Ever wondered why your website or mobile app attracts plenty of visitors but falls short on conversions? The path from browsing to buying isn’t always smooth—users can get distracted, lose interest, or encounter friction that leads them to abandon the journey altogether.
The good news? There are tools designed specifically to help improve conversion rates.
If you previously relied on Google Optimize to enhance your web performance and are now searching for an alternative, or if you’re just beginning your conversion rate optimization (CRO) journey, this guide will walk you through what Google Optimize was, how it worked, and the best alternatives available to help you boost your revenue.
What Is Google Optimize?
Google Optimize was a free A/B testing and website personalization tool integrated with Google Analytics. It enabled businesses to test multiple variations of a webpage and analyze user behavior to improve conversions, engagement, and user experience.
Measuring a website’s performance through conversion rates requires analyzing key metrics such as bounce rates, broken links, and email sign-up frequency to optimize the user experience. Google Optimize conducted experiments using six core strategies to enhance website performance, including:
- A/B Testing: Compare two or more versions of a webpage to see which performs best. The practice of testing multiple versions of a webpage or web feature to determine which one yields a higher conversion rate. These versions typically have only slight variations, allowing for precise refinements and optimizations.
- Multivariate Testing: Test multiple elements on a page simultaneously. A multivariate test evaluates different combinations of elements within a webpage to determine which arrangement performs best. Google Optimize enabled users to test up to 16 variations simultaneously.
- Split URL Testing: Redirect traffic to different URLs to test complete page variations. Split URL tests, also called redirect tests, compare two distinct versions of a webpage by directing visitors to different URLs at random. This method is commonly used for full-site redesigns to evaluate which version performs better.
- Personalization: Display different content to different audience segments. Google Optimize’s personalization tool allowed you to adjust web elements and marketing strategies based on user behavior, target demographics, and geographic locations, creating tailored experiences that drive higher conversions.
- Google Analytics Integration: Use real-time data to measure experiment success.
6 Great Alternatives to Google Optimize
Google has transitioned its business model to integrate third-party software within Google Analytics 4, its latest analytics platform. While Google Optimize is no longer available for installation, several other tools offer comparable optimization features. Here are some of the top CRO applications to help maximize your website’s performance:
1. Optimizely
Optimizely is a leading A/B testing and experimentation platform known for its powerful features and scalability. It provides robust testing capabilities for websites, mobile apps, and even AI-driven experiments.
Highlighted in Google’s sunsetting announcement, Optimizely is a powerful testing tool designed for website optimization. It enables users to run website experiments, feature tests, content placement analyses, and personalization strategies.
Leveraging consumer data, Optimizely segments users based on demographics, traffic sources, geographic location, and device type. This advanced targeting allows businesses to tailor their digital experience to audience preferences while setting precise experiment objectives. Additionally, Optimizely supports running multiple experiments at the same time, ensuring continuous optimization.
- No-Code Visual Editor for easy test creation.
- AI-Powered Personalization for enhanced user targeting.
- Server-Side Testing for more advanced experiments.
- Full Stack Experimentation for developers.
Best for: Large businesses and enterprises needing advanced testing solutions.
2. VWO (Visual Website Optimizer)
VWO is a user-friendly experimentation tool that helps businesses optimize their websites through A/B testing, heatmaps, and session recordings.
Visual Website Optimizer (VWO) is designed to enhance digital experiences and boost conversion rates. It seamlessly integrates with Google products, enabling businesses to compare different web pages and run multiple experiment types to pinpoint areas for improvement.
With VWO, you can test individual website features or conduct experiments within your mobile app to enhance user engagement. The platform also includes a visual editor and advanced reporting tools, providing insights into the statistical significance of layouts, features, and personalization strategies that drive the best results.
- Drag-and-Drop Test Builder with no coding required.
- Heatmaps & Session Recordings for behavioral insights.
- Split URL and Multivariate Testing.
- AI-Powered Insights to identify improvement opportunities.
Best for: Small and medium businesses looking for an easy-to-use testing solution.
3. Convert Experiences
Convert Experiences is an A/B testing platform designed with data privacy in mind. It offers high-speed testing capabilities while ensuring compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA regulations.
Key Features of Convert Experiences:
- Privacy-Compliant Testing: Ensures user data protection and privacy compliance.
- Advanced Targeting & Segmentation: Personalize content for different audience groups.
- Real-Time Experimentation: Run high-speed A/B tests without affecting website performance.
- Easy Third-Party Integrations: Works seamlessly with Google Analytics, Shopify, and more.
Best for: Businesses that prioritize privacy and regulatory compliance.
4. Adobe Target
Adobe Target is an AI-powered website personalization and experimentation platform that allows businesses to deliver personalized experiences at scale.
Key Features of Adobe Target:
- AI-Powered Personalization: Uses Adobe Sensei’s AI to automate content recommendations.
- Automated Audience Segmentation: Create personalized experiences for different user segments.
- Advanced A/B and Multivariate Testing: Test various content elements to optimize performance.
- Seamless Integration with Adobe Analytics: Gain deep insights into test results.
Best for: Large enterprises looking for AI-driven personalization and optimization tools.
5. Kameleoon
Kameleoon is a powerful AI-driven A/B testing and personalization platform that helps businesses enhance their website’s user experience and conversion rates.
Key Features of Kameleoon:
- AI-Powered Predictive Targeting: Automatically deliver relevant content based on user behavior.
- Cross-Device Experimentation: Conduct tests across web, mobile, and apps.
- Hybrid Testing Capabilities: Offers both client-side and server-side testing.
- Seamless Integration with Analytics Tools: Works with Google Analytics, Segment, and other platforms.
Best for: Businesses that need AI-driven A/B testing and advanced personalization features.
6. Crazy Egg
Crazy Egg is a user experience optimization tool that offers heatmaps, session recordings, and A/B testing to help businesses understand user behavior and improve conversions.
Key Features of Crazy Egg:
- Click Heatmaps & Scroll Maps: Identify how users interact with your website.
- Session Recordings: Analyze real user interactions and improve usability.
- A/B Testing Made Easy: Quickly test and compare different page variations.
- Confetti Reports: Track specific traffic sources and their engagement levels.
Best for: Businesses that want a mix of A/B testing and user behavior insights.
Conclusion
Although Google Optimize has been discontinued, there are several powerful alternatives available that provide similar (or even better) A/B testing and website optimization features.
By selecting the right A/B testing tool, you can continue to enhance your website’s performance, improve user engagement, and increase conversion rates efficiently.