Google phone numbers

[Ali-v-8]

Did you know that the phone numbers displayed in google maps can be dialed on mobile phones. This will allow people searching on their mobiles phones for a service like a pizza parlour to dial and connect straight to a company advertising on maps .

I was wondering how people would monitor this as an actual service.

And would it be worth including your phone numbers into your adverts on sponsored listings.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Ali,

you have hit on a good issue here!

Lots of companies do not ask callers where the found out about the business. If you used a dedicated number (with VoIP costs, this is negigible these days) you can easily track where they come from, however, it can be a little tainted if clients continue to use that numbe, but it is a good indicator!

 

[Ali-v-8]

thats what i am looking at the moment. Optimised memorable numbers.
Easier to remember numbers work really well for customer retention.

 

[TSGMIMS]

Using a seperate number just for the click to call ads is a great idea.

Personally I would not include a telephone number in a sponsored listing ad. You only have a small space to get your point across, and most sites will have a telephone number easily accessible on the landing page.

The more relevant the advert is to the keywords the customer is searching for, the better the quality score and appeal to the potential customer.

 

[neilgw77]

I completely agree with the above. no point putting numbers in sponsored ads as it would detract from the message you are trying to get across. You could try 2 seperate numbers. One which is displayed when a paid for ad is clicked to get to the site, and another one for all other traffic (ie organic and direct access). This will enable you to be able to see which strategies are woking and which aren't. I've used this approach and saved loads on paying out for marketing in areas that wasn't working. If you would like a single number rather than 2 so you can track all your call to click ratios you can get a free number at justonenumber or switchboardfree. They allow you to track call conversions either with their stand alone campaign management or integrate with google analytics.
Regards
Neil

 

[Ali-v-8]

so how would that help you get a phone web browser ring you direct. and it would save you the cost of a click.

I completely agree with the above. no point putting numbers in sponsored ads as it would detract from the message you are trying to get across. You could try 2 seperate numbers. One which is displayed when a paid for ad is clicked to get to the site, and another one for all other traffic (ie organic and direct access). This will enable you to be able to see which strategies are woking and which aren't. I've used this approach and saved loads on paying out for marketing in areas that wasn't working. If you would like a single number rather than 2 so you can track all your call to click ratios you can get a free number at justonenumber or switchboardfree. They allow you to track call conversions either with their stand alone campaign management or integrate with google analytics.
Regards
Neil

 

[joelietz]

Did you know that the phone numbers displayed in google maps can be dialed on mobile phones. This will allow people searching on their mobiles phones for a service like a pizza parlour to dial and connect straight to a company advertising on maps .

I was wondering how people would monitor this as an actual service.

And would it be worth including your phone numbers into your adverts on sponsored listings.

What you are discussing is call tracking, and there's already a major industry thriving on it.

Most places that do the call tracking also offer vanity 800 (toll-free) numbers to go with the service so you're headed down the right path with your ideas. Going with a toll-free number makes perfect sense for web based promotions because most online companies are hoping to leverage the global market and remote customers will seek a toll-free contact number if they have any questions or issues that are too urgent for email.

It's amazing I don't see more on the topic since we all seem to have cell phones now and technically we're more connected to the phones than ever before?

Apparently Google is even working on a call tracking API that might be integrated right into Google Analytics, which would be epic, but you're more likely to see a pig fly than get any details from people involved.

I'm personally camping a lot of forums looking for any info or cheap/free solutions that can be used on smaller promotions. I'll update if I hear anything interesting for the do-it-yourself crowd.

 

[Ali-v-8]

sorry no i am not.

I am on about mobile browsing.
Most smart phones identify numbers when you search in google.
Those number can be inputedt into your dialing screen without costing a click through google.
It works with maps and also numbers in the sponsored listings

 

[joelietz]

You're right I quoted the wrong fellow.. It was TSGMIMS who was extolling the virtues of tracking callers. Sorry bout that!

I did the same thing though last night.. "Hey wouldn't it be possible to store energy physically in a flywheel that's spinning on a magnetic bearing in a vacuum?"

One quick Google search shows how late my brilliance is, there was a prototype built in 2008 and there's a company actively marketing/developing the technology.

Funny how disappointing it is to have an idea that someone else is already working on, yet do we have a physics degree or a doctorate in computer sciences? From that perspective it should be impressive.

 

[Ali-v-8]

only have one masters and a bachelor.
One for business and the second for performing arts, dont know how that helps.

Perpetual motion cannot be created with gravity effecting the project nor can you create energy only change its form.

I did the same thing though last night.. "Hey wouldn't it be possible to store energy physically in a flywheel that's spinning on a magnetic bearing in a vacuum?"
One quick Google search shows how late my brilliance is, there was a prototype built in 2008 and there's a company actively marketing/developing the technology.
)

 

[georgeriks]

Google maps is some sort of a click-to-call service but only the callers get charged.

 

[Call Tracker]

Just allocate a unique tracking number to your google ads and view the calls in GA or an online portal. You can also monitor your most called search terms using dynamic numbers.