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Kevin Urrutia
Kevin Urrutia

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How to Use and Setup AdWords Call Tracking for Your PPC Campaign

So, you're spending your cash and resources on your Google AdWords campaign. But is it worth the cost? Should you invest more in your PPC campaign, or is it time to cut your losses?

How do you know that it's working?

To measure your ROI, you have to first look at your conversions. What particular actions do users take after seeing your ad? How many people sign up for your newsletter, click the link to your website, buy from you, or pick up the phone to call you?

Well, whatever your goals may be, it has to be measurable.

Call Tracking with Google Adwords

For you to measure if your campaign is successful or not, you need to utilize the free AdWords conversion tracking tool. It lets you analyze what prospects do once they see your ad.

Maybe you've heard about conversion tracking. You've also probably spent hours in the past analyzing your click-through rate (CTR.)

But do you know that you can track phone calls as well?

According to Voy Media, a top PPC company, "If you're not using Google call tracking yet, then you could be seriously missing out on your conversions. When you integrate phone calls in your conversion rates, you'll know that you're not getting the ROI that you're expecting to get, or that your PPC campaign is more successful than you initially thought."

In other words, if you want an accurate measurement of your AdWords campaign, then you need to study your web traffic as well as your calls.

In your Google AdWords account, set the Call Extension Tab to set up the call tracking in AdWords.

Hit Campaigns β†’ the Campaign or Ad group that you want to place a call tracking β†’ Ad extensions.

After clicking on Ad extensions, you can now change the view.

In Google AdWords, set up a toll-free number by clicking Call Extensions.

Then, click Extension β†’ Choose your Campaign β†’ and hit done.

After pressing done, a box will show with a couple of words,+ a new phone number.

Now, it's possible for you to change the settings for your phone number. Moreover, GoogleAdwords gives forwarding numbers. These are numbers that forwarded on your business line.

Note that these numbers are free. However, when users click on an ad or press a single number from a mobile, you'll be charged accordingly.

Once you're satisfied with the changes, you can now hit save.

What is a Google Forwarding Number?

In its most basic form, it's a free Google number that shows up on your site the moment a user clicks on your ad. This number will replace your business phone number for users who clicked on your ad. While the numbers may not be the same for everyone, these calls will be tracked.

Take note that these are for selected countries (US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, and Sweden.)

How do I Properly Set up This Tracking?

It is called conversion tracking by Google, and it provides an extensive guide to set it up.

Everything's pretty straightforward. All you need to do is to log on your Google AdWords account, place a label on the specific conversions that you want to track and set a snippet code to your site.

You have the option of adding the code by yourself, or better yet, hire a developer to help you out.

How do I Add a Call Only Ad in Google Adwords?

In Google AdWord's campaign setting, press the ad add box. After, you need to click the Call-only Ad setting tab.

Afterward, you have to fill in the information just like an average Google AdWords ad. The advantage of this is that only focused on accepting phone calls from Google AdWords.

Sync Your Google Analytics and AdWords Together

To make your call tracking run smoothly, sync your Google Analytics account with AdWords.

Make sure that this is done correctly so that you don't ruin your Google Analytics dashboard reports.

If you don't link these two properly, Google Analytics will fail to report paid search visits, and your data will be grouped in organic visits instead.

Once you've successfully linked your AdWords with Google Analytics (and vice versa), then you're all set.

However, if they're still not linked yet, follow these tips:
Syncing in Google Adwords
On top of your Google AdWords account, click Settings.

Then press Google Analytics to link your Analytics and AdWords accounts together. Make sure that they have the same email addresses to access on your Google Analytics profile.

After clicking Google Analytics, you'll also have access to a list of profiles that you can connect. Just press the name of the profile, and hit save.

You'll see if you're already connected once Selected Views listed on your right.

Syncing in Google Analytics

Go on the Admin console of you want to sync in Google Analytics. Under Property, press AdWords Linking.

Always make sure that your email in your AdWords account is the same. That way, the entire process is much more comfortable and streamlined. Also, see to it that your AdWords account links to your profile.

Once everything is set, click Done.

Over to You

Google call tracking is crucial for local businesses like restaurants, cafes, flower shops, repairs shops, salons, bakeries, or anyone who takes a large portion of their sales through phone calls.

Even businesses that rely less on phone sales should also consider AdWord's free call tracking tool. Once you effectively track and analyze your phone conversations, you'll have a better sense of your PPC performance, overall. You can also boost the number of calls you get from your business, which will ultimately improve your bottom line.

When you're armed with the necessary data, you'll quickly know much money you need to set aside for your AdWords campaign. You'll also have a better idea of whether or not you should entirely rethink your approach. That will put you later on to the road where there are higher profitability and growth in the long run.

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