Call-only ads help you prioritize phone calls over website visits, letting you reach customers who prefer talking directly; you can set schedules, bidding and messaging to maximize your qualified calls, track performance and optimize your campaigns based on call metrics – learn more at About call ads – Google Ads Help.
Key Takeaways:
- Designed to drive phone calls: call-only ads appear on call-capable devices and initiate a direct dial when clicked.
- Ad elements and requirements: must include a phone number and business name; copy should emphasize a clear call-to-action and service/offer.
- Targeting and scheduling: use mobile device targeting, location targeting, and call scheduling to show ads only during staffed hours.
- Measure calls precisely: set up call conversion tracking and use Google forwarding numbers to track call counts, durations, and conversion value.
- Optimize for call quality and ROI: test messaging, bid by time/location, use negative keywords, and exclude low-value call sources.
Understanding Call-Only Ads
Definition and Purpose
You use call-only ads to connect prospects directly to a phone conversation: the ad displays a click-to-call button and your business number, and tapping initiates a call instead of a site visit. They run on devices able to place calls and are designed for immediate lead capture-examples include emergency services, medical offices, and restaurants taking reservations-so you prioritize phone leads over pageviews.
Key Features
The format centers on a click-to-call action, mobile-only delivery, and ad text optimized for urgent intent; you can schedule hours, set call-specific bids, and count calls as conversions. Google’s call reporting provides duration and start time, and you can use forwarding numbers for attribution or set a call-length threshold (commonly 60 seconds) to mark high-quality leads.
- Click-to-call button that dials your business directly when tapped on capable devices.
- Mobile-only targeting and device-level bid adjustments to prioritize phones over desktops.
- Call scheduling so ads appear only during your staffed hours to reduce missed calls.
- Call conversion settings that let you mark calls longer than a chosen threshold (e.g., 60s) as conversions.
- Google forwarding numbers in supported regions to capture caller area code, start time, and call duration for attribution.
- Perceiving call metrics (duration, repeat callers, time of day) helps you refine bids, scripts, and ad copy to boost ROI.
Delving deeper, you can combine call-only campaigns with Smart Bidding by using calls as a conversion action so automated strategies optimize for phone leads; for instance, setting target CPA based on past call conversion data often improves cost-per-lead within 2-4 weeks. If you run a local HVAC business, tracking calls over 90 seconds can correlate strongly with booked service visits, letting you prioritize those conversions.
- Integration with Smart Bidding lets you optimize toward phone-call conversions rather than clicks.
- Ad creatives focus on phone-led CTAs and service-specific phrases (e.g., “Book emergency HVAC repair-call now”).
- Reporting breaks down calls by area code, daypart, and duration so you can spot peak demand or wasted spend.
- Use call extensions versus call-only ads strategically: extensions supplement search ads, while call-only centers the call action.
- Perceiving which ad headlines and time windows drive longer calls enables iterative A/B testing and script improvements.
Setting Up Your Call-Only Ads
When setting up your call-only ads, prioritize phone availability, accurate business hours, and mobile bid adjustments; schedule ads for peak calling windows (many service businesses see spikes 9-11am and 3-6pm), verify your phone number, and enable call reporting so you can track which calls drive revenue.
Account Requirements
Ensure your Google Ads account has active billing, a verified business phone capable of receiving or forwarding calls, call reporting enabled for conversion tracking, and clearly defined business hours so your ads only run when you can answer.
Account Requirements Overview
| Requirement | Detail |
| Verified phone number | Direct line or forwarding number that accepts inbound calls |
| Active billing | Valid payment method and active Google Ads account |
| Call reporting | Enable to capture call duration, sources, and conversions |
| Business hours | Set accurate hours to prevent ads showing when you can’t take calls |
Step-by-Step Setup Process
Begin in Google Ads: create a Search or Leads campaign, select Call-only as the ad type, set target locations and ad schedule, enter and verify your primary phone, write concise copy focused on immediate action, set bids and daily budget, then enable call reporting and conversion tracking to measure ROI.
Step-by-Step Setup
| Step | Action |
| Campaign creation | Select Search/Leads objective and Call-only ad type |
| Targeting | Set locations, languages, and device targeting (mobile-first) |
| Ad content | Enter phone, business name, and concise CTA-focused descriptions |
| Budget & bids | Set daily budget and bids; consider +10-30% for peak mobile hours |
| Tracking | Enable call reporting and import call conversions |
Also test bid strategies (manual CPC vs. automated CPA), run A/B tests on CTAs and description phrasing, monitor call length-aim for calls over 60 seconds as a proxy for quality-and review performance weekly so you can optimize by top hours and ZIP-code level data.
