By 2019, BIA/Kelsey predicts an astounding 162 billion business calls from consumers. Mass mobile adoption has significantly increased the volume of phone calls, prompting Google to empower advertisers to capitalize on this trend. They started by introducing call extensions, then call tracking from landing pages, and now, call-only campaigns. These campaigns simplify call driving and tracking but require a different approach than traditional methods. A direct application of your usual PPC strategy to call-only campaigns is unlikely to yield optimal results.

Here are 10 strategies to ensure you’re maximizing the potential of your call-only ads and campaigns.

1. Optimize Your URL

Unlike traditional PPC ads, call-only campaigns offer limited space as they lack a dedicated headline (your phone number serves this purpose) and a landing page. Therefore, your URL takes on added significance. Consider incorporating a call to action or a relevant keyword within your display URL’s 35-character limit to reinforce your message.

2. Experiment with Ad Copy

Concise and highly targeted ad copy is crucial for call-only campaigns. Within the two lines of 35 characters, ensure a clear call to action encourages immediate calls. Similar to click-based ads, integrating keywords within the copy is recommended. Identify areas where your campaigns are overspending. Get a free instant audit with our Google Ads Performance Grader!

3. Start with Higher Bids

When launching a new call-only campaign, initiating with higher bids is advisable. While this might lead to initial financial outlay, the valuable data acquired will prove beneficial during optimization. Securing the top one or two positions from the start is essential in AdWords as recovering from a lower ranking can be challenging.

4. Focus on Call-Driven Keywords

Prioritize keywords that resonate with the audience segment most inclined to contact you. This could include location-based keywords for customers intending to visit your business or those targeting customers further along in the purchase journey. You might also observe that certain products or services, particularly high-value items, prompt more phone inquiries. Since call-only ads don’t lead to website clicks, your chosen keywords should attract individuals with a clear intent to receive immediate answers or take action without extensive research.

5. Implement Strategic Ad Scheduling

Avoid directing calls to unanswered lines or inactive call centers. Employ a manual CPC bidding strategy to restrict call-only campaigns to your business hours. Analyzing peak call times and days allows you to leverage customer behavior patterns and modify bids, ensuring ad visibility during these periods.

6. Utilize Location Targeting

For local businesses, location targeting is paramount. Utilize a local phone number and ensure automatic call routing to the nearest store or branch based on the caller’s location. You might identify specific geographic areas that generate more calls or higher-quality leads, justifying increased bids for those regions.

7. Monitor Your Call-Through Rate

It’s important to remember that not every click translates into a call, despite incurring charges for each click. Upon clicking a call-only ad, users are presented with an auto-dialer on their phone screen, requiring an additional click to initiate the call. Determine the percentage of clicks that result in actual calls to optimize your bids with a focus on calls rather than just clicks. A significant difference between clicks and calls (or a high call abandonment rate) could indicate that your audience is not inclined to call, suggesting the need to reassess your ad copy or keyword strategy.

It’s worth noting that using Google’s forwarding numbers and call reporting allows for the inclusion of a phone-through rate (PTR) column in your reports. PTR reveals the frequency of calls to your number (either through the call button or manual dialing) as a percentage of total impressions.

8. Evaluate Call Quality

Simply counting calls is insufficient for optimizing bids, evaluating performance, or determining ROI. Analyze which calls actually convert into customers. A call intelligence solution can easily track call outcomes. If using basic call tracking from Google or a third-party vendor, call duration and other metrics can offer insights into call quality. Once you understand call quality, you can adjust your bids to attract valuable leads instead of just increasing call volume. Without measuring quality, you risk negative ROI by generating calls that waste your sales team’s time.

9. Prioritize Caller Experience

Congratulations on the influx of calls! Now, maximize each one. Avoid losing potential customers with lengthy or confusing phone menus. Ensure calls are automatically routed to the appropriate location or sales representative best equipped to assist them. Personalizing the experience based on the referring keyword or campaign further enhances their journey.

10. Retarget Unconverted Calls

Integrating call data with your retargeting efforts, including remarketing lists for search ads (RLSAs), enables more effective audience retargeting. This strategy leverages online and offline engagement history for tailored messaging. For instance, a retargeting ad can be directed to individuals whose phone calls didn’t result in a conversion. Callers often represent highly engaged, valuable prospects, making them ideal for retargeting. This approach eliminates the chance of sending discount offers to those who have already converted through a call. Any company engaging in business over the phone should be leveraging call-only campaigns. Individuals seeking direct conversations are your most promising leads – don’t overlook them. Embrace testing and optimization to maximize these calls for the best possible use of your AdWords budget.