Learn The Ultimate Guide to Call Tracking Marketing can improve your marketing efforts and create a better customer experience. This comprehensive guide covers everything from the basics of call tracking to advanced strategies for optimizing your campaigns. Discover how to use call tracking to personalize the call experience, optimize paid search, and measure ROI. Plus, find out what questions to ask when choosing a call-tracking provider.
If call tracking software is a new concept to you, you might assume it's solely utilized by contact centers to ensure representatives adhere to a script or by overbearing parents to monitor their rebellious teenagers. However, while call tracking can indeed assist contact centers in monitoring call quality, it's distinct from the technology employed by marketers to attribute calls and acquire data for campaign optimization. Also, let's be real, teenagers nowadays don't typically use phones for calling their friends, so snooping on their call history won't yield much, dad. You may want to check Snapchat or another app instead. Also read: Top 20 Best Digital Marketing Business Ideas
Now that we're on the same page, let's delve into what call-tracking software is and how it benefits marketers.
What is Call Tracking Software?
Marketers can leverage call tracking software to extract valuable data from phone conversations with customers, which can precisely identify the marketing campaign or tactic responsible for driving the phone call and its outcome. Suppose, for instance, you contact a business that utilizes call tracking. In that case, they can determine which advertisements, web pages, and even keywords were instrumental in prompting you to call.
After connecting on the phone, conversational analytics can scrutinize the conversation's language to determine whether you made a purchase, received a quote, scheduled an appointment, or what marketers refer to as a "conversion." The acquired information can be utilized to attribute marketing campaigns, and optimize advertisements, web pages, social media, and other advertising channels, ultimately attracting more high-value customers to contact your business.
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In the absence of call tracking, it becomes arduous to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of your marketing endeavors that stimulate sales calls since the data trail vanishes when potential customers answer the phone.
How Does Call Tracking Software Work?
Invoca, a cloud-based call-tracking software, empowers marketers to correlate customers' digital journeys with phone calls by gathering online data via distinct, traceable phone numbers. Invoca's call tracking and analytics are facilitated by a website tag, which is a small piece of JavaScript code added to your website. This tag automatically substitutes ordinary, non-trackable phone numbers with traceable, dynamic phone numbers, customized for each website visitor. These dynamic numbers function as a unique identifier for each individual's website session.
Besides managing dynamic phone numbers, the Invoca tag captures other essential data, such as UTM source, medium, paid search keywords, and Google ClickID. Moreover, the tag records additional customer journey data, including page visits and unique customer identifiers obtained from the browser cookie. Using this data, you can precisely discern which marketing tactics are responsible for driving your high-value phone calls.
When a person dials an Invoca-supplied phone number, the call is directed through the Invoca platform to a call center, local agent, or any other chosen destination. This mechanism enables Invoca to gather digital data and associate the callers' previous activity with the phone call promptly and without interrupting the caller's experience.
Why Do I Need Call Tracking?
Marketers consider calls as the most valuable conversions, given that they tend to have higher conversion rates and average order values (AOVs) than other forms of engagement. According to Forrester, 84% of marketers believe that phone calls hold greater value. Failing to track the phone calls generated by your marketing efforts results in an incomplete ROI evaluation.
By employing call tracking, you can determine which digital advertisements, keywords, and web pages are most effective in directing phone calls to your business. Furthermore, you can assess the number of high-quality leads and conversions among those phone calls. This provides complete end-to-end attribution for your campaigns and enables smarter optimization decisions to generate more revenue.
How Can Marketers Use Call Tracking?
Call tracking is primarily used by marketers to optimize their paid search and other digital marketing initiatives, personalize the caller experience and improve the end-to-end customer journey by combining online and offline data sources. Call tracking users typically witness significant benefits, including reduced cost-per-click (CPC) on paid search, reduced cost-per-acquisition (CPA), and increased return on ad spend (ROAS). Also read: Email marketing best practices
- The benefits of inbound call tracking
- Achieve comprehensive ROI tracking for your marketing campaigns.
- Attribute all phone call conversions to your marketing efforts.
- Maximize media spend to generate high-quality leads.
- Minimize advertising budget waste.
- Augment caller profiles with conversational data.
- Retarget callers based on the content of their phone conversations.
- Utilize commonly-used phrases from conversations to enhance your marketing messaging.
- Boost call conversion rates by tracking and optimizing sales agent performance.
- Integrate conversation intelligence data with your current technology stack.
What Industries Should Use a Call Tracking Solution?
Industries that depend on inbound calls for customer acquisition can benefit greatly from implementing a call tracking solution. Doing so can help them identify which marketing programs are yielding the most value and make necessary optimizations. Some examples of such industries are automotive, healthcare, home services, financial services, franchises, insurance, travel, telecom, real estate, and others.
