An interesting survey conducted by Google shows that 44% of people look for the local business number through a search on the internet while 23% look it up on the business website. Only 11% of the respondents had the number stored on their phone and 2% knew the number.For a long time now, we had call extensions which add a clickable call button alongside the adverts running on mobile devices or show the phone number on desktops and tablets. We could track the number of people who clicked on the “clicks-to-call” button but were unable to tell whether these clicks were leading to genuine enquiries.What is the difference with Google Forwarding Numbers?Google forwarding numbers have now been added to the traditional call extensions tool and let you measure the completed calls from the search ads including calls to the number displayed on desktop/tablet.These calls can be counted as conversions based on the duration of the call. Advertisers also get comprehensive reporting on every call such as the state area code, length of the call, whether the call was missed or received. Unfortunately, the calls metrics are not available in Google Analytics.So what happens if someone writes down the forwarding number and call two weeks later? Well, the forwarded number will still work and appear on the AdWords platform. A unique number is assigned to each ad group. Please note that the forwarding number won’t show if the volume of impressions and clicks are too low.How can Google Forwarding Numbers help my business?From a business perspective, the call metrics offer a whole new world of opportunities:

• Improve Brand Experience: 1 out of 3 people who were unable to call a business directly from the search results will feel frustrated, disappointed in the brand and explore competitors. If you utilise the call metrics, you will be able to improve the experience which potential clients have with your company.

• Enhance User’s Experience: The call metrics will let you know just how many phone calls your business is missing every day.

This is a game changing product that will help advertisers demonstrating value to clients across the mobile platforms. If you’d like more information about this tool, don’t hesitate to contact our Bang Online team today.