Optimizely Plugin

Optimizely, a leading experimentation platform, empowers organisations to run Optimizely A/B testing, multivariate testing, personalise experiences, and optimise their websites and applications. One of the key features that makes Optimizely so versatile and powerful is the Optimizely plugin ecosystem.

Understanding the Optimizely Plugin Ecosystem

Optimizely’s plugin ecosystem includes various add-ons and integrations designed to extend the platform’s functionality. These plugins allow users to seamlessly integrate Optimizely with other tools, enhance the capabilities of their experiments, and streamline workflows. Plugins can be categorised into several types, including analytics integrations, data connectors, user feedback tools, and more. By leveraging these plugins, organisations can create a more robust and effective optimisation strategy.

Types of Apps and Integrations

Optimizely offers a variety of apps and integrations to suit different needs:

Optimizely-Maintained Apps and Integrations: These are developed and owned by Optimizely and are supported across different versions. They provide reliable and consistent functionality.

Optimizely Labs: These add-ons are experimental product trials developed by Optimizely. They offer innovative features but come with specific purposes, functionalities, support conditions, and legal notices.

Optimizely Marketplace Apps and Integrations: Provided by Optimizely Technology Partners, these apps are verified or certified by Optimizely and are available in the Optimizely App Directory.

Community-Developed Apps and Integrations: These apps are created by members of the Optimizely community, but they need to be  approved by Optimizely before going live. They can be found in the Optimizely NuGet feed and/or as open-source projects on GitHub.

Why do Plugins Matter?

When purchasing a new Digital Experience Platform (DXP) or Content Management System (CMS), many organisations assume it’s a one-time process. However, to tailor the platform to your business needs, it’s crucial to integrate it with other systems. This ensures smooth daily operations and maximises the platform’s effectiveness. Benefits of plugins include:

Enhanced Data Integration

One of the most significant benefits of using Optimizely plugins is the ability to integrate with various data sources and analytics platforms. This integration ensures that data flows seamlessly between systems, providing a holistic view of user behaviour and experiment performance.

Streamlined Workflows

Plugins can automate and simplify many tasks associated with running Optimizely experiments. This automation reduces the manual effort required and minimises the risk of errors, allowing teams to focus on higher-level strategy and analysis.

Improved User Experience

Whether you want to use the Optimizely personalisation capabilities or third party user feedback tools and personalisation engines, organisations can gain deeper insights into user preferences and behaviours. This understanding enables the creation of highly targeted and personalised experiences that drive engagement and conversions.

Flexibility and Customisation

The Optimizely plugin ecosystem offers a wide range of options, allowing organisations to customise their optimisation efforts to meet specific needs. Whether it’s integrating with a specific analytics platform or adding advanced targeting capabilities, there is likely a plugin available to address the requirement.

Popular Optimizely Plugins

Here are some examples of the most popular Optimizely plugins that organisations can leverage to enhance their optimisation efforts.

1. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is one of the most widely used web analytics tools globally. Integrating Google Analytics with Optimizely allows organisations to import experiment data directly into their Google Analytics account. This leads to:

• A Unified Data View: View Optimizely experiment data and Optimizely analytics alongside other web analytics data for a comprehensive understanding of user behaviour.
• Enhanced Reporting: Utilise Google Analytics’ robust reporting capabilities to analyse experiment performance.
• Custom Segments: Create custom segments in Google Analytics to view how different user groups respond to experiments.

2. Hotjar

Hotjar is a powerful tool for understanding user behaviour through heatmaps, session recordings, and feedback surveys. Integrating Hotjar with Optimizely can provide valuable qualitative insights to complement quantitative experiment data. With heatmaps, organisations can visualise where users click, move, and scroll on your site during experiments. Other benefits of Hotjar and Optimizely include:

• Session Recordings: Watch recordings of user sessions to understand their interactions with experimental variations.
• User Feedback: Collect user feedback directly related to different experiment variations to understand preferences and pain points.

3. Segment

Segment is a customer data platform (CDP) that helps organisations collect, clean, and control their customer data. Integrating Segment with Optimizely allows for:

• Centralised Data Management: Manage all customer data in one place, ensuring consistency and accuracy.
• Streamlined Integrations: Easily send experiment data to any of the numerous tools connected through Segment.
• Improved Targeting: Use enriched customer data to create more precise targeting rules to improve your Optimizely experimentation.

4. FullStory

FullStory is a digital experience analytics platform that captures user interactions and provides deep insights into user behaviour. Integrating FullStory with Optimizely offers a more granular understanding of how users interact with different experiment variations. It enhances the Optimizely platform with:

• Detailed Session Analysis: Access detailed session replays to see how users interact with experimental changes.
• Error Monitoring: Identify and address any issues or bugs that arise in different variations.
• Behaviour Insights: Gain deeper insights into user behaviour to inform future experiments and optimizations.

5. Mixpanel

Mixpanel is a product analytics tool that helps organisations understand how users interact with their products. Integrating Mixpanel with Optimizely enables deeper analysis of experiment data within the context of product usage. Organisations plug in Mixpanel to their Optimizely suite for:

• In-Depth Analysis: Analyse user behaviour at a granular level to understand the impact of experiments.
• Cohort Analysis: Track how different user cohorts respond to experiments over time.
• Event Tracking: Use Mixpanel’s event tracking capabilities to measure specific actions and outcomes of experiments.

Implementing Optimizely Plugins

Implementing Optimizely plugins is generally straightforward for any experienced developer team. Here are some common steps involved:

 1. Installation

Most plugins can be installed directly from the Optimizely platform or via the Optimizely Marketplace. Detailed installation guides are typically provided.

2. Configuration

After installation, you’ll need to configure the plugin to connect it with the corresponding tool or platform. This step often involves entering API keys, setting up data mappings, and configuring integration settings.

3. Testing

Before fully deploying a plugin, it’s crucial to test the integration to ensure data flows correctly and that the plugin functions as expected. This testing phase helps identify and resolve any issues early on.

4. Monitoring and Optimisation

Once the plugin is live, continuously monitor its performance and impact on your experiments. Use insights gained to further optimise your integration and experiment strategy.

Building the Perfect Digital Suite for Your Organisation

The Optimizely plugin ecosystem is a powerful enabler for organisations looking to enhance their optimisation and experimentation efforts. By leveraging plugins like Google Analytics, Hotjar, Segment, FullStory, and Mixpanel, businesses can gain deeper insights, streamline workflows, and create more personalised and effective user experiences. Implementing these plugins requires careful planning and testing, but the benefits they bring to your optimisation strategy are well worth the effort.

Staying ahead of the competition means continuously improving and optimising your digital experiences. Optimizely and its robust plugin ecosystem provide the tools and integrations needed to achieve this, helping organisations drive growth and success in an increasingly competitive market. 

If you are looking to start your Optimizely journey or you are wanting some help adding plugins to your Optimizely products then working with an experienced agency is the best thing for your organisation. We are Ultimedia, the number one Optimizely agency in the UK and Middle East. With over 25 years of experience, our dedicated team of experts would love to help you take your Optimizely investment to the next level. Contact us today for a free consultation to start your journey to digital success.