We’ve been previewing some new features in Google Website Optimizer and are now happy to be able to tell you about three great improvements.

Here’s a screenshot of an experiment we have in progress with the new report features showng:

1. Remove unwanted combinations
You can now selectively remove variations or combinations from a Google Website Optimizer experiment that is in progress. This is a helpful feature I’ve been asking for from the beginning, but it’s also going to be dangerous for those inexperienced in testing and must be used carefully.
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This is the fourth posting in a series aimed at helping you as a Marketer evaluate conversion optimization services providers so you make the best possible decision of who to hire. You can read Part 1 here, Part 2 here and Part 3 here.

Q4: “Do you follow a specific methodology to optimization?”

There are lots of people “out there” who know how to use tools like Google Website Optimizer, Omniture’s Test & target, Optimost and such. (And this is especially true of Google Website Optimizer because it’s an easy to learn, free tool). However, very few of those people know how to increase revenues consistently by using the tool.

To know how to increase revenues by using a testing tool (more…)

The Google Website Optimizer team is looking for your feedback and putting some cash on the table to get it. If you give them an hour of your time to do some usability testing you’ll get a $100 adwords credit.

Sign up here

We’re in SMX Advanced today and, in the Conversion Optimization session, Tom Leung from Google announced a free contest.

Google will be selecting several web sites to receive a free Conversion Optimization experiment with Google Website Optimizer.

You can sign up for free here.

This is the transcript of our recent interview with Tom Leung. Click here to listen to the audio version.

Chris Goward: Great! Looks like we’re online here. Hi, this is Chris Goward from WiderFunnel Marketing at WiderFunnel.com. I’m speaking today with our friend Tom Leung, product manager for Google Website Optimizer.

Tom, of course, it’s always good to talk with you. Thanks for sharing your time with us today. I know you’re always popular with our readers which was apparent from that sellout event we had a few weeks ago. Thanks again for your time.

Tom Leung: Well, I appreciate you having me Chris. It’s always fun to talk with you.

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The Google Website Optimizer official blog launched recently and the Google team kicked things off by featuring some of the work we did with Safe Software. It’s an interesting result that’s worth reading.

You can read their post here that includes screenshots or read the full case study showing 270% conversion rate improvement here.

As we previously announced, Google Website Optimizer has been released from within Adwords and is no longer a “beta” version, plus other enhancements.

Tom Leung, Product Manager for Google Website Optimizer, spent a few minutes with us discussing the updates, the opportunities for improving conversion rates with Google Website Optimizer, and how to use conversion optimization to advance your career - especially in a down economy.

Click the play button below to listen to the audio file of the conversation:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Or, download the mp3 here.

After only a year as a beta version accessible only within Adwords, Google announced this morning that Google Website Optimizer is going out on its own as an independent non-beta product. And they’ve made it easier to use with its own signup form, more resources and a product information blog. (more…)

This morning, Google launched TV Ads, the latest in their expansion into offline media.

More than ever, it is important for marketers to integrate analytics and conversion optimization reporting from multiple channels. This is just another reason why I’m so excited about the new phone call tracking service, TrackYourCalls, that is about to open for private beta. (more…)

If you didn’t make it out to Tom Leung’s luncheon event in Vancouver on Feb 7, here’s a video of the whole session. It was an packed event and you can feel the buzz in the room.