The way to use google call-only adverts to skyrocket income
For service companies everywhere, the sound of the phone is often the sweet sound of the sale.
But maybe your phone doesn't ring much anymore. The Internet has made it easier than ever for customers to connect with businesses without picking up the phone.
This is great for introverts, but not always good for business owners and service providers who would rather talk to prospects on the phone than reply to a multitude of emails.
While being available in multiple ways is a good idea, you don't have to limit yourself to emailing or chatting online. Call-only ads from Google make it easy for customers to call your business.
This article will explain what these useful ads are, how they can benefit your business, and how you can run them today. Let the phone ring again.
What are call-only ads?
Call-only ads, officially known by Google as "call ads," allow customers to call you directly from Google. You've probably seen them if you've ever searched for a local business on your phone. The huge phone icon makes them hard to miss.
When users click the ad, Google automatically displays the company's phone number on the keyboard. The user can call someone on the phone in two steps, which reduces friction on the customer journey as they don't have to try to find the number on the brand's website. Because the ad is designed with the user to take action, there is less copy space and more for your business information.
Call-only ads will only show on mobile devices. If their only goal is to get users to make a call, it would be a waste of money to show them on desktop and tablet searches.
The benefits of call-only ads
Call-only ads have a number of advantages that set them apart from other ads you might run on AdWords.
Bring call-only advertisements Quality leads
These ads filter out many time wasters and other low quality leads. If someone is ready to pick up the phone to speak to you, chances are they have a problem that needs to be resolved.
Research confirms this. Invoca found that calls had a conversion rate of 30 to 50 percent, while clicks had a conversion rate of one to two percent.
Call-only ads are Easy to create
Google ads aren't always the easiest to create, but call-only ads differ. They are quick to set up and designed for even the least tech-savvy developer.
you Use the best sales channel
Not only are phone calls high quality, but the phone is statistically the best sales channel for most businesses. HubSpot's Incoming Call Status report found that phone calls are the best channels for sales reps to connect with prospects.
People like calling companies
You may not know from the number of leads your website is generating, but many people still prefer to call companies rather than filling out online forms or speaking via email. According to Invocas State of Mobile Experience, 65% of people called a company in the last month.
With these ads, people don't have to search for your phone number on your website. They can talk to you on the phone with two taps.
When should you start creating call-only ads?
In many circumstances, it makes sense for businesses to create ads for calls only. Here are some of my favorites.
Regional companies
Call-only ads are great for local and national businesses that operate at the local level. A local dentist, for example, would be the perfect solution, but so would a nationwide motel chain, as each individual motel has its own telephone line.
Many other companies are great for call-only ads, including:
- doctors
- lawyers
- Restaurants
- Home repair worker
- Specialty grocer
Urgent services
Customers who click call-only ads know what they want. They usually have a specific problem and are looking for someone to help them quickly. If you are delivering urgent services the next day or the same day, these ads can be a fantastic marketing tool. The more pressing the customer's needs, the more likely it will be a call-only ad.
For example, if someone's basement is flooded, they probably don't want to spend a lot of time surfing the internet, comparing purchases, and shooting emails to find someone to fix the problem – they need someone home now. With this call-only ad option, they can find that person quickly.
Some urgent services that could benefit from these advertisements are:
- plumber
- electrician
- Craftsman
- locksmith
- Veterinarians
Any business that sells on the phone
According to the HubSpot report above, phone calls are the best sales channel for many businesses. If you make sales over the phone even if you don't offer the types of services listed above, I recommend running ads for calls only.
You've only wasted a few hundred dollars if they don't work, but you might discover an untapped gold mine of sales leads.
Examples of call-only ads
Before we start creating your ad, let's take a look at some of them in the wild. Here is a selection of call-only ads for a wide variety of businesses and why they work.
Emergency locksmith
When you are locked out of your home, you need someone who is quick to react. That is what makes this ad so good. There are three clues as to how quickly this company will get you back to your home.
First, they are "fast". Second, they are available 24 hours a day. Third, they work all over New York City. It doesn't matter where I am or when I look. This business can clearly address my immediate need when in NYC.
A roofing company
You may or may not need a roofer urgently, but you definitely want to hire the best person. The copy of this ad is an excellent way to convince the reader that the contractor is one of the best in the area by using terms like "good quality" and "master elite".
A pest control company
Do you know what's great about this ad? It's simple, concise, and gets to the point. Unlike the other two, this company has carefully tweaked their ad copy so nothing is cut off. In just two short lines we know what they are doing and how well they are doing it.
