Google has been working on expanding its click-to-call ad feature in a few different ways. Today in a blog post, Google provided an update about what it’s been doing.
The company recently introduced a click-to-call button for ads using Call Extensions. Google says early results indicate that the new design has positively impacted advertiser click-through rates and call volume.
Google is expanding the availability of call forwarding numbers. The feature has been available in the United Staes and in the United Kingdom, but it’s now being expanded into Germany, and to more countries in the coming months.
Google has also expanded Call Extensions for ads showing in apps on the Google Display Network.
“Mobile technology is making it easier than ever for people to research products and connect with businesses while they’re on the go,” says Google Mobile Search Ads product manager Anurag Agrawal. “But we all know that sometimes it helps to speak to a real person before making a purchase decision. In fact, research shows that 52% of smartphone users have called a business after looking for local information on their mobile devices. Calls are key in helping consumers connect with businesses in the digital age, so incorporating a click-to-call strategy on mobile is crucial for any company that does business over the phone.”
“Companies big and small have put click-to-call functionality front and center in their mobile ads to reach customers on the go, and have seen impressive results,” says Agrawal. “For instance, Comcast incorporated click-to-call ads into their mobile strategy, and now find mobile drives more than 10% of online sales. Esurance also reduced their cost per acquisition by 20-30% compared to other channels by using Google mobile ads with click-to-call. With more than 20 million calls made through Google click-to-call ads each month, it’s clear that mobile works when driving calls to businesses. In fact, our studies have shown that adding Call Extensions to mobile ad campaigns have improved advertisers’ average click-through rates by about 6-8%.”
Google says advertisers using call forwarding numbers see calls last over six minutes on average.