5 Statistics That Will Change Your Mind About PPC Call Tracking

Having a successful PPC strategy is crucial for businesses that pump the majority of budgets into Google Ads.

Competition for keywords is fierce, so advertisers can’t afford to settle for lower than average conversion rates. That’s why it’s important that PPC advertisers can accurately track PPC ad conversions to optimise their campaigns.

Most companies measure online conversions like web form submissions, but they’re not tracking valuable lead information from telephone calls. Despite everything going digital, studies have shown time and time again that consumers still wish to pick up the phone and talk to a real person.

Not tracking this information can severely misrepresent your conversion data.

For example, how would you know whether someone called from your PPC ads or from an organic visit? This uncertainty can have a detrimental impact upon budgeting and optimisation decisions.

So, if you think that tracking and integrating your call data from your PPC campaigns isn’t important, here are 5 stats that will make you think again.

1. 6%-8% of mobile users are more likely to click on PPC ads that contain phone numbers

According to a mobile-local search stats report, people who are searching on their smartphones prefer to call a business rather than fill out a web form. It’s quicker and much easier on smaller devices.

That’s why your paid search ads must use click-to-call ad extensions.

This functionality shortens the sales cycle because a clickable number enables potential customers to be connected directly with a business. And, in all honesty, if you’re in a hurry, which add would you rather click on?

2. 52% of people who click on PPC ads still go on to call the advertiser

The same mobile-local report also states that even if a mobile searcher clicks on a paid ad and goes to a mobile landing page, 52% of those website visitors will still go on to call a business.

So, even if your business doesn’t get a great deal of phone calls, you should be readily displaying a telephone number if you want to get those leads in quickly.

And not just any old number, a call tracking number that’s integrated with your PPC account is the only way you can track a caller who engaged with a PPC ad. Using the PPC call integration will provide you with masses of useful data which will help you to determine which of your ads are actually effective in the mobile PPC sales cycle, so you can adjust bids and ad spend accordingly.

3. PPC Phone leads are three times more likely to convert

According to a study of PPC lead conversions, PPC landing pages drove nearly twice as many phone leads as web downloads. This is incredibly important for businesses who secure more conversions through telephone interactions.

Tracking these consumer journeys using specific integrated PPC call tracking technology can surface valuable information about the sales path, from keywords used to landing pages visited. The use this information to optimise other areas of your marketing, not just PPC!

4. Inbound calls are worth 5 to 10 times the value of form fill leads

This study suggests that a phone call is worth between 500% to 1000% (5 to 10 times) more in revenue than a web form lead.

Considering how financially valuable telephone calls are compared to other enquiry methods, you would be doing your business a disservice if you weren’t correctly tracking these leads.

Traditional Ads metrics track which campaign keywords, ads and landing pages trigger conversions to your site. But if a prospect picks up the phone, your ability to track these conversions is nigh on impossible without call tracking.

With PPC call tracking, you’ll add another element of analysis to your reports. Metrics such as call quantity, call length, time of day, location and landing page performance are other important quality metrics that you can feed back through to your PPC campaign performance. The point is, with a PPC call tracking integration; you can tie PPC calls back to your PPC costs.

So if phone calls are the lifeblood of your business, you’ll now be able to optimise your campaigns for increased lead generation and ROI.

Here’s a snapshot from inside our call tracking report dashboard:

5. 78% of local searches on mobile result in offline purchases

It’s a well-known fact that if people are looking for a local business or service it’s a strong purchasing signal. What’s more, a recent Google study found that consumers take greater action on location based ads, saying it’s important for paid ads to show store address and phone numbers.

And with such a large number of local searches now resulting in offline purchases, it’s important that these searches find you.

When we use the term “offline purchases”, we mean that people have either bought an item in store or called a business.

Google Ads only tracks web form conversions; you cannot tell whether someone picked up the phone and called you, so there’s no way of tracing a local caller’s journey once they’ve picked up the phone.

If you have PPC call tracking in place, you’ll be able to tie calls back to keywords used, landing pages visited and which ad triggered the call. But more importantly, you’ll start to be able to build up a picture of how local searches contribute to revenue. Don’t forget to feed this data back into your paid search campaigns for improved local optimisation.

But what about leads who got away?

Call tracking can show you both the consumer journey before and after a call. For example, you could gather location-based interactions and call information from prospects that didn’t go onto make a purchase after a call ended. If you want to try to entice them back into the sales funnel, you could retarget them on your display network.

The bottom line is that your business wants calls.

And your consumers want to be able to call you. If you’re not allowing potential customers to get in touch with you quickly, or your only calls to action are web forms, you’ll be turning potential business away.

5 Strategies to Integrate Call Tracking with PPC Ad Campaigns

Integrating call tracking into PPC campaigns can provide invaluable insights into customer behavior and campaign effectiveness. Here are some effective strategies to seamlessly incorporate call tracking:

1. Utilize Call Extensions and Call-Only Ads

Add call extensions to your PPC ads, which allows users to click directly to call your business. Platforms like Google Ads also offer call-only ads, designed specifically for mobile devices, driving calls instead of site visits. These options increase the chances of connecting with potential customers immediately and give you an easy way to track call data.

