Getting Started with Live Site Testing

‍

Setting up a live site test in Optimal is simple. It requires no coding, and works on any website or web app:

‍

1. Select your website or web app for testing
   Production websites, staging environments, competitor sites, or prototypes (AI-generated, URL-based).
   
   
2. Define clear objectives and tasks
   Focus on critical user journeys, such as navigation, search, checkout, or dashboard use.
   
   
3. Recruit participants
   Target users matching your audience profile, using panels or direct recruitment.
   
   
4. Launch the test
   Share the test link and let participants complete tasks while video and screen recordings capture interactions.
   ‍

‍

Tips for getting early buy-in

A great way to get early buy-in is to start small and visible, such as starting with a real question your team already has. For example, you could run a live site test with 5-7 participants to find out which website version is clearer and more effective or see where users get stuck. This can help you focus on capturing one or two clear moments of insights.
‍

You can also use Optimal's Interviews tool to pull out video clips, quotes, and highlight reels to effectively use for storytelling and sharing outcomes with external stakeholders. From there, you can start to compare results and keep iterating and exploring more use cases for live site testing.