Everyone will be familiar with Google’s Pay Per Click advertising service to generate web leads. Now it can also generate telephone leads.

How does it work?
Google dynamically allocates and displays unique telephone numbers on ads shown on both mobile and desktop devices. Calls to this number get redirected to your usual telephone number for you to take the call. Smart phone users will be able to click on the telephone number to automatically start the call.

This enables Google to link and report analytics data to calls such as:

  • the keyword used by the caller
  • caller location / area code
  • ad campaign / ad group
  • phone impressions ( number of times ad shown)
  • phone calls
  • phone through rate (PTR)
  • phone cost (total cost of manually dialled calls)
  • call statistics such as start time / end  time / status (received or missed)

How much does Google charge?
A minimum fee of $1 (or local currency equivalent) per call applies to all manually dialled calls to the Google forwarding number.

Why use it?
Existing Google Pay Per Click advertising is a great way of attracting target prospects to your website especially if you sell products and services online. Other companies who do not sell online will hope to convert website visitors into leads by encouraging visitors to complete an enquiry form, send an email or to phone them.

By including a phone number on the ad, more people will choose to phone but historically it has been difficult to link specific calls to specific ad campaigns e.g. which keyword generates the most telephone calls. Google’s new call extensions service helps to create the link and importantly provides detailed analytics to show whats working and what isn’t.

If you need help to set up and use call extensions contact a Google Pay Per Click specialist