Setup Best Practices
| Tip | Why it matters |
| Verify forwarding | Preserves caller experience and accurate reporting |
| Test CTAs | Small text changes can lift call-through rates 10-25% |
| Monitor call length | Calls >60s often correlate with higher conversion value |
| Adjust by hour/area | Increase bids for top-performing times or ZIP codes |
Optimizing Call-Only Ads Performance
To lift call volumes and quality, focus on metrics beyond clicks: monitor call-through rate, average call duration, and cost per call. You should run at least 3 ad variations per ad group and test CTAs like “Call now for a free consult” versus “Speak to a specialist.” Many advertisers report 15-35% higher conversion rates after tightening schedules and using location radius targeting; track changes over 2-4 weeks before declaring a winner.
Best Practices for Ad Copy
You must lead with urgency and clarity: include the phone number or a short CTA in the headline, state one clear benefit (e.g., “Same-day estimates”), and limit clutter to fit mobile screens. Try short modifiers such as “No wait” or “24/7” when accurate, and A/B test copy lengths-30% of top-performing ads are under 60 characters. Use specific offers (percent off, free consult) to lift qualified-call intent.
Targeting Strategies
You should align targeting to when and where you can answer: set ad scheduling to business hours, apply mobile bid adjustments, and use radius targeting (5-30 miles) for local services. Combine in-market or remarketing lists to prioritize likely callers, and exclude irrelevant queries with negative keywords to reduce wasted spend. For example, a plumbing company might target weekdays 7am-7pm within 20 miles and exclude DIY searches.
For deeper optimization, implement automated bids (Target CPA or Maximize Conversions) tied to call conversions and adjust based on call length: mark calls over 60 seconds as high-quality conversions. Also use Google forwarding numbers to capture call details and set a 30-day conversion window to attribute longer-sale cycles; continuously prune low-performing locations and audiences every 2-4 weeks to maximize ROI.
Measuring Success of Call-Only Ads
To measure success, you should link call metrics to business outcomes: track calls that become appointments, sales, or qualified leads and compare against cost-per-call and return on ad spend (ROAS). Many advertisers aim for an average call duration above 90 seconds and a conversion-to-sale rate of 15-30% as benchmarks; use those targets to decide whether to scale bids or refine targeting.
Key Metrics to Track
Focus on call-through rate (CTR), call conversion rate, cost per call, average call duration, and booked-appointment rate. For example, a home-services advertiser might target a call-through rate >8%, cost per call of $20-$60, and an average call length >90 seconds to flag high-quality leads; track device and hour to spot performance patterns.
Analyzing Call Data
Use Google forwarding numbers, call recordings, and CRM matchbacks to classify calls as sales, leads, or nuisance. You’ll find patterns like 70% of qualified calls occurring between 9:00-13:00 or higher close rates on mobile; tag calls so you can optimize bids by hour, keyword, and ad copy.
Integrate call data into your CRM and attribution model to attribute revenue accurately: sync Google call conversions with lead records, review recordings for common objections, and run A/B tests on ad text and hours. One law firm cut cost-per-lead 28% by pausing ads outside peak hours and using recordings to train reps, demonstrating how data-driven tweaks lift both volume and lead quality.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Audits commonly reveal setup and measurement errors that erode ROI: 20-40% of calls can go untracked when call forwarding or dynamic number insertion is misconfigured, business hours are wrong, or call reporting isn’t enabled. Fix these first: incorrect hours lead to missed calls, poor scripts lower lead quality, and relying on clicks instead of call outcomes masks real performance-tackle those to protect your ad spend and lead flow.
Mistakes in Setup
Failing to verify phone numbers, using the wrong country code, or forgetting to enable call reporting are frequent faults; one audit found misconfigured forwarding dropped reported calls by 27%. Also check mobile bid adjustments, ensure correct business hours, and test call-through on multiple devices so callers reach an agent within a few rings rather than hitting voicemail.
Misinterpretation of Data
Focusing on clicks or impressions instead of call conversions skews decisions: a campaign with 200 clicks but only 15 calls and 3 sales isn’t driving valuable traffic despite high CTR. Treat call volume, call-through rate, and conversion-per-call as primary KPIs rather than click metrics when optimizing call-only campaigns.
Dig deeper by linking calls to CRM outcomes and using call recordings or tags to classify intent. Set quality thresholds (for example, flag calls under 30 seconds as low-quality and prioritize calls over 60-90 seconds for consultative sales), align attribution windows with sales cycles, and exclude spam or test numbers so your metrics reflect real leads.
