a16z Podcast | Bending Every Pixel to Your Will -- Optimizely and the Next Wave of Internet Tools | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Optimizely is a company that started as an idea at Google and has now become a leader in A/B testing and website optimization, with a focus on making these processes accessible to non-technical users.

Key Insights

• 🙈 The idea for Optimizely originated at Google and was further developed during Dan Siroker's time at the Obama campaign, where he saw the need for accessible A/B testing.
• 👤 The success of Optimizely lies in its focus on providing easy-to-use and intuitive products that meet the rising expectations of customers for consumer-grade user experiences in enterprise software.
• 🚗 Optimizely's expansion into mobile optimization addresses the growing importance of mobile apps and the need for immediate changes and high stakes for success.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How did the idea for Optimizely come about?

The idea for Optimizely originated at Google, where the CEO, Dan Siroker, realized the power of experimentation and data-driven decision-making. This idea was further solidified during his time at the Obama campaign, where he saw the need for accessible A/B testing.

Q: How does Optimizely make A/B testing accessible to non-technical users?

Optimizely focuses on providing a user-friendly interface and a product that requires no extensive training or onboarding. Users can start experimenting and making changes immediately without needing to go through an app review process.

Q: What is the significance of Optimizely's expansion into mobile optimization?

Mobile optimization is the natural next step for Optimizely, as mobile apps have limited screen real estate and higher stakes for success. Optimizely's mobile product allows for slow rollouts and immediate changes without going through the app review process.

Q: How does Optimizely differentiate itself from other enterprise software companies?

Optimizely stands out by focusing on providing a delightful user experience and integrating seamlessly with other applications. They believe that best-of-breed products that work well together will be more successful than large suites of products that have been acquired and glued together.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Optimizely was born out of a need for experimentation and data-driven decision-making at Google, which eventually grew into a larger opportunity for A/B testing and website optimization.

• The company's CEO, Dan Siroker, realized the value of making A/B testing accessible to non-technical users during his time at the Obama campaign, where politics often overshadowed data-driven decision-making.

• Optimizely's success lies in its focus on providing a user-friendly interface and a product that "just works," meeting the rising expectations of customers for easy-to-use enterprise software.