Let us start from scratch. Every time a visitor enters your website, they get added to your traffic cookie jar. Most of these users do not purchase products at the drop of the hat. The startling reality is that only 2% of your visitors will convert to actual purchase. Of course, retargeting and remarketing are good ways to stay relevant and get that buy. You know what is the other best method to get them to convert? Calls! Click to Call has evolved from the pesky calls you get from Banks asking your credit card details. This is a bigger game. This article will help you understand its intricacies and amazing potential.
As I mentioned earlier, website conversion rates are at an all-time low of 2%. People are a lot less trusting of brands. And I don't blame them. The quality of products and services being offered these days is down spiraling. But you have no idea how influential a voice can be. The worlds is a disruptive and obtrusive place. This is why I would rather hear about a service through a human voice than an automated robot. Here is where Click to Call comes in.
What is Click to Call?
Click to Call is the fine line between lines of code and a breathing human experience. When a customer googles you and finds your website, would he rather just browse through the pages or get to the job done with just that call? It depends on the service. In case its a website for buying T-shirts, of course, he would prefer a website where he can interactively see what he is getting to buy it all within a few clicks. But in the case of a healthcare appointment or a dinner reservation, the same person would rather prefer talking to a real person on the other end. For such scenarios, Google provides two options in AdWords.
- Call Only
- Call Extension
Let us jump into it and learn about both these options.
Call Only
Call-only ads are designed to encourage people to call your business, and can only appear on devices that make phone calls. When a potential customer clicks on your ad, it initiates a call to you from their device. This Click to Call strategy is the best option for businesses that believe that their calls are the best way for conversion.
This is the information required to start your Call Only Ad.
- The name of your business
- The business contact number
- Description text that must not surpass two lines
- A URL just for Display purpose. (Non-clickable)
- A URL for verification purpose
This would work perfectly for a customer who wants to check for if an item needed is in stock or not. I personally make reservations for my quarter yearly motorbike service through calls. There is something about having an expert on the other side that makes thing more easy and efficient. A very important thing to note about Click to Call through Google Adwords Call Only is that it only works for mobile devices. Your brand should be confident that a majority of your conversions take place through mobile ads. It is always reassuring to have data to back up your marketing strategy.
Call Extension
Do you want the best of both worlds? Clickable website links ALONG with the powerful ability to convert a Click to Call? Call Extensions is the second service offered by Google Adwords that does just this. At first glance, you might think this is exactly like the Call Only option. But a deeper look in shows an array of differences that are targeted to the different businesses. A brand with a strong website can benefit from this option.
Let us look at some research on the topic by data research company - eConsultancy. According to them:
- 40% of mobile searchers use Google’s click-to-call.
- 50% of mobile searchers find click-to-call useful.
The number of inbound calls a company receives is a good metric of its profitability. Click to Call is the best way to improve inbound calls in today's internet world.
Some of the other research by eConsultancy puts a new light on the topic. Data shows that customers expect click to call your website. In fact, they get annoyed when it is not available. This startling discovery lets us know that right it is not a luxury but a high priority necessity.
- 36% of mobile searchers indicated they would be more likely to explore other brands if a call option was not available
- 32% would feel frustrated or annoyed at its absence.
- 30% would be disappointed if it was not readily available.
How Does this Work:
Hear it from the provider of this options itself: Google
- Phone or website: When your call extensions show with your ad, people see your number or— when their device can make calls—a clickable call button. People can also click on your ad to go to your website.
- Business hours: You can set numbers to show only when your business can take calls.
- A call is a click: Clicks on your number are the same cost as headline clicks (a standard CPC).
- Easy conversion tracking: You can count calls as conversions by simply turning on call reporting in your account. Available on the Search Network only, call reporting uses Google forwarding numbers to give you detailed conversion information
The Callback Option
Everyone born in India knows what a missed call is. For the rest of the population - its when you cut a call before the person attends it. Kind of like an alert or signal for your recipient to give you a callback. Yes, we Indians are a miserly lot. But when it comes to marketing, missed calls work! You might be busy or not have the funds or time to call to the business right away. Having the call back option gives the customer a better call experience because the call is initiated by the business itself. Surprisingly Google also gives an option for calls to be rerouted. An automated voice can be used to divert the call between you and the customer. This helps you gather data on the number of inbound calls and a lot other sweet call data.
In Conclusion
Investing in Click to Call is something that entirely depends on your business. If you are confident that your audience prefers words over the phone then go for it. If not, hire an analytics team to let you know about your customers. A good analytics team can gather information to let you know if you will profit from venturing into calls. I would suggest using a service like Adhuntt. They provide the best in-depth market research to find out what works and what does not.