Future Trends in Call-Only Advertising
Evolving Consumer Behavior
More consumers expect instant resolution and will call when intent is high: studies indicate roughly 50-60% of high-intent local mobile searches lead to phone contact, with service categories like plumbing, locksmiths, and urgent care showing the highest call-through rates. You should align staffing, extended hours, and dynamic ad schedules to capture those moments; doing so often doubles conversion rates compared with click-only prospects and improves lifetime value tracking when calls are properly attributed.
Innovations in Ad Technologies
Advances in AI, real-time analytics, and server-to-server call tracking are reshaping call-only ads: you can now use call transcription with >90% accuracy, sentiment analysis to prioritize warm leads, and automated bidding for cost-per-call goals. Integrating IVR and dynamic number insertion reduces misattribution, and early adopters report up to 25% lower wasted spend by combining AI scoring with optimized bid strategies.
Practical implementations include syncing call records to CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot to auto-create leads, deploying AI call-scoring to route high-value callers to senior agents, and using scheduled-callback features to boost appointment bookings. For example, a regional HVAC advertiser implemented AI scoring plus automated bidding and saw a 22% rise in qualified calls and an 18% drop in cost per lead within six months, showing how operational changes turn tech gains into revenue.
Final Words
So you should treat Call-Only Ads in Google Ads as a strategic channel to generate qualified phone leads: craft concise, action-oriented copy, align bids and schedules with your availability, enable call tracking and conversions, and analyze call metrics so you can continually optimize performance and ROI.
FAQ
Q: What are Call-Only Ads in Google Ads and how do they work?
A: Call-only ads are search ads designed so the primary action is a phone call. They appear primarily on mobile devices and display a business name, phone number, two short lines of text and a call button; tapping the ad initiates a phone call rather than directing users to a website. Call-only ads use the user’s dialer or Google’s forwarding number (if enabled) so you can attribute and measure calls. These ads are meant for advertisers whose conversions happen on the phone (appointments, support, bookings) and are served when Google predicts a high likelihood of a phone call from the search query.
Q: How do I set up a Call-Only campaign step by step?
A: Create a new Search campaign and choose a goal that supports phone calls (e.g., Leads or Create a campaign without a goal). Select “Call ads” or create a Call-only ad within a Search campaign, enter a verified business phone number, business name, two short headlines and description text, and choose a final URL only if you want optional web tracking. Set targeting (locations, languages), ad scheduling to match staffed hours, and device targeting (prefer mobile). Enable call reporting and set up a call conversion action: configure a Google forwarding number for call detail reporting or import third-party call conversion data. Save campaign settings and monitor delivery, adjusting bids, schedule, and keywords as needed.
Q: How am I charged for Call-Only Ads and how does bidding work?
A: You are charged per click when a user taps the ad to initiate a call (a click-to-call). If you enable Google forwarding numbers, charges apply when the click occurs, even if the call disconnects immediately; conversion tracking can then attribute whether the call met your conversion criteria. Bidding uses the same auction signals as search ads: you can set manual CPC for clicks or use automated strategies like Maximize Conversions or Target CPA to optimize for call conversions. Device and location bid adjustments help prioritize areas and devices with higher call performance. Adjust bids based on time-of-day performance and average call value.
Q: How do I track and measure call performance and conversions?
A: Use Google Ads call reporting and conversion actions to track calls from ads. Enable Google forwarding numbers to capture call duration, start and end time, area code and whether the call was answered; then create a call conversion action and set a minimum call length threshold (e.g., 60 seconds) to count as a conversion. For calls to your website, set up a separate call conversion action using website click-to-call tracking or Google Analytics events. You can also import call data from your CRM or third-party call tracking provider. Key metrics: number of calls, call-through rate (calls/impressions), cost-per-call, average call duration, and calls that meet conversion criteria.
Q: What are best practices for optimizing Call-Only Ads?
A: Use clear, action-oriented headlines and include a strong phone-focused CTA (e.g., “Call Now for Same-Day Service”). Schedule ads to run only during staffed hours and use ad scheduling to raise bids during peak call times. Target locations and device types that drive the most calls. Use precise keyword match types and negative keywords to reduce irrelevant clicks. Enable Google forwarding numbers for reliable call attribution and set an appropriate call-length conversion threshold. Test variations of ad copy and business names, monitor call quality and duration, and feed high-quality calls back into bidding (via conversion imports or value assignments) so automated bidding can optimize toward profitable calls.