Google Optimise
Let you run A/B and multivariate tests on your site using Google Analytics data, but it was discontinued on September 30, 2023.
If you are reading a setup guide written before 2023, you are following instructions for a product that no longer exists.
Key points
- Do not attempt to install or link Google Optimise — it is gone.
- Use Google Ads experiments or a third-party tool like VWO for A/B testing instead.
- Check the date on any tutorial mentioning Optimise before following it.
- Remove any old Optimise snippet from your site to avoid console errors.
- Treat historical Optimise data as a reference, not a live source.
A marketing team that planned a test after the shutdown
In October 2023, a team at a mid-sized ecommerce site opened an old Google Optimise account to run a multivariate test on their checkout page. They found the editor blank and the experiments tab gone. Their analytics reports still showed the old Optimise snippet firing errors in the console. They had to rebuild the test from scratch in Google Ads experiments, losing two weeks of planned optimisation work.
Three ways it goes wrong
- Old blog posts Many articles from 2020–2022 still describe Optimise as active. Following them wastes time on setup steps that no longer work.
- Third-party tutorials Courses and videos that teach Optimise are now teaching a dead product. They may confuse you about what is still available.
- Job descriptions Some job listings still ask for Google Optimise experience. The skill is irrelevant unless the role involves migrating old tests.
Three things it is not
- Not an SEO tool Optimise was built for conversion rate optimisation, not search engine optimisation. It did not affect rankings or crawl behaviour.
- Not Analytics replacement It relied on Google Analytics for audience definitions, goals, and reporting, but it was never a standalone analytics platform — unlike what is google optimisation (SEO), which focuses on rankings, Optimise was about conversion testing.
- Not Optimizely Despite the similar name, Optimizely is a separate, active experimentation platform. Do not confuse the two when researching tools.
Three things to check before acting
- Date of any guide Even well-respected SEO blogs may have outdated guides; always check the publication date and look for a sunset notice. Use Google Trends to verify the tool's decline before following any Optimise instructions.
- Your site snippet If you still have the Optimise snippet in your site code, remove it to prevent JavaScript errors and unnecessary requests.
- Your analytics setup Confirm that your Google Analytics 4 property is not still linked to an old Optimise container. Unlink it if found.
Common questions
Is Google Optimise still available?
No, it was discontinued on September 30, 2023. You cannot create new experiments or access the editor.
Should I still follow old Google Optimise tutorials?
No, they are outdated. Use a current A/B testing tool like Google Ads experiments or VWO instead.
Can historical Optimise data still be accessed?
Historical data may remain in your Google Analytics reports, but the Optimise interface is gone.
Sources
- Google Analytics Help: Google Optimize sunset notice Official sunset announcement and timeline from Google.
- Google Optimize product overview PDF Original product documentation, now historical.
- Target Internet: What is Google Optimize? Third-party overview of the tool before its retirement.