This ad is also a great example of how non-urgent businesses can use call-only ads. Pest control is sometimes an emergency, but often customers are just dealing with something annoying that needs to be done soon, not right now. You don't have to provide an emergency service to be successful with these ads, but you do have to write a great copy.
How to create call-only ads on Google
Creating an ad is easy. Just follow the step-by-step process that I will outline below.
1. Open AdWords and create a new campaign.
2. Set your goal as "Sales".
3. Select "Search" as the campaign type.
4. Check the Phone Calls box and enter your number.
5. Change your campaign settings.
- Rename the campaign.
- Uncheck the box "Include Google Search Partners".
- Click "Show More Settings" and set the "Ad Schedule" to your office hours.
6. Set your destinations.
In this example, I've set my ad to target all of San Diego. But you can be as broad or specific as you like.
7. Set your daily budget and focus the bid on clicks.
You can also set the maximum cost per click.
8. Create ad groups for your ads.
Enter a relevant webpage or service and Google will give you a list of related keywords that you can summarize.
I recommend creating very specific ad groups, each targeting different customer needs. For example, when I reach out to searchers looking for an emergency locksmith, I only add a handful of very specific keywords. That makes the list above a lot smaller.
9. Create your ad
There is a lot to do at this stage. So follow my checklist below:
- Check that your phone number is correct.
- Add a URL that users can visit instead of calling.
- Add the URL to a page on your website that contains your phone number. This will allow Google to confirm the number.
- Create a vanity URL if you don't like the look of your final URL.
- Add a 30-character heading. This will be shown next to your company name.
- Add a secondary 30-character heading.
- Enter your company name.
- Add two descriptive lines. Keep this short, sweet, and tempting.
- Make sure they include a call to action.
The vast majority of these fields are optional. Google's call-only ads are flexible and display differently on different mobile devices. Even if you use every field when creating an ad, it doesn't mean that the end-user will always see it.
10. Review your ad and click "Publish"!
Good work. You are done.
Google Call-Only Ads Best Practices
Let's look at how you can make sure your ads are as eye-catching, clickable, and profitable as possible.
Build a killer CTA
There are dozen of companies any user can choose to search for and you need to get them to click you with the perfect call-to-action (CTA). Copying is even more important in call-only ads where you have two lines of text instead of the usual three.
Focus your copy on the user and their urgent needs. Phrases like "call now," "act quick," and "quick quote" can convince searchers that you will be able to come up with the quickest solution to their problems. Create a sense of urgency.
Make it clear that users are talking to a human. Adding phrases like “We'll answer right away” or “Talk to an agent today” alleviates any fears the user may have about a long wait or dealing with an automated telephone system.
Set an ad schedule
There's no point in showing a call-only ad if you or your team can't answer the call. However, I see so many business owners who have forgotten to set an ad schedule.
Make sure to use the ad schedule to only show ads during office hours. Of course, if you have a 24/7 hotline you don't need to worry about that. You might even find the cheapest clicks and the most profitable calls happening in the middle of the night.
Use a link on your website as a panacea
In April 2020, Google added the ability to include links in all call-only ads. It's an optional feature, but I recommend most companies use it. Not only does this make your ad a bit bigger (and therefore more noticeable), it also increases authenticity from the user's point of view and gives them the opportunity to learn more about your business before they call.
Opt for a no-headline, call-only ad
When Wordstream's in-house team put together research on the conversion rates of call-only ads, they found that those without a headline copy – that is, they focus on the phone number rather than other information – convert at a significantly higher rate were.
No-headline ads had a 17 percent higher average conversion rate than standard call-only ads. The cost per action for no-headline, call-only ads was also 28 percent lower.
Test your ads when you have the budget. Otherwise, stick with no-headline ads.
Localize your ads as much as possible
The majority of searchers who click call-only ads are looking for local businesses. Make your company's location as obvious as possible by:
- with a local phone number
- including your city in ad copy
- Localized keyword targeting
This ad for a roofing company in Dallas is a good example. They use a 214 number, call themselves Dallas Roofers Number One, and use DFW in the copy. Seekers should see at least one of these references at a glance.
As a side note, note that they opted for the no-heading option while still receiving local information.
Conclusion
Telephone calls are the lifeblood of many service companies. It doesn't matter if you are a handyman or a lawyer. You need this phone to keep ringing and staying in business.
Call-only ads are one of the best ways to generate more calls, especially if you are a local business solving urgent needs. Follow my step-by-step instructions above to create your ads, follow my best practices, and keep tweaking them once it's launched.
How many calls do you want to generate from call-only ads?
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