Experiment Not Running

You've created an experiment, but it's not going live or collecting data. This comprehensive guide explains why experiments might not run and how to get them started successfully.

Understanding Experiment Status

PressPlay experiments can be in several states:

• Draft: Being created or edited, not submitted

• Preparing: Assets being generated, variants being validated

• Ready: Prepared and validated, waiting to be started

• Running: Live in Google Play Console, collecting impressions

• Paused: Temporarily stopped, can be resumed

• Completed: Reached end date or manually stopped

• Failed: Encountered errors preventing launch

If your experiment isn't in "Running" status, this guide will help identify and fix the issue.

Common Reasons Experiments Don't Start

1. Assets Still Generating

The most common reason: AI-generated assets haven't finished processing.

How to check:

1. Open your experiment details

2. Look at each variant's asset status

3. Check for "Generating" or "Processing" indicators

4. Review the activity log for generation progress

What to do:

• Wait patiently: Asset generation typically takes 2-5 minutes per variant

• Check for errors: If generation has been "Processing" for over 10 minutes, there may be an error

• Review logs: The activity log shows if generation failed for specific assets

• Regenerate if needed: If an asset failed, try regenerating it

2. Validation Errors

Google Play Console has strict requirements for store listing assets. Common validation failures:

• Image dimensions: Screenshots must match required sizes exactly

• Text length: Titles and descriptions exceeding character limits

• Prohibited content: Assets containing restricted terms or imagery

• Missing required fields: Some markets require specific asset types

• File format issues: Incorrect image formats or corrupted files

How to identify validation errors:

1. Check the experiment status page for error indicators

2. Review the "Validation" section in experiment details

3. Look for red warning icons next to specific variants

4. Read error messages in the activity log

How to fix validation errors:

1. Click on the variant with errors

2. Review specific error messages for each asset

3. Edit the problematic assets directly

4. Regenerate if using AI, or upload corrected versions

5. Wait for re-validation before attempting to start

3. Google Play Console Sync Required

Your experiment may be ready in PressPlay but not yet synced to Google Play Console.

Check sync status:

• Look for "Sync to Google Play" button on experiment page

• Check "Last Synced" timestamp

• Review sync status indicators

Trigger manual sync:

1. Navigate to experiment details

2. Click "Sync to Google Play Console"

3. Wait for confirmation (typically 30-60 seconds)

4. Refresh page to see updated status

5. Check Google Play Console directly to verify test appears

4. Insufficient Permissions

You may lack the necessary permissions to start experiments.

Required permissions:

• Google Play Console: "Manage store presence" or "Manage production" access

• PressPlay: Editor or Admin role for the specific app

• Publisher level: Account must be properly connected and authenticated

Verify permissions:

1. Check your role in PressPlay Settings → Team

2. Verify Google Play Console access level

3. Ensure publisher account is still connected (Settings → Publishers)

4. Try re-authenticating if connection has expired

5. Conflicting Experiments

Google Play Console doesn't allow multiple experiments on the same elements simultaneously.

Conflict scenarios:

• Another experiment testing the same asset type (e.g., two icon tests)

• Overlapping test parameters in the same market

• Active test in Google Play Console not created through PressPlay

Resolve conflicts:

1. Check PressPlay dashboard for other active experiments on this app

2. Review Google Play Console directly for manual experiments

3. Pause or complete conflicting experiments

4. Wait a few minutes after stopping old experiments before starting new ones

5. Adjust your new experiment to test different elements

6. App Not Published or In Testing

Experiments can only run on apps that are published or in testing tracks.

Check app status:

• Verify app is published in the target market

• Ensure app isn't in "Draft" or "Rejected" status

• Check that target country is included in app distribution

• Confirm testing track is properly configured if testing internally

7. Market or Language Restrictions

Your experiment may target a market where the app isn't available.

