Those who’ve been on an extended vacation from television, radio and the Internet may not have noticed, but the rest of us have definitely seen the massive growth in mobile communications on a global level. Virtually every other commercial in prime time boasts a new application for smart phones from finding a tow truck based on your GPS location to receiving alerts about red light cameras along your route. 

With this growth, it comes as no surprise that the Internet has seen a huge increase in mobile traffic. In a nutshell, more and more Internet users are grabbing their mobile device to look for goods and services rather than booting up their computers and laptops. What remains difficult for businesses marketing online is the challenge of either altering their websites to be more mobile friendly or creating a separate website to accommodate mobile users.

Looking into statistics, more often than not, people are searching for local businesses when using their mobile phones. And as a result they will frequently prefer to call that business rather than visit their website. Whether placing a direct order, making a reservation, or inquiring about goods and services, the ability for potential customers to quickly and easily call your business becomes a must-have feature from the search results provided on mobile phones.

While observing this boom in Internet connectivity it’s clearly a good strategy to monitor new avenues for making business available through mobile devices. And leave it to Google to lead the way by enabling click-to-call phone numbers in the ads that appear on mobile web browsers. 

One nifty feature smartphones have is the ability for users to click on phone numbers to automatically dial a call. For example; with a click-to-call number added to a listing, when a smartphone user is searching for a local restaurant on their mobile device they can now simply click on the phone number and place the call to get directions or make reservations. Sound cool? Oh you better believe there’s more!

Set it up

Google’s mobile click-to-call ads are generated based on location, which is great for businesses that rely primarily on local clientele. There’s no need in advertising your business located in Florida to someone on his or her mobile in California, and with mobile technology Google has that covered. Mobile click-to-call ads are also displayed based on your bid for specified keywords, so search-engine marketing and optimization never come into play.

The results of ads can be fully measured by tracking how many calls are actually received. In addition, consider the fact that if a user has clicked through to call your business, you already have a warm lead on the line. And, at just a few cents per ad that is clicked on, it is hands-down a smart tool for business.

Mobile click-to-call ads are an addition to Google’s pay-per-click program called AdWords. Merchants using AdWords bid on their choice of keywords and their ads will appear within the search results based on those bids and keywords. AdWords are also displayed on websites and blogs related to those keywords when the publisher has joined Google’s AdSense program.

To generate your click-to-call ads, simply create an account with AdWords or log in to your existing AdWords account (adwords.google.com/). Click on “set up location extensions” and add your business’s phone number. Then check the box that says “show your ads on mobile devices with full Internet browsers” in your campaign settings.

The cost of a click-to-call will be the same as the cost of a click-to-visit ad, and considering the local nature of the program with clever bidding techniques, the click-to-call feature should only cost a few cents per click/call. Compared to a local Yellow Pages ad that may or may not bee seen by anyone, it seems Google has opened a window for local, targeted advertising and effective marketing that will be far more affordable and effective.

So get your business dialed in, and good luck on the mobile end of your Internet marketing efforts!

Mobile click-to-call ads are an addition to Google’s pay-per-click program called AdWords.