The Data Activation server-to-server connector for Optimizely enables a seamless integration between your customer data and Optimizely's Web Experimentation module and personalization platform. This integration empowers you to deliver personalized and tailored experiences that enhance customer engagement and drive conversions.
Here's how this integration adds value:
Data-driven experimentation: Use enriched customer data to run more targeted and impactful A/B tests and multivariate experiments in Optimizely.
Hyper-personalized experiences: Use real-time data to deliver personalized content, offers, and recommendations for each visitor segment.
Real-time activation: Sync behavioral and contextual customer data in real time, ensuring experiments and personalization strategies reflect the latest audience insights.
Seamless cross-channel alignment: Coordinate your web personalization efforts in Optimizely with other marketing channels using cross-channel data capabilities.
Optimize conversion rates: Use insights to target high-value audience segments with tailored experiences that maximize engagement and drive conversions.
Accelerate testing cycles: Quickly identify winning strategies by combining segmentation capabilities with Optimizely's experimentation tools for faster insights.
Enhanced decision-making: Combine customer intelligence with Optimizely's analytics to refine your personalization and experimentation strategies for continuous improvement.
Destination connector overview
Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
Platform type | A/B Testing and Personalization |
PartnerType Slot | 3002 |
Cookie Sync | No |
Connecting protocol | REST |
Real-time data sync | Yes |
Syncs Data On | Add, Remove, Modify |
Allowed setting multiple connectors | No |
ProfileVars Support | Yes |
Endpoint | POST |
Before you begin
Ensure you have an active project in Optimizely
If you don't yet have an active project in your Optimizely account, create one in Optimizely's UI. Go to Create Project and enter the name for the project.
Associate a DCP service with your Optimizely project
For the Data Activation to populate an external attribute table in Optimizely, you need a DCP (Dynamic Customer Profile) service associated with the relevant Optimizely Project:
In Optimizely, go to Account Settings → Dynamic Customer Profiles.
Link the desired projects to these services.
In addition, Personalization must be enabled for the project you wish to use. Personalization can be enabled in your Project's Settings under Implementation.
Create a new external attribute
In Optimizely, attributes are known as Data Sources within Data Activation.
In Optimizely, go to Audiences → Attributes → Create new External Attribute.
Select the Table Attribute (this allows the Data Activation to populate this attribute with a list of identifiers along with an attribute with true/false values).
Choose + Create New Table.
Give a name for the Table Attribute (for example, "Data Activation Integration Datasource").
Under the IDs used to identify customer records in this table, select “cookie” as a selection and
_svtrias a value.In the next step, provide a placeholder attribute with a Value type of Text to proceed.
Finish the creation of this table by clicking Done.
Create an API token in Optimizely
Data Activation requires an API Token to interact with Optimizely's services:
Go to Profile → API Tokens V1, or use this direct link to API token creation in Optimizely.
Create a new API token.
Remember to copy the token upon creation, as the token won't be visible or accessible once you close the window.
Note
v2 or Personal access tokens are currently not supported.
Set up a store mapping tag
To make use of Optimizely's personalization services, you must create and publish a store mapping tag to map the _svtri cookie onto the required partner number (3002 for Optimizely):
In Data Activation, navigate to Tags and select Pages.
On the Global path, click the + button to create a new tag.
Use the Data Activation Integration Datasource template to create a Store Mapping tag.
Select Optimizely as the partner.
Use the Data Activation 1st Party Cookie (
_svtri) as the identifier.
Instructions
Step 1: Configure destination
On the Data Activation platform, select Connectors in the left-side navigation bar.
Select Server to Server and click New Connector.
Search for Optimizely.
Insert the API token generated in the previous step.
Step 2: Add the destination connector to an Audience or Journey
On the Data Activation platform, select Audiences in the left-side navigation bar.
Configure the criteria users should meet to become part of the audience.
Select your Project and Datasource you want to connect with.
Save your audience or journey step.
Configure attributes
When you add the Optimizely connector to an Audience or Journey, you can send one or more attributes to the user's Optimizely customer profile. Each attribute becomes an external attribute in your Optimizely data source, which you can then use to build audiences for experiments and personalization.
The connector always sends a segment membership attribute: a true or false flag set to true when a user enters the Audience or Journey and false when they exit. You don't need to configure anything for this, and it keeps working the same way as before.
To set up your own attributes to send, follow these steps:
In Data Activation, open the Optimizely connector configuration and find the Attributes section.
For each attribute, set the following:
Attribute name: Enter the name the attribute has on your Optimizely data source. Click + Add attribute to add a row. If the attribute doesn't exist in Optimizely yet, click + Create new attribute, and the connector creates it with the data type you select.
Value source: Choose Static or Variable.
Data type: Choose the type that matches the value you're sending.
Date & Time format: For Date & Time attributes only, choose the format your value uses.
Select a value source:
Static: Send a fixed value that's the same for every profile, such as a campaign name or a channel label.
Variable: Send a value read from the profile when the user is activated, such as their city, loyalty points, or last visit date. The connector reads the chosen profile variable for each user and sends that user's value. If a profile has no value for that variable, the connector leaves the attribute out for that user.
Select a data type:
Text: Any text value, such as a city or a campaign name.
Number: A whole number, such as a points balance.
Decimal Number: A number with decimals, such as an average order value.
Boolean: A true or false value.
Date & Time: A date or timestamp with the selected date and time format:
Epoch: A Unix timestamp, in seconds since 1970-01-01.
yyyy-mm-dd: A calendar date, such as 2026-06-01.
yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ssZ: A full timestamp, such as 2026-06-01T14:30:00Z.
You can mix value sources and types. For example, you can send one static text attribute for a campaign label alongside two variable attributes that read the visitor's city as text and their loyalty points as a number. The segment membership flag is always sent with whatever attributes you configure.
Keeping attributes up to date
The connector keeps profile attributes in sync in real time. When a user enters or exits the Audience or Journey, or when the underlying profile values change, the connector updates the user's Optimizely customer profile so your experiments and personalization rules always see the latest values.
Using the audience in Optimizely
To start using the audience in your Optimizely campaign:
In Optimizely, go to Audiences → Create New Audience in Optimizely.
Select the Data Activation audience under External Attributes.
Save the Optimizely audience settings.
Apply the audience to an A/B test or personalization.
FAQs
Do I still get the simple audience membership flag? Yes. The connector automatically sends the segment membership flag, so existing setups keep working. Configuring extra attributes is optional.
Can I send data from a profile instead of a fixed value? Yes. Set the attribute's value source to variable and choose the profile variable to read, and the connector sends each user's own value. Use Static when you want the same value for everyone.
What types of values can I send? You can send text, number, decimal number, boolean, and date & time values. For date & time, you also choose the format: Epoch, yyyy-mm-dd, or yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ssZ.
What happens if a profile doesn't have the variable I mapped? The connector leaves that attribute out for that user and still sends the rest of the update, including the membership flag and any other attributes.