Verify market availability:

1. Check experiment target markets

2. Compare with app's distribution countries in Google Play Console

3. Ensure the tested language is supported in target markets

4. Verify localized listings exist for target language/market combinations

Technical Issues Preventing Launch

API Connectivity Problems

If PressPlay can't communicate with Google Play Console:

• Check publisher connection: Go to Settings → Publishers and verify status is "Connected"

• Re-authenticate: Disconnect and reconnect your Google account

• Wait for API recovery: Temporary Google API issues usually resolve within 15-30 minutes

• Check service status: Review PressPlay status page for known issues

Rate Limiting

Attempting to start many experiments rapidly can trigger API rate limits.

If rate limited:

• Wait 10-15 minutes before trying again

• Avoid starting multiple experiments simultaneously

• Space out experiment launches by a few minutes

Experiment Configuration Issues

Invalid Traffic Allocation

Traffic split problems can prevent experiments from starting:

• Allocation doesn't total 100%: Ensure all variant percentages sum to exactly 100%

• Minimum traffic not met: Each variant needs at least 5% traffic (Google requirement)

• Too many variants: More than 5 variants may not be supported

Invalid Date Ranges

Check your experiment schedule:

• Start date in the past: Experiments can't start with historical dates

• End date before start date: Invalid date ranges prevent launch

• Duration too short: Experiments should run at least 7 days for meaningful results

Incomplete Variants

Each variant must be complete before launching:

1. Verify all variants have required assets

2. Check that no variant is in "Draft" state

3. Ensure asset dimensions match requirements

4. Confirm all text fields are filled

Step-by-Step Diagnostic Process

Follow this systematic approach to diagnose why your experiment isn't running:

Step 1: Check Experiment Status

1. Open experiment details page

2. Note the current status (Draft, Preparing, Ready, etc.)

3. Check if there's a "Start Experiment" button

4. Look for any error messages or warnings

Step 2: Review Variant Completion

1. Click into each variant

2. Verify all assets show "Complete" status

3. Check for validation errors (red warning icons)

4. Confirm assets meet Google's requirements

Step 3: Verify Configuration

1. Review traffic allocation (should total 100%)

2. Check date ranges (start date not in past)

3. Verify target markets match app availability

4. Confirm no conflicting experiments exist

Step 4: Test Sync Connection

1. Go to Settings → Publishers

2. Verify publisher is "Connected"

3. Try manual sync: "Sync Now"

4. Return to experiment and attempt start

Step 5: Check Activity Log

1. Open experiment activity log

2. Look for error messages or failed actions

3. Note timestamps of failures

4. Read specific error details

Starting Your Experiment

Once all issues are resolved, properly start your experiment:

1. Final validation: Verify all status indicators are green

2. Review settings: Double-check markets, dates, and traffic allocation

3. Click "Start Experiment": The button should be active and clickable

4. Wait for confirmation: You'll see status change to "Starting" then "Running"

5. Verify in Google Play Console: Check that test appears in your console (may take 5-10 minutes)

6. Monitor initial data: First impressions typically appear within 24 hours

What Happens After Starting

Normal Progression

• 0-5 minutes: Status changes to "Running", syncs to Google Play Console

• 5-30 minutes: Test becomes active in Play Console

• 1-24 hours: First impressions start recording

• 24-48 hours: Meaningful data begins accumulating

• 7+ days: Statistical significance becomes possible

If Experiment Stops Unexpectedly

If your running experiment stops on its own:

• Check if it reached its end date

• Verify publisher connection hasn't been revoked

• Look for errors in activity log

• Check if experiment was manually stopped in Google Play Console

• Review for policy violations that might trigger automatic stopping

When to Contact Support

Contact PressPlay support if:

• All variants validate successfully but experiment won't start

• You receive error messages you don't understand

• Experiment has been "Preparing" for over 30 minutes

• Sync fails repeatedly despite good connection

• Experiment shows "Running" but no data after 48 hours

Information to provide support:

• Experiment ID and name

• App package name

• Exact error messages

• Screenshots of status page

• What you've already tried

• Activity log contents

Most experiment launch issues are configuration or validation related and can be resolved by following this systematic troubleshooting approach. The key is identifying the specific blocker and addressing it methodically.