6 Effective Ways to Get More Calls from Paid Search Ads

By Saba SEO, 9:00 am on April 9, 2018

6 Tips on Getting More Calls from Paid Search Ads in San Diego, CA

The purpose of some paid search campaigns is to encourage searchers to make a call to a particular business. An increasingly popular way to do this is with call-based paid search ads, also called call-only ads. It’s predicted that within the next few years paid search will generate more than 150 billion calls to businesses. Right now, 70 percent of consumers are already responding to click-to-call prompts that show up in mobile search results. San Diego PPC management experts at Saba SEO share a few tips on how to get more calls from paid search ads.

1. Run Call-Only Campaigns

Because many people now use mobile devices to search, it makes sense to run call-only campaigns if your main goal is to get calls to your business. Doing so will allow your ads to only be shown to searchers with the ability to instantly make a call from their device. Call-only ads will also allow you to:

Bid on calls instead of website clicks
Be more specific with your ad copy
Use multiple extensions
Use local extensions to show potential callers where you are located

2. Limit Ads to Business Hours

Most customers expect to be able to reach a business when they click a call link in a paid ad. Avoid unintentionally frustrating callers by timing your ads to run during your business hours. You can limit ads to business hours on Google within Edit Campaign Settings with the Ad Scheduling option.

3. Display Your Ads During High Search Volume Hours

Google’s Ad Scheduling feature can also be used to increase your budget for specific times of the day when searchers are more likely to call your business. For instance, a pizzeria might opt to display its ads during busy weekday lunch hours. You can display your ads during high search volume hours with the help of Google Analytics’ Hour of Day Report.

4. Add Some SEO Power to Your URL

With call-only ads, your headline is your phone number, which could cause some issues with online visibility. Consider using a call to action or keyword in your displayed URL to add some SEO power to your URL.

5. Bid High to Gather Data

Bidding higher with new paid call campaigns can generate useful data. You can then use the new insights and data obtained to optimize your ads better. Plus, it’s easier to start on top with call-focused ads instead of trying to work your way up with low volume keywords.

6. Target Searchers Ready to Take Action

If you want people to call after seeing your ad, make sure your ad copy is aimed at searchers ready to take action. Further increase your odds of receiving calls from customers by adding keywords likely to inspire calling, which means using location-based keywords and words, phrases, or calls to action targeting searchers with high intent. Some other tactics you might consider include:

Displaying your ads in areas around your business’ physical location if you want to use calls to encourage in-person visits
Creating a good caller experience (e.g. short phone menus, automatically directing calls to the right person or department)
Using paid search data to retarget callers who didn’t take the desired action

Finally, run some test ads to ensure you’re on the right track with your ad copy. By running smaller campaigns with short durations, you can gauge your results before expanding your call-based campaigns. Since call ads have fewer characters, you should consider focusing on different keywords or calls to action. Google has a call reporting option you can use to measure the performance of call extensions and call-only ads to get a better idea of your ROI.

To create catchy and compelling call-only ads for your business, call Saba SEO, one of the best marketing companies San Diego has to offer. We have a team of expert writers to write unique and high-quality content as well as SEO specialists to ensure your ad is optimized across all search engines. For the past ten years, our experts have designed comprehensive and customized digital marketing strategies for businesses all over the world. If you need help creating online content for your business, reach out to us at 858-951-1717 today.