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How Effective Are Mobile Click-to-Call Ads?
By now I’m sure you’ve noticed that the world has gone mobile. Smartphones are at the center of our everyday lives—helping us communicate, search, shop, navigate and avoid eye-contact with strangers while riding public transportation.
More importantly, as a business owner, mobile devices are where your customers go for answers to their problems. If it’s 97 degrees (and feels more like 120) and my air conditioner breaks, I’m going to want to get it fixed as quickly and as efficiently as possible – as a Blue Corona Charlottean, I know how this feels. In this moment of desperation I have a few options:
- Go grab my phone book from the attic where it is being stored with my cassette player, or
- Search “air conditioner repair” on my smartphone (which is probably already in my sweaty hand) and click on an eye-catching “call” button to contact a local HVAC company.
This added convenience for users is one of many reasons why implementing a click-to-call extension in your pay per click campaign is extremely effective for generating leads from the web.
What Is a Call Button on AdWords?
This “call” button (read: lead generation machine) is known to AdWords campaign managers as a “Call Extension.” It’s one of many ad extensions that can enhance your campaign and drive more leads for your business. The user searches for a product or service you offer, sees the Call Extension and voila!
On a desktop or laptop, your phone number appears next to the headline of your PPC ad. On a smartphone, it allows the searcher to click the “call” button and have their smartphone immediately dial your business. This is called “click-to-call” and, yes, it really is that simple to make your phones ring.
How Do I Get Click-to-Call for My AdWords Ads?
With “click-to-call” Call Extensions, you literally can’t make it any easier for a new customer to contact you. You simply add your company’s phone number under the “Ad Extensions” tab in your AdWords account.
But there are a few catches to succeeding with click-to-call:
- Position of your PPC ad – you have to bid in a top ad position to appear above Google Maps and Google’s organic listings in a mobile environment. As seen in the above screenshot, ads in the third or fourth spot will require the user to scroll and may not feature the call extension at all.
- Phone number used – if you use a unique phone number, you are able to track the effectiveness of your call extension.
- Mobile website – you should have a mobile-friendly site ready for the more investigative searcher who wants to learn more about your services or promotions before calling.
- Setting preferred in AdWords – by setting up “mobile-preferred” ads in your AdWords account you can make sure mobile searchers are directed to the right place.
If you’re unsure of how to accomplish the above, I know of a fantastic online marketing company with a couple of pay-per-click specialists who can help you out.
Do Customers Search for My Services on Smartphones?
The value of a Call Extension should be a no-brainer by now, but in the spirit of making data-driven decisions, Google helps us make a pretty good case with a recent research study they conducted. What they found should be a game-changer if you’re a local business that is not taking advantage of call extensions, mobile-optimized ads/sites, or AdWords altogether.
Google found that 76 percent of consumers looking to schedule an appointment for local professional services would use click-to-call features.
That’s right….76 percent. So, whether you’re an HVAC company, plumbing company, remodeling business, or doctor’s office – if you aren’t advertising on AdWords (and bidding on a top-two spot with a call extension), you are giving up a huge opportunity to generate more leads and grow your business.
Google’s study also concluded that the majority of these calls happen when these customers are in the research or purchase phase of the buying process, and that makes them very well-qualified leads.
More Benefits to Using Call Extensions
By now you should be aware that advertising online for local professional services with AdWords click-to-call extensions is of serious value to your business. But it gets even better:
- When your call extension shows up on a desktop or laptop, the searcher sees your number instead of a click-to-call button. This means they could potentially dial your phone number without clicking on your ad. If you do the math, that is a free lead. You simply can’t go wrong.
- The call button has an influence on your brand perception. According to Google’s study, consumers will view you as a credible authority for their search query.
- It’s a built-in call-to-action. Since AdWords limits the number of characters in your ad text, call extensions provide you with an “online salesperson” that can make your phone ring. You get ad text AND a giant button that says “call.” Bonus! The call button also makes your ad appear larger.
Already experiencing severe FOMO (“fear of missing out”….Google it) knowing that all of your competitors are out snatching up well-qualified mobile leads without you? Get that call extension added to your mobile-optimized ads or give us a call for expert online advertising analysis and management from Blue Corona’s PPC specialists!
About The Author: Tara is a Senior Account Manager at Blue Corona. She started as a Pay-Per-Click specialist and now spends her days strategizing with her clients about their business goals. Outside of work, you can find her cheering on her Clemson Tigers or planning her next trip abroad.
View more blogs by Tara Gasparovic
The information on this website is for informational purposes only; it is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. It does not constitute professional advice. All information is subject to change at any time without notice. Contact us for complete details.
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