Google Expands Online Publishing Measurements With Content Experiments

Platform allows for multiple tests of different website versions with tracking features.

By T.J. Raphael
Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Google is giving publishers more avenues to determine Web best practices with the addition of Content Experiments, a new analytics tool. The feature is designed to allow websites to test multiple versions of Web pages at the same time in order to determine the best format for a particular audience.


“Content Experiments helps you optimize for goals you have already defined in your Google Analytics account, and can help you decide which page designs, layouts and content are most effective,” a blog post from the company says. “With Content Experiments, you can develop several versions of a page and show different versions to different visitors. Google Analytics measures the efficacy of each page version, and with a new advanced statistical engine, it determines the most effective version.”

The new feature allows individuals to test up to six variations of a web page and set goals for a site and determine what percentage of visitors to a website should be included in specific tests. Once in place, Content Experiments tracks how each group converts in progress; it reports for each experiment; lets users see the number of conversions and the likelihood of outperforming another group.

“With full integration in Google Analytics, we’ll be able to grow and evolve website experimentation tools within our broader measurement platform,” the company says. “Initially, you’ll be able to utilize important features like optimized goal conversions, easier tagging, and advanced segmentation in reports. We’re also working hard to release page metrics, additional goal conversion options and experiment suggestions.”

A great deal of the Google Website Optimizer will be integrated into Google Analytics and Content Experiments in order to streamline services. The company says it will end access to Google Website Optimizer, and current and past experiment reports, effective August 1.

Watch a video of the new features here: