Google announced the launch of local Google forwarding numbers, which local businesses will be able to display on their ads. The point is that these have local area codes, and may inspire more clicks/calls.

Google says in an update on Google+, “Many people who search for local businesses prefer to call a phone number with a recognizable area code. That’s why starting today, ads with call extensions set up to use Google forwarding numbers can now show a local Google forwarding number, where available. Local Google forwarding numbers share the same area code as your business phone number, or a local area code for the same geographic region. For example, if your business is based in San Francisco, CA, your ads are eligible to use a 415 area code with your Google forwarding number.”

“If you’d like to show a local Google forwarding number with your ad and already have a local phone number assigned to your call extension, you’re all set,” Google adds. “If you’ve assigned a toll-free number to your call extension and prefer to use a local Google forwarding number, update your call extensions settings.”

The forwarding numbers are only available for numbers based in the U.S. Even some of those numbers may not be eligible, but in those cases, the ad will continue to show a toll-free Google forwarding number.

Google has a help center article discussing local forwarding numbers here.

Image via Google