Call Tracking Tips for SEO & SEM (Without Using Paid Tools)

Updated June 17, 2022

Metrics for Optimizing ROI

There’s a saying in traditional marketing: “We know that half of my marketing works; we just don’t know which half.” Fortunately SEO and Search Engine Marketing (SEM, AKA AdWords or Pay-Per-Click) offer better data. In this post, I’ll share what it is as well as our best call tracking tips so you know which marketing dollars are earning their keep.

What is Call Tracking?

Simply put, it’s a way for online marketers to measure where phone calls come from. Ideally, you track sources, campaigns, and keywords that turn into sales leads. You can also take call tracking one step further by integrating that tracking (via an API or special coding) into a CRM like Salesforce. By having a closed loop, you can see exactly how you’re spending online marketing dollars and what generates income. Note: no system is perfect, especially if people are involved. The accuracy of any tracking process can be compromised wherever human input is required.

Don’t Be Afraid of Dynamic Numbers for Testing

So what do I mean by dynamic numbers? Dynamic numbers are inserted using javascript and logic. Let’s say you are running an AdWords campaign and are using various search phrases (keywords) to attract prospects. Using dynamic numbers allows you to track what keywords were clicked on and resulted in a phone call. From there you can better evaluate the performance of every variable associated with that click. Armed with that information you can improve and reproduce it.

We find that many clients are afraid to use dynamic numbers on their website. The main reason? Concern that past or future customers may get confused. It’s important to note that you can have a dynamic phone number inserted depending upon the visitor source (e.g., a PPC ad campaign, social media post, direct — where someone searches on the business brand or specific URL) and that your main number is what appears by default on your website.

Treat SEO Call Tracking Differently from PPC

There was an argument some time ago that dynamic number insertion (DNI) would hurt SEO. Why? Due to NAP – Name, Address, Phone Numbers. The NAP should be consistent across the web. Why? Inconsistent information confuses Google.

So how should you treat SEO call tracking?

1. Don’t use dynamic numbers for online directories or other listings for your business on the web. That will hurt your organic SEO.

2. Set up Google Analytics goals. In my opinion, this is online marketing 101. Call tracking for SEO should start with setting up goals in Google Analytics (GA). All too often I see that GA isn’t configured properly to track form completions or phone calls.

3. Referring domains provides a wealth of information. Look in GA to find your best traffic and lead generator. This is why link building is so powerful. Links should drive qualified traffic and leads to your business. The side benefit of links is SEO juice. Are you getting the right traffic and where is that audience landing? Is that information (URL) the most relevant for that audience? These are questions that your Analytics can help answer. And for those top referring domains, perhaps a special code or phone number is in order for better tracking of these leads.

The Power of Click to Call on Mobile

We are still seeing a major uptick occurring on mobile devices. Visitors are using their tablets and smartphones to search and make buying decisions by clicking to call more often than ever. While this isn’t specifically a call tracking tip, it is a shift in how businesses are selling online. Prospects are bypassing web forms, opting to click/call in order to get an immediate response.

Keeping this trend in mind, make sure you have AdWords landing pages designed specifically for mobile users. This should help with overall ROI. Of course, you’ll want to test that too. Every business is different, and you’ll want to customize these ideas for your sales cycle.

Are you using call tracking for SEO and SEM? If not, why not?

photo credit top: Vincent Diamante
photo credit body: Esteban Chiner