Similarly, the Start Pages report will show you which pages users are performing the most searches on; you can use their specific search terms to determine what they expected to find on those pages, then use Website Optimizer to try out new versions.
Conversion pages
Google Analytics can also help you identify where users are dropping off in taking desired conversion actions on your site. For example, say the funnels report in the Google Analytics goals section shows you that users are leaving your conversion process or your website entirely partway through a three-page purchase process (contact details, payment details, confirmation page). You can use this information to test different successful conversions on each page throughout your purchase process to see which will be most effective in retaining users from one step to another.
Test pages
One of the simplest recommendations for running successful experiments with Website Optimizer is to choose a test page that receives a lot of traffic. You can use the Google Analytics Top Content report to identify pages on your site that draw the most users. Use bounce rate to determine which pages users are departing quickly and are therefore ripe for optimization. The e-commerce section of your Google Analytics report can also help you learn whether product performance is down for any particular categories or products whose pages could use a redesign.
Test content
Google Analytics can also help you identify what sorts of test content might be effective on your pages. Use the keywords report to identify which keywords are driving users to which pages, when highlight those keywords in your test content on those pages. The Destination Pages report can also help you find which pages are difficult to locate on your site and which you should highlight further in your content or landing pages. Similarly, the Start Pages report will show you which pages users are performing the most searches on; you can use their specific search terms to determine what they expected to find on those pages, then use Website Optimizer to try out new versions.
Conversion pages
Google Analytics can also help you identify where users are dropping off in taking desired conversion actions on your site. For example, say the funnels report in the Google Analytics goals section shows you that users are leaving your conversion process or your website entirely partway through a three-page purchase process (contact details, payment details, confirmation page). You can use this information to test different successful conversions on each page throughout your purchase process to see which will be most effective in retaining users from one step to another.
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