Top 5 Features of Google Analytics Content Experiments (vs. Website Optimizer)

For about 5 years now, marketing professionals have been using Google’s Website Optimizer to run A/B tests and Multivariate tests on webpages. Google recently announced that Website Optimizer will be replaced with Content Experiments. Content Experiments offers similar functionality as Website Optimizer with a few limitations; however, I’ll highlight the top features that I think Content Experiments offers. Here are my top 5 features for Content Experiments when compared to Web Site Optimizer:

1. Experiment Integration within Google Analytics

Content Experiment’s integration within Google Analytics is much improved compared to Web Site Optimizer. Web Site Optimizer did not integrate with Google Analytics, which limited a user’s ability to obtain additional information about the test variations for each experiment such as time on site, bounce rate, or the possibility of segmentation.

2. Simplified Workflow with the Set-up Wizard

The simplistic workflow to implement an experiment is streamlined as well. The process went from 5 basic steps to 4 basic steps. The set-up wizard for the experiment clearly identifies where you are within the set-up process and the next steps. In addition, there are icons to help you throughout the process to understand what you’re doing.

3. Visuals of the Experiments within the Console

The simple workflow is enhanced with visuals of the experiment variations, which was not part of Web Site Optimizer. Within the console of Google Analytics Content Experiments, you can see exactly what your original design vs. the variation(s) will look like prior to launching the experiments.

4. Better, More Simplified Reporting

In my opinion, the reporting in Content Experiments is much better than before. Content Experiments provides high-level experiment detail at a glance (visits, days of data, status of the experiment, and percentage of included visitors). The conversion data is also much improved by providing separate columns for visits, conversions, conversion rates, and basic green & red arrows to compare the variation(s) to the original page. Finally, the look of the reports is now more consistent with the newer Google Analytics interface.

5. Rewrite the Variation URLs to the Original within GA Content Reports

By selecting to rewrite the URL variations, you can consolidate all of the traffic to your original and variation pages. These URLs will appear under the original page within your Content Reports. This ability makes the Content Reports easier to read and streamlines the analysis of the experiment’s impact on page metrics in addition to its data. This provides increased functionality with custom reporting and experiment segmentation.

What’s the BIG Deal with Content Experiments?

The simplified shift from Web Optimizer to Content Experiments will save companies and marketers’ time, money, and allow them to easily create testing experiments. Ideally, Content Experiments will reduce the amount of time to create experiments and simplify their data, making them easier to understand as well as more actionable. With more actionable information, companies and marketers should be able to improve their users’ online experience and generate higher conversions.

Get off the excuse bandwagon! Start experimenting for better lead generation and online sales, what are you waiting for? Leave your feedback on Content Experiments in the Comments section below!

Your Trademark = My Keyword

Recently, a California Appeals Court ruled that it is legal (as least for now) to use competitors’ trademarks as keywords. Although it is legal, that does not mean you should run out add your competitors’ names, or other trademark terms, to your keyword list. Google Adwords and others give keywords a quality score based on how relevant the term is to your products/services and the landing page of your ads. Assuming that your site is tightly optimized for your specific products/services, then adding competitors’ trademark as a keyword will generate low quality score. This low quality score will result in your ads not being shown, average Cost-Per-Click increasing, and/or ad rank dropping. Although adding competitors’ trademark terms to your keyword list will get more impressions for your ads, specifically when someone is searching for a competitor, is it worth it? This answer may vary depending on the industry, the competitor, and even the location. Before, you start having your ads appear for your competitor’s trademarks, make sure that it is worth the time and effort. My point being, trademark or not, do research and test keywords and make sure that it is worth the time and effort to implement them it into your keyword list, and continue to monitor and measure performance to ensure results.

Marketing. Measuring. Testing. Results!

DaBrian Marketing Group LLC.

Tracking Social Media with Google Analytics

Earlier this month, we had a presentation on tracking and social media marketing for the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce Rev Up Your Marketing 2010. At the event, we discussed a method for tracking Bit.ly links within communications. One of the attendees asked if it would work for TinyURL; theoretically, we did not see any reason why it would not work. So, we tested this theory and wanted to provide our readers with the information to track with TinyURL.

Step 1: Identify the page you want to send traffic to (www.dabrianmarketing.com).
Step 2: Go to Google URL Builder



Step 3: Add the Source, Medium, and Campaign Name.
Step 4: Document URL for Future Reference.
Step 5: Place the Generated URL into Make TinyURL Tool.


Step 6: Test the URL prior to distribution.
Step 7: Verify in Google Analytics




Step 8: Start Implementing into Tweets, Linkedin, and Facebook initiatives.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics provides businesses & marketers of all skill levels with the necessary information to track, measure, record, and react to various marketing environments. Google Analytics also offers training videos to help all users better understand how Google Analytics operates. There is even a Google Analytics IQ test that users can take after viewing the free training videos. There are a number of “Seminars for Success” that Google offers to help users improve their skills. Check out www.google.com/analytics for the tools, tips, education, support and the latest information on web analytics trends.

Negative Keywords

In Search Engine Marketing, the most underutilized tactic is the usage of negative keywords. We have noticed that numerous clients neglect to use negative keywords in the pay-per-click campaigns. According to Google, negative keywords are a core component of a successful keyword list. The adding of negative keywords to an ad group or campaign means that the ads will not show for search queries containing the specified negative term. By filtering out unwanted impressions, negative keywords can help marketers reach the most appropriate prospects, reduce your cost-per-click (CPC), and increase your ROI.

There are several reasons to make a keyword negative such as zero conversions, bad brand association, not relevant to a user, or to improve search quality. Most search engines will allow 250 up to 10,000 negative keywords per ad campaign or ad group. There are a few tools to help you identify negative keywords such as WordTracker, Keyword Discovery, and Epiar Negative Keywords.

Be sure to implement negative keywords in your next ad campaign. Let us know how these tools work for your campaign.

http://www.dabrianmarketing.com/