Google Ads Phone Call Conversion Tracking Tutorial (with google tag manager)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ธ.ค. 2023
- Want to track phone calls as conversions in Google Ads campaigns? This tutorial shows how to set up Google Ads phone call conversion tracking with Google Tag Manager.
Let's do it.
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Short. Concise. To the point. Exactly what I needed. Thanks!
Thanks! For both the feedback and the bonus.
Glad it was helpful for you. 🙂
Great video. Very helpful as GTM keeps changing so much I did not know where to start to get this to work. Thanks!
You are most welcome and I am glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching and for taking a minute to share this.
Best wishes in your tracking and optimization going forward. 😎
Great tutorial! Thanks
You're very welcome. Glad you found it worthwhile!
Helpful video, thanks
Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your feedback!
Great video, thank you very much. Quick question. I verified that it's working properly and I've published the container, but the conversion action is still marked as inactive in Google Ads. Do I have to wait for someone to actually call the number after clicking an ad (or do this myself) for it to verify or is there another way to make it active? Thanks!
Hi there. Thanks for watching and I'm glad you found it helpful.
Your tag status should change to active once you get a conversion from a traffic source identified with your Google Ads account. Further reading if you're interested: johnsonjonesgroup.com/google-ads-tag-inactive/
Good luck and Godspeed!
Hello Buddy. Thank you so much for the clear and concise tutorial! Can you please answer a doubt though? What happens if my number is not visible and is a call plugin, which shows a call button.
Hello there, Sachin. Thanks for watching and for the question.
If your number is not visible then there's a different way for you track the conversion. In that case, you're going to want to create a Google Ads conversion that fires based on clicks of the call button / tel: phone number link. I made this other video on the subject which might be worth checking out. You can jump to the 9:58 mark which is where the relevant part for you begins: th-cam.com/video/-Srb1Rstd6M/w-d-xo.html
Best wishes in your measurement journey.
Thank you so much! You have helped me immensely. @@rooted-digital
do this option also counts when they hit the call button on a google ad ? or is it just clicking from website and also i apreciate you for making a simple video some guys just make the video 30mins but does the same ^^
Really good question. There are 3 ways to track phone call conversions with Google Ads:
1.) Tracking the call button on the ad itself (what you've asked about here), which is also known as the "call extension"
2.) Tracking the click of a hyperlinked phone number on a webpage
3.) Tracking whenever a specific call tracking number is dialed (the call tracking number is dynamically inserted on the page and then redirects to your actual number)
This video shows the process for the third option in that list. I'm going to publish a longer video that also shows how to do the second option.
If you're interested in the call extension option (#1), you could try this: support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6095882?hl=en
Thanks for watching and for the kind feedback.
@rooted-digital the tag fires on all pages as this is the trigger but will every page view count as a conversion or only after the person clicks on the button and has a call duration of X seconds? To sum up: When will this tag & trigger configuration count as a conversion exactly?
Hello there Viktor, this particular tag and trigger work by generating a dynamic tracking phone number on your site that visually replaces what your actual phone number on the page. When that dynamic tracking phone number is called by a visitor (think about someone who punches it into their phone as opposed to simply clicking it) it redirects to the actual number and that call is logged as a conversion.
This is different from a conversion that counts when a hyperlinked phone number on a website is clicked and called. I actually just posted a video yesterday that shows how to do this second method if that's what you're interested in.
Check out the video below beginning at 09:58 to see the tag and trigger combination for tracking the click on a phone call link as a conversion.
th-cam.com/video/-Srb1Rstd6M/w-d-xo.html
Can you track more than one phone number on a webpage with a call tracking tag for built for each in GTM? How can I test to ensure each tag is firing properly when different a number is clicked on? Thanks!
I responded on your other comment.
Best of luck to you!
Sir, I'm running Call only ads for a client of Virtual office Services in dubai and I want to track phone calls from my ads but google forwarding number is not available for UAE thats why I'm unable to track phone calls from call only ads. What should I do in this regard ?
In that case, I would set up the conversion tracking differently. Instead of tracking the call through the dynamic number insertion (this method), I'd set up a conversion that tracks link clicks on the phone number itself.
If you skip to the 9:58 mark in this video below, you can see how to use that second method.
th-cam.com/video/-Srb1Rstd6M/w-d-xo.html
Best wishes.
Great video, but the website link that I want to put it, does not start with . and tag manager requested this, what should I do?
You know, I've never tried to use this for a site that does not use SSL / have HTTPS://. It's possible that Tag Manager requires it for testing.
