Google Adwords has recently given its interface something of a makeover. These changes will become mandatory in the next few months; which means we’re all going to have to get used to them. So what are the new features?

One significant change is that the interface now looks a lot more like the Google Analytics interface. Things are a lot more visual: where previously there was tabular data there are now graphs embedded on the page. You’re able to customise these graphs to suit your needs.

Where previously you would find tabs for Analytics and Reports, you will now find a single Reporting tab, also containing a Website Optimizer tool. There have been improvements to navigation, too, with the addition of a sidebar that enables you to move more quickly between AdGroups and campaigns.

There have also been improvements at campaign level, enabling you to sort all of your ad groups by key metrics so that you can easily focus on high, or low performing articles.

Writing for ClickZ, Kevin Lee provides a valuable assessment of the Google Adwords changes, and a comparison with Microsoft’s adCenter, which has also recently undergone something of a facelift.

You can read Kevin’s analysis here: http://www.clickz.com/3633812

Google Analytics, Google Website Optimiser, Website Analytics Google Analytics, Web Analytics

At the TFMA (Technology for marketing and advertising) event at London Earls Court last week, there was an interesting presentation by Google on their Google Website Optimiser Tool.

We have been using this for a while now and it offers some really powerful features for website owners. It allows very accurate testing of webpage designs and means that users of the site will help to determine what works on the site and what doesn’t.

There are two types of tests that are available through Google Website Optimiser. A/B testing and multi variant testing. The advice from Google’s team, was that generally website owners should start with A/B testing and then move on to multi variant as a next step in the process.

A/B simple tests one web page against another or a number. It is best for testing more radical redesigns of a web page. Once you have been through this process multi variant testing will permit much more granular testing of elements. This might include the language used on buttons, changing logos and images used to represent process etc.

As the name would suggest multi variant testing allows the testing of multiple variations of a web page at the same time. This vastly speeds up the testing process and allows the system to calculate which design and copy variations perform the best in terms of driving conversion on a page.

Google gave examples of how they have used Google Website Optimiser to improve a number of their sites. Relatively minor changes on the Picassa homepage improved downloads by 30%.

It was also used on the Google Mail and Google Adwords sites to improve sign-ups. For example using the button text Try Adwords Now >> in place of a more standard call to action, improved sign-up by a significant percentage.

We’ll bring you more on Google Website Optimiser over the next few months, in the Google Website Optimiser category of the blog.

If you would like more information on it at the moment these websites will give you some good information on it:

The Google Website Optimiser – Main Site

The official Google Website Optimiser Blog

Google Website Optimiser is also available via your Google Adwords Console and is free to use.

We offer Google website optimiser testing as part of our Website Analytics Services. If you would like to find out more, you can contact our Web Analytics Team.

Happy testing.

Google Website Optimiser Google Website Optimiser, Usability Testing, Web Analytics, Website Testing