# Troubleshooting

The five-minute checklist for a test that seems dead — nothing triggers, no visitors, no conversions.

A test that seems dead almost always has one of five causes, and none of them is a malfunction. Start on the test's own page: while a test is running, a **Launch status** panel sits above the results and answers the first questions for you — snippet detected, target page visited, visitors assigned, conversions recorded. Each check below maps to one of its rows.

## 1. You're not on the page the test targets

A test only triggers on pages its URL targeting matches. A test targeting `/page-a` as a **Specific page** does nothing on your homepage, your thank-you page, or anywhere else — visiting the site is not enough, you have to open the target page itself. The Launch status panel names the exact URL when nobody has visited it since launch.

Match-type gotchas: a `*` only acts as a wildcard under **Advanced pattern** matching — under Specific page or Group of pages it's a literal character, and the wizard refuses to save that combination. Advanced pattern URLs must include at least one `*`; the wizard rejects a wildcard pattern without one.

## 2. Traffic allocation excluded you

Below 100%, the allocation gate is deterministic while the allocation percentage stays unchanged: each visitor keeps the same eligibility when they return, so reloading doesn't re-roll it. Increasing allocation later can admit a previously excluded visitor. When you're verifying a test yourself, either set allocation to 100% or use **Preview on site**, which shows any variant regardless of the gate.

## 3. You're in the control group

Visitors assigned to Control see the original page — that's the experiment working, not failing. If you open the target page and nothing changes, check the visitor count on the test page before concluding anything: if it went up, you were assigned. To check another visitor, close every private window before starting a new private session, or use a separate browser or browser profile. Concurrent private windows share the same Optimo visitor cookie.

## 4. A redirect variant on a broad URL match

A redirect variant can fire on *every* page the test's URL match covers. Combined with a site-wide wildcard like `https://example.com/*`, it can redirect variant visitors away from matching pages — including the thank-you page where your goal lives, which can zero variant conversions. For a page-vs-page test, target the test page with a Specific page match; the wizard warns about this combination.

## 5. Conversions aren't counting

Conversions only count for visitors who are *in* the test — zero visitors always means zero conversions, so fix assignment first. For pageview goals, the goal URL is matched on origin plus pathname: use the address the browser actually shows, watching trailing slashes and `www`. And after any change to a running setup, hard-reload before verifying — browsers cache the Otter script for up to an hour.

## Best practices

- Verify variants with Preview on site, not by reloading and hoping — previews never touch your results, and its Goals panel lets you fire each supported on-site goal before launch.
- Keep traffic allocation at 100% unless you deliberately need a holdout.
- Test the full funnel once per variant: target page, variant experience, goal page.
- When in doubt, the Launch status panel on the test page tells you which of these five is in play.

## Frequently asked questions

### My test is running but nothing happens when I visit my site. Why?

The most common cause: the test only triggers on the page its URL targeting matches. A test targeting /page-a as a Specific page does nothing on your homepage — open /page-a itself. Check the Launch status panel on the test page: it shows whether anyone has visited the target page since launch.

### I opened the right page and still see no change. Am I excluded?

Two possibilities. If traffic allocation is below 100%, eligibility stays deterministic while the allocation percentage stays unchanged, so reloading does not re-roll it; increasing allocation later can admit a previously excluded visitor. Or you were assigned to Control, which by definition shows no change. Both are the test working correctly. Use Preview on site to view any variant deliberately. To test another visitor, close every private window before starting a new private session, or use a separate browser or browser profile.

### Why does my redirect fire on pages I didn't intend?

A redirect variant can fire on every page the test's URL match covers. With a wildcard like https://example.com/*, it can redirect variant visitors away from matching pages, including thank-you pages where you track goals. For a page-vs-page test, target the test page with a Specific page match.

### Visitors are in the test but conversions stay at zero. What should I check?

First: conversions only count for visitors who are in the test — check the visitors column. Second: a pageview goal matches on origin plus pathname, so the goal URL must be the address the browser actually shows (watch trailing slashes and www). Third: if you just changed the test, browsers cache our script for up to an hour — hard-reload before verifying.

### How do I check my variants without polluting my results?

Use Preview on site (on the test page and in the wizard's Variants step). It opens your site with a preview bar where you can switch tests and variants freely — previews never create assignments or conversions. The Goals panel inside it lets you fire each supported on-site goal and watch it light up before you launch.

### What does the Launch status panel tell me?

For a running test it answers the usual questions in order: is the snippet detected, has anyone visited the target page since launch (if not, it names the target or pattern to match), how many visitors are in the test (and whether your traffic allocation is excluding people), and how many conversions have been recorded. It remains available while the test is running, including the per-variant preview links and troubleshooting guide.

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Canonical page: https://www.otterab.com/docs/building-tests/troubleshooting