So in the short term, I unfortunately don't have anything helpful to suggest. I would, however, recommend you look into applying SSL to the site so it is HTTPS instead of HTTP. Here's a resource with some reasons why that's a good idea.
www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/why-use-https/
Best wishes.
Thanks for the tutorial. I have a question, if i digit the number of google tracking on my phone instead of click? the call is work?
Hello there. Not sure I understand your question, but I'll do my best to answer.
There are a couple of ways to track phone call conversions in Google Ads.
One way is to display a dynamic number that will forward to your actual number. Calls on the dynamic number are recorded as conversions. So, for example, if you typed that number into a phone and called, it would count as a conversion.
Another way is to track the click of a hyperlinked phone number on Mobile and record that as a conversion. This does not involve using dynamic phone numbers. It just tracks the clicks,
The video you watched here is the first method. The video I've linked below includes the second method. The second method starts at 10:41 if you want to see how that works.
th-cam.com/video/-Srb1Rstd6M/w-d-xo.html
Best wishes and Godspeed!
so I shouldn't have my Google ads go to my main website page? do I need to create a landing page just for the Google ads? also, if I only have 1 phone number, what do I change it to, can I just leave it as my regular number?
Hello there. You can have your Google ads go to your main website homepage. Many advertisers choose to use a landing page because it can be simpler to show the contact form, contact info, etc, but that doesn't make sense for everyone. Especially if your homepage makes it easy for your visitors to find that info already.
In terms of your question about having 1 phone number only, please see below for some more context:
There are 3 ways to track phone call conversions with Google Ads:
1.) You can track the call button on the ad itself before the visitor makes it to your site. This is also known as the "call extension"
If you're interested in the call extension option (#1), you could try this: support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6095882?hl=en
2.) Tracking the click of a hyperlinked phone number on a webpage. That would track whenever one of your visitors clicks the link on the 1 phone number that is displayed on your site to initiate a call.
Check the 9:58 minute mark of this other video here if you want to do that: th-cam.com/video/-Srb1Rstd6M/w-d-xo.html
3.) Tracking whenever a specific call tracking number is dialed (the call tracking number is dynamically inserted on the page and then redirects to your actual number)
This video here shows the process for the third option in that list. If you do this, you don't make any decision on what to change it to. Google will dynamically insert a trackable phone number in the place of where your actual phone number shows. Then, when a visitor from a click on Google Ads sees and calls that trackable numbers, Google records it as a conversion and redirects the call to your actual phone number.
Hope that helps.
Hey there, I have been wondering, if I have the call number on a button let's say and I configure the google ads conversion on that button with a display phone number, but I have other buttons that have like Call now! Do I need to configure out other triggers for the click on that specific button?
Thanks for the question. It's a good one.
With what you're describing, there are two potential conversions that can be tracked.
Conversion 1: The dynamic swap display phone number. Google is going to record a conversion when the customer / prospect sees the display number, types it into their phone and calls. The display number redirects to the actual number and the conversion fires when Google sees the display number has been called.
Conversion 2: The button click for the phone call. You can set up a different kind of conversion that will fire on the link click of the phone number. This can fire whether the link click shows something like "Call Now!" or shows the actual phone number. In this case, the conversion fires on the click of that link (a tel: link).
Now, in situations where conversion 1 and conversion 2 are being used it is possible to count the same conversion twice. For example, if you are using a display phone number (conversion method 1 above) AND that number is a clickable hyperlink AND you are also using conversion method 2 above to record conversions on phone call links, then your call would count as both Conversion 1 and Conversion 2.
Hope that all makes sense. Best wishes!
Explained this scenario very well@@rooted-digital. Overall explanation is also good. Thanks.
@@RomalBhulani glad to hear you found it useful. Thanks! 🙂
Can this be done multiple times within GTM, for instance i have multiple numbers for different services on different landing pages. So i have created the conversion goals and separate tags in GTM but all the same trigger (All Pages)
Do you want to track all of your numbers as one goal or individual goals? If different goals, I'd have different triggers matched up to your different landing pages (and then to the different tags as well). You can have the triggers fire on all pages or some pages...and then specify the conditions if you do some.
How about if we use callrail and the number swaps anytime we refresh the page? what number should we use while the number is changing every time the page has been refreshed?
I haven't used CallRail but I thought that if you were using that you don't need to use Google Tag Manager. Here's this support article I found: support.callrail.com/hc/en-us/articles/5711821111053-Google-Ads-integration
This GTM approach with dynamic call swapping would be an alternative to the dynamic number swap that CallRail does.
This is probably a silly question, but for this call tracking to work, do we first need to add the Google Tab Manager code to our website or landing page?