2. Implement Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI)

Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI) assigns unique phone numbers to each PPC ad, keyword, or campaign. When a user clicks through to your landing page, DNI replaces your phone number with a unique one for that session, enabling you to track the source of the call back to the specific ad or keyword.

3. Set Up Conversion Tracking for Calls

In Google Ads, you can configure call conversions to track calls lasting longer than a set time, as these are typically higher-quality leads. By setting up these time-based conversion actions, you can focus on calls that are more likely to lead to conversions, such as inquiries or purchases.

4. Use CRM Integration

Integrate your call tracking software with your CRM system to get a comprehensive view of each lead’s journey.

This setup allows you to link calls back to specific campaigns, making it easier to attribute ROI to PPC efforts. CRM integration can also provide insights into customer behavior, helping optimize future campaigns based on past performance.

5. Use Retargeting Based on Call Interactions

Use call tracking data to identify users who showed interest by calling but didn’t convert. You can retarget these leads with tailored ads that address potential objections or offer incentives to encourage conversion. Combining call tracking with retargeting maximizes the potential of your PPC campaigns by keeping engaged prospects in your funnel.

Overcoming Common Challenges with PPC Call Tracking

While call tracking offers valuable insights, it does come with some challenges. Here’s how to address common issues:

Attribution Complexity

Determining the exact source of a call can be challenging, especially if a customer interacts with multiple ads before calling. Combat this by using multi-touch attribution models within your PPC platform, allowing you to credit multiple touchpoints rather than relying solely on last-click attribution.

Tracking Offline Conversions

If calls lead to offline actions, such as in-store visits or follow-up calls, it’s difficult to tie these back to PPC campaigns. Consider integrating call tracking with your CRM or POS system to link offline sales to PPC-generated calls, providing a clearer picture of your campaign’s impact.

Privacy and Compliance

Call tracking involves handling personal data, which must comply with data privacy regulations such as GDPR.

Partner with a call tracking provider that offers data protection features, including anonymization and secure storage. Clearly communicate your call data usage to customers in your privacy policy.

Multiple Call Sources

Calls may originate from several sources—PPC ads, organic search, social media, etc.—making it tough to identify which PPC campaigns generate the highest quality leads. By using DNI and call-specific tags, you can capture the origin of each call accurately, ensuring that your analysis reflects the true sources.

Budget Constraints

Call tracking software can be an investment, especially for smaller businesses. However, consider the ROI benefits—by identifying which PPC ads lead to profitable calls, you can allocate your budget more effectively.

Many call tracking providers offer scalable options, so you can start small and expand as your business grows.

The Role of Call Analytics in Customer Journey Mapping

Call analytics play a significant role in understanding the full customer journey, providing insight into customer behavior and preferences. Here’s how call analytics enhance journey mapping:

1. Identifying Customer Intent

By analyzing call transcripts and patterns, you can understand the intent behind each call. For example, calls related to inquiries versus purchase-ready calls help you segment your audience more effectively. These insights can then inform which types of ads are more effective for various stages of the customer journey.

2. Enhancing Personalization

Call analytics can reveal specific customer needs and preferences. Use this data to create personalized follow-up interactions, whether by tailoring retargeting ads or adjusting messaging for email follow-ups. The more personalized the customer experience, the better your conversion rates and brand loyalty.

3. Improving Ad Targeting and Messaging

Detailed call analytics reveal which PPC ads, keywords, or calls to action perform best, giving you actionable insights for future ad targeting. For example, if calls from a specific keyword convert at higher rates, you can allocate more budget to similar keywords, refine your ad copy, or create similar ads to capture similar leads.

4. Tracking Multi-Channel Journeys

Customers often interact with multiple channels before calling, such as visiting your website or engaging with your ads on social media. Call tracking software allows you to see the entire customer journey before the call, identifying the channels that generate the most valuable leads. This helps you invest in the channels that lead to successful conversions.

5. Refining Retention Strategies

Call analytics don’t just help with acquisition—they also enhance customer retention strategies. Insights from customer interactions can reveal areas where your products or services may need improvement, providing a feedback loop that informs ongoing customer relationship management and retention efforts.

Wrapping Up

A successful PPC strategy today requires more than just online conversion tracking.

With the growing reliance on mobile searches and the ease of calling directly from an ad, tracking calls can be the key to unlocking higher-quality leads and maximizing your ad spend. Call tracking provides the missing piece in fully understanding the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns by revealing offline interactions and customer behavior that traditional metrics often miss.

By integrating call tracking into your PPC strategy, you’ll gain insights that refine ad targeting, boost conversions, and increase ROI. Don’t let valuable lead data slip through the cracks – make the most of every call and maximize your PPC potential.

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