Step by step guide to setting up your first AB test in Google Optimize

So you want to run an AB test on your website. Maybe you’re tired of arguing over button colors, or you’re just curious if that new headline will actually move the needle. Either way, this guide’s for you. I’ll walk you through setting up your first AB test in Google Optimize—the free tool from Google that lets you test changes on your site without a lot of fuss.

This isn’t a sales pitch, and I’m not going to drown you in marketing buzzwords. Just real steps, honest advice, and a few warnings about what not to bother with. Let’s get you testing.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Before you dive into the tool, make sure you have:

  • A live website you control (WordPress, Shopify, custom—it doesn’t matter).
  • Google Analytics set up on your site. If you don’t have this yet, stop here and get it sorted. Optimize needs Analytics to do its job.
  • A Google account with access to both Analytics and your site’s code (or a friendly developer who owes you a favor).

Pro tip: If you’re not comfortable adding code to your site, find someone who is. It’s not complicated, but it’s not worth breaking things.

Step 1: Sign Up for Google Optimize

  1. Go to Google Optimize and sign in with your Google account.
  2. Click “Get Started” and follow the prompts to create your account and container. A “container” is just Google’s way of grouping experiments for one website.
  3. Name your container after your site or brand, and pick your country.

That’s it. You’re in.

Step 2: Link Google Optimize to Google Analytics

  1. Once your container’s set up, you’ll see a prompt to link to Google Analytics.
  2. Select the Analytics property that tracks your website. If you don’t see it, double-check you’re using the same Google account for both tools.
  3. Click “Link” and confirm.

Why bother? Optimize uses Analytics to measure your test’s results. If they’re not linked, you’re flying blind.

Step 3: Add the Optimize Snippet to Your Site

Here’s where most people get tripped up. Google Optimize needs a bit of code on your site so it can swap out variations for visitors.

  1. In Optimize, you’ll get a snippet—a small chunk of JavaScript. Copy it.
  2. Paste the snippet just below your existing Google Analytics tag, right before the closing </head> tag on every page you want to test (usually your whole site).
  3. There’s an extra line called the anti-flicker snippet. This stops your original page from loading before the test kicks in, so users don’t see a “flash” of the old version. Use it if your site’s fast and you care about a clean look. Skip it if you’re just playing around.

Don’t skip this step. If the snippet’s missing or in the wrong place, your test won’t run.

Step 4: Create Your First AB Test

Enough setup—let’s actually make a test.

  1. In your Google Optimize container, hit “Create Experience”.
  2. Give your experiment a clear name like “Homepage Button Test.” (Don’t be cute—you’ll thank yourself later.)
  3. Enter the URL of the page you want to test.
  4. Choose “A/B test” as the experiment type.

You’ll land on a dashboard where you can set up your variants.

Step 5: Build Your Variants

Variants are just versions of your page with something changed. Google Optimize lets you do this visually (no coding) for basic tweaks.

  1. Click “Add Variant” and name it (e.g., “Blue Button”).
  2. Hit “Edit” to open the visual editor. You might need to install the Chrome extension if you haven’t already—it’s safe and quick.
  3. Use the editor to:
    • Change text (“Buy Now” to “Get Started”)
    • Tweak button colors
    • Hide or move sections

Keep it simple. Don’t try to redesign the whole page. Test one thing at a time, or you’ll never know what actually made a difference.

Heads up: The visual editor is great for small changes. If you want to do something complex (like dynamic content or layout overhauls), you’ll need to get a developer involved.

Step 6: Define Your Objectives

You need to tell Optimize what “winning” looks like.

  1. Under “Objectives,” pick what you want to measure. You can choose from:
    • Pageviews (did people go to a certain page?)
    • Session duration (did people stick around longer?)
    • Custom goals from Google Analytics (like form submissions or purchases)

Pro tip: Use goals you actually care about. Don’t fall into the trap of measuring clicks if your real goal is sales.

Step 7: Target Your Audience

Optimize lets you control who sees your test. For your first run, keep it broad.

  • By default, all visitors to the test page will be included.
  • You can target by device, location, or even specific URLs if you want. But unless you have a good reason, don’t overthink it.

Don’t segment for the sake of it. More targeting means fewer people in each group, which means your test takes longer to finish.

Step 8: Set Your Experiment Settings

A few more details before you launch:

  • Traffic allocation: By default, Optimize splits your visitors 50/50 between the original page and the variant. Stick with this unless you have a strong reason to change.
  • Experiment schedule: Set a start and end date, or just launch now and keep a close eye on things.
  • Email notifications: Turn them on if you want a nudge when your test finishes.

Don’t fuss over advanced settings. The defaults work fine for most cases.

Step 9: Run a Preview and Debug

Always preview your test before going live.

  1. Use the “Preview” button in Optimize to check both versions of your page.
  2. Visit your site in an incognito browser window to make sure the test’s running for real visitors.
  3. Double-check:
    • The right elements changed
    • No weird layout issues
    • Analytics is still tracking properly

If something’s broken, fix it now. Nothing’s more annoying than waiting two weeks for test data, only to realize your setup was wrong.

Step 10: Start the Experiment

Moment of truth.

  • Hit “Start Experiment.”
  • Optimize will start splitting your visitors between the original and the variant.
  • You can pause or edit the test anytime, but try not to tinker unless you spot a real problem.

Don’t expect instant results. For most sites, you’ll need at least a week (often longer) to get enough data to say anything useful.

Step 11: Monitor and Interpret Results

While your test runs, check in every few days.

  • Optimize will show you which variant is winning, but don’t trust early results. Wait for statistical significance. (Google will tell you when you’re there.)
  • Look at all your objectives, not just the main one. Sometimes a change boosts clicks but tanks conversions.
  • If both variants perform the same, that’s still valuable—you’ve learned what doesn’t matter.

Don’t chase statistical significance with tiny sample sizes. If your site’s low on traffic, your test might need to run for weeks. Be patient or try bolder changes for bigger effects.

What to Ignore (for Now)

  • Personalization: You’ll see options for advanced targeting and personalization. Skip these until you’ve nailed the basics.
  • Multi-page and multivariate tests: More complex setups are tempting, but they multiply the risk of mistakes and muddy your results. Stick to one change at a time.
  • Obsessing over “winning” at all costs: Not every test will be a blockbuster. Sometimes the best outcome is learning what doesn’t work.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Keep Testing

Setting up your first AB test in Google Optimize isn’t rocket science, but it does pay to move slowly, focus on clear changes, and measure what matters. Don’t get paralyzed by options or distracted by features you don’t need.

Get one good test under your belt. See what you learn. Then pick another small change and try again. The best optimizers aren’t the ones with the fanciest setup—they’re the ones who keep it simple and never stop experimenting.