Yes, you do need to install GTM. Here's a 4 minute video on how to do that if you have WordPress: th-cam.com/video/jjIsn-pniMw/w-d-xo.html
If you have another CMS, feel free to let me know and I'll see what I can send your way.
We don't have Google forwarding number, tracking phone link that indicates lots of conversions but very few actual calls. Advice on bottleneck
Hi, what about tracking calls from mobile website rather than desktop?
If I understand your question correctly, you mean tracking clicks to call on a mobile website.
That's a different process but you can also do that with a Google Ads conversion tag and Google Tag Manager. You can check out the 9:58 mark in this other video to see how to do that:
th-cam.com/video/-Srb1Rstd6M/w-d-xo.html
Best wishes.
what if we make a landing page for ppc separately which does not have any GTM codes on it
Well this method wouldn’t work for you in that case. It is possible to track Google Ads conversions without Tag Manager (although I haven’t done it), but it’s not possible to track Google Ads conversions without adding some sort of tracking code to the site / landing page.
And if you’re going to be adding tracking codes, it might be simplest to add a Google Tag Manager container code and go from there. Best wishes.
@@rooted-digital can you guide a bit more on this or can make a video for this I have GTM installed on the page now but the google ads call from conversion is already used in GTM and the page i am trying to track has a different phone number on it.
hi, in gtm debug view when i enter the #google-wcc-debug to the website url the tag assistant becomes not connected. i don't know why is this happening to me. do you know the possible reasons? thanks!
Hi there. I’m sorry I don’t have more info but I can’t say I’ve ever seen this. 🫤
My best guess is that maybe (?) your connection to tag assistant is spotty and the additional url parameters cause it to disconnect?
That doesn’t make a ton of sense but it’s my best guess. Good luck to you and very best wishes.
@@rooted-digital Thanks! for your reply. and i really concerned on why the small popup not show on the webpage when i enter the #google-wcc-debug to the website url and the tag assistant become disconnect!
I have the same issue@icsMagnet
UI: I installed Analytics/GTM/Pixel Debugger on Chrome, and now it's appearing.
UI2: Maybe it wasn't the extension, but clicking on a Phone Number in the page.
When i try to do the preview the page opens in a new window. I am unable to edit the URL on the top of the page. This is in chrome. Am i doing something wrong or should i try a new browser?
Hello there. Are you referring to what's happening in the video around the 7:25 mark after you've set up the tag and have connected in GTM preview mode?
If so, I haven't run into that issue myself and am not sure I can be super helpful. What happens when you try to edit the URL that includes the /?gtm_debug URL parameter and you try to add #google-wcc-debug to the end? Can you not type at all? Or does something else happen?
@rooted-digital yes its not allowing me to type at all In the url box
That’s frustrating and I’m sorry I can’t offer more help. I’ve never heard of something like this before. I will keep my ears open and can check back if I find out anything. I would consider trying a different browser, although you use Chrome and I’ve never had issues with it.
how do you install GTM
This video shows how to do it in 4 minutes: th-cam.com/video/jjIsn-pniMw/w-d-xo.html
If you're looking for more of a beginner's tutorial on GTM with the setup, this one is 12 minutes: th-cam.com/video/pMdjLBisDHI/w-d-xo.html
Best wishes.
when I add the Google-wcc-debug, it disconnects tag assistant
That is frustrating and should not be happening. I don't know why that could be the case. Perhaps an unstable internet connection could cause tag assistant to disconnect at this time? Sorry I can't offer more assistance but this one is beyond me. Best wishes.
what if the country is not supported or not in the list of phone numbers?
If it’s not a supported country, I don’t know a way to track the phone call conversion with this method. I’ve never run into that situation myself.
Sounds like you may already have this info, but just in case here’s a link to the supported countries list: support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2454052?sjid=11295617859023689588-NA#cfcountries
Best wishes.
@@rooted-digitalok indeed my country is not supported so this tracking wont work on me right?
Unfortunately, I think this would not work for you. I haven’t tested that myself, but I don’t have any reason to doubt Google’s support article. Bummer.
You could try setting up a conversion that will record when one of your visitors clicks a hyperlinked phone number on your page. I am publishing another video towards the end of the month and will show that method in comparison to the “dynamic swap” method that is unfortunately not available for you.
Best of luck to you.
@@rooted-digitalwow ill look forward.. i have subscribed :)
unable to edit the website to add deburge
Are you saying you type in the wcc parameter to test in GTM preview mode? If so, I’m sorry to say I haven’t had that experience myself and am not sure what could be causing it. Hope it resolves for you.
its sill that this does not work with google sites
I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for teaching me something new. And yea, I agree with you. Not sure why that might be.
#google-wcc-debug
Nice, thanks for posting