Which is better? Google Call-Only Ads or Call Extensions

For service based businesses one the best features that you can use in Google Ads is to create Ads which focus on generating phone calls. 

This means that users can complete a google search and click on an ad which then leads straight to a phone call WITHOUT the user even having to visit your website.

This function is done through 2 different ways:

1.  Firstly by setting up a Call Only Campaign which allows you to create a ‘Call only” ad which places your phone number in the headline
2.  Or by Adding in Call extensions to your exisiting responsive search ads which then highlights your phone number at the bottom of the ad

In this video I am going to take you though:

•  The difference between call ads & call extensions
•  12 months of results from a real campaign so you can decide which is the best option to use
•  A step by step guide on how to set up a call campaign

Over the past 12 months I have been running a test between these types of ads and there is a clear winner with results being:

• Call Extensions generating 79 phone calls at a Cost/Conv of $32.33
• While the combined score of 2 Call Campaigns generated 118 phone calls at a Cost/Conv of $16.82

So Call Ads were the clear winner as they generated phone calls as a Cost / Conversion that was nearly half that of the call extensions. 

Even taking into account the other conversion actions that the responsive search ads where generating like “Form Completions” the total Cost/Conv was still $21.56 nearly $6 more a conversion that the best performing Call Campaign.

One important thing that I do need to point out is that Call Ads are generally more expensive with the call ads have a CPC ranging from $5.91 to $6.47 vs a CPC of $3.52 giving a higher cost of up to $3 per click.

So before you start a call campaign you may want to start with a general Google Ads Search Campaign to find the best converting keywords and then focus a call campaign on these highest converting keywords.

Now that we know the benefits of setting up call ads in Google. Let me take you through a step by step process in how to set-up these campaigns. [watch the video below]