5 Tips for Pay-Per-Call Success

Mobile Internet use is on the rise, and it will soon surpass traditional access. In fact, in 2012, there will be more mobile Internet devices than there are people. What is the best way for marketers to reach the masses on their smartphones, cellphones, tablets, and iPods?  Advertisers have found that pay-per-call ads have yielded good results. What should you know about this PPC?

Pay-per-calls are just that; a mobile user sees an ad that catches his eye and decides to make the call. It is a natural progression; according to research, the most common activity undertaken after a mobile search is a phone call. Nearly three-quarters of mobile users who search for business numbers then call them. Further, Google tells us that mobile ads with pay-per-call capability had a conversion rate that is 6 to 8 percent higher than mobile pay-per-click ads. Further, mobile calls last longer than those resulting from paper and online phonebook searches or Internet searches. Longer calls tend to equate to hotter leads and purchases.

Here are some pay-per-call tips to consider:

• Have a “call-friendly” call to action. “Call today,” “Call now,” and “From your phone,” are effective. Be clear about what you want the mobile searcher to do. This is especially important for those who are unfamiliar with this advertising model.
• If you run PPC campaigns, Google will automatically group it and your mobile pay-per-call campaigns together. You don’t want this because your mobile Adwords might be very different.
• It is best to run pay-per-call ads on nights and weekends. Research shows that mobile users tend to behave and not use their mobiles during work hours, or rather, they use them much more when they’re on the go. The best value for advertisers comes with running these ads during those “peak times.”
• Think about using broad match keywords, short phrases, and keywords that convey a sense of immediacy and urgency.
• Pay-per-call is less expensive than PPC. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that instead of four PPC ads on a page, mobile searchers see two. You need to make sure your ads are being seen. If not, you may have to bump up your bid. Otherwise, it’s really just wasted money because no one is seeing your ads. There’s another round of good news, though: your CTR is higher with pay-per-call than with PPC.