Learn what optimization intervals are and how they help you trust your results.
An interval is a snapshot of your optimization’s configuration. It captures which variations are live, which goal is target, and how conversions are measured. As long as those settings stay the same, results accumulate within that interval. If something important changes, the current interval ends and a new one begins — helping ensure your data stays accurate and meaningful.
Why intervals are important
Optimization results only make sense when they’re measured under consistent conditions. If your target goal changes, a variation is paused or launched, or conversion measurement is redefined, it becomes harder to compare performance over time. Intervals solve this by isolating each period of stable configuration — so you can compare results apples-to-apples.
Without intervals, your data could mislead you. A conversion rate might jump or drop because your success metric changed, not because visitor behavior actually shifted. Intervals protect your results from that kind of noise.
How intervals work
Think of intervals like checkpoints. When your optimization crosses a certain threshold — like a new goal or a new variation — it starts a new interval. Each interval records the accumulated results tied to its specific configuration, and Optimize updates the results display accordingly.
All optimization types — Test, Personalize, and AI Optimize — use intervals. The data within each interval reflects exactly how that optimization was configured during that time.
What creates a new interval
- The optimization starts — when one or more variations go live
- The optimization stops — when all variations are paused or removed
- Variation changes — when a variation is launched or paused (after Feb 6, 2023)
- The target goal changes — including:
- Setting a new goal as target
- Changing how the goal counts conversions (session vs. user, once vs. all)
- Switching the value setting (conversion vs. value)
- Adjusting the monetary value (e.g., $1 to $2)
Note
If a custom goal is set as the target goal, editing its goal event won’t trigger a new interval.
How to view or compare intervals
When an optimization has more than one interval, you can switch between them using the date range selector at the top of the results panel. This lets you quickly isolate past intervals and understand how your configuration evolved over time.
Click the expand icon next to an interval to see why it was created — for example, a new goal or variation. Optimize then shows only the results that were recorded during that interval, so you can clearly see what happened and when.