Tracking phone calls from AdWords has just become a little easier with the launch of Google Forwarding numbers in Australia.
What is it?
A Google Forwarding is a special toll free 1800 number that is displayed as a call extension on your search ad.
The 1800 number is unique to your business and routes to your regular business number when people call you.
This number is displayed when users see your ad on desktop devices or on high mobile devices (i.e. smartphones like iPhones & Android phones).
However, on mobile devices instead of seeing the number, users will see a clickable “call” button.
Why use it?
Using a google forwarding number means we will be able to track and report on calls generated from your ads.
This means it will be easier to measure the return on your investment from AdWords.
It also means we can adjust bids on keywords where you are more likely to get a call.
You will also be able to get details like call duration, call start and end time, caller area code, and whether the call was connected.
Limitations of the number
You can’t use this number on your website to track conversions – it simply won’t work.
Conversions are recorded in AdWords only – not Google Analytics so there will be a disconnect between the data.
Also, it your Adwords have not been running over a 4 week period the number will not be displayed.
Therefore so you see the toll free number in your ads straight away. Nor will you be able to get conversion data until after your ads have been running for some time.
It is a different solution to phone call tracking where a unique phone number is displayed on your website and changes dynamically depending on traffic source.
We consider dynamic phone call tracking with our third party partners a more complete solution because it:
- Tracks conversions that occur after a user has clicked on your ad and lands on your website (which is a little more realistic for many business as most users call once they see your website)
- Shows conversions in Adwords and analytics which enables more consistent data
What does it cost?
The only cost is the actual cost per clicks you would normally pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Summary
All up its a good solution for businesses to be able to measure their return on investment from AdWords. It’s a nice little gift from Google who has worked hard with telco’s in Australia to deliver this as a solution.
However, it is not without limitations – it will not measure calls after a user has clicked on your ad and landed on your website which is the most likely scenario for many business.
So whilst it is a good solution, it is by no means complete – no yet anyway.