How to Unify Data from Clicks and Calls with Call Tracking
To obtain the closed-loop attribution necessary for optimizing digital marketing, it is essential to collect data for each individual consumer. This data is stored in a caller profile, where marketers can store a plethora of relevant information. This information can take on different forms, such as:
The following types of data can be collected for analyzing customer behavior:
Customer journey data, which includes ad exposure and website visitation (also known as cookie or campaign data)
First-party data, such as customer records that can be imported from a marketer's CRM
Third-party demographic data
Call data that comprises of metrics such as call duration, call timing, caller area code, and more
Conversational data obtained from conversational analytics and other AI-powered tools.
By integrating these datasets to create a comprehensive profile of the caller and linking it to the phone call, you can gain insights into which marketing campaigns are generating the highest number of calls. This information can be utilized to your advantage.
How to Optimize Paid Search with Call Tracking
Call tracking is primarily used for optimizing paid search, and Google Ads is a popular example of this. Invoca's Offline Conversions integration helps in optimizing Google Ads paid search by providing closed-loop attribution for phone calls and conversions generated through paid search and display campaigns.
Invoca collects crucial data about the digital journey, such as marketing campaigns and ad creatives, and links that data to phone calls. This enables you to identify which paid search campaign and keyword triggered a call. When a call is made, Invoca captures identifiers like the Google Click ID, allowing you to report individual call events and conversions to Google Ads in real-time. This gives you an accurate and precise way to track keyword visibility for mobile call extensions and calls from landing pages.
Since call conversions are reported in Google Ads in a similar way as online conversions, you can treat call data just like digital data.
You can identify which ad groups, ads, and keywords are responsible for driving different types of call outcomes. Furthermore, you can measure the revenue generated from calls to determine your return on ad spend. Finally, you can optimize your keyword spend using automated bidding rules based on conversions.
Several of our customers have achieved significant results with minimal effort by utilizing Invoca's call tracking data to inform Google's Smart Bidding algorithm. For instance, eHealth leveraged the integrations with Google Ads and Adobe Experience Cloud to optimize their paid media for phone-based events. This resulted in a 20% reduction in cost per acquisition and a 20% increase in conversion rates. By feeding Invoca's data to Google's Smart Bidding algorithm, they also achieved up to a 60% reduction in the cost of acquisition for click-to-call campaigns.
Personalizing the Caller Experience with Call Tracking Software
Improving the call experience may appear to be solely the responsibility of the call center. However, when callers (who were directed to call through your marketing efforts) have a poor experience, it can lead to lower conversion rates and reduce the effectiveness of your marketing. That makes it your concern as well. Call tracking and analytics platforms can assist you in customizing the call experience and increasing your conversion rates.
With Invoca, the call center can access real-time insights about a caller, including their previous engagement history, as well as the ad campaign and keyword that triggered the call. This information can be utilized to automatically route and filter calls, ensuring that callers are directed to the most appropriate person or department without having to navigate the phone tree.
Armed with this information, call center representatives can work more efficiently and effectively with customers to secure a sale. For example, if a customer has added an item to their cart but calls before completing the purchase, they can be directed to an agent who is aware of what they have in their cart and why they are calling.
DISH Network, for instance, discovered that many of its online shoppers were abandoning their carts when prompted to provide personal information such as social security numbers. To ensure that it could convert these customers, it employed Invoca to seamlessly direct cart abandoners to a call center experience that was tailored specifically to their requirements.
By configuring rules in the Invoca call routing system, calls are automatically directed to the appropriate department based on the customer's product interest, and support calls are directed to customer service. Invoca can also provide call center representatives with a "whisper message" (a brief, system-generated audio clip played to the call center agent) prior to connecting the caller to offer additional information about the nature of the call.
By utilizing call tracking, marketers can make more informed decisions, generate more revenue, and create an exceptional customer experience. And who wouldn't want more sales and satisfied customers?
Call tracking features that improve the customer experience
By utilizing call tracking and analytics platforms, marketers can achieve various benefits, including:
Enhancing marketing campaign personalization
Intelligently routing callers to the most appropriate agent based on digital intent data
Creating cloud IVRs quickly without the need for assistance from IT
Identifying webpages that lead to digital abandonment
Gaining valuable insights about consumers' needs and evolving expectations
Using AI to automatically evaluate sales agent performance and enhance coaching
Prioritizing follow-ups based on identifying missed calls that represent high-value sales opportunities.
Overall, implementing call tracking can lead to improved sales and a better experience for customers.
What Questions Should I Ask When Evaluating Call Tracking Providers?
When choosing a call tracking provider, it's important to look beyond basic features and consider which provider can offer the most value. To make an informed decision, ask the following questions:
- What integrations does the call tracking platform support?
- Can the provider attribute calls to specific marketing channels and campaigns?
- Does the platform offer real-time reporting and analytics?
- How easy is it to set up and configure call tracking numbers?
- Does the provider offer features like call recording, call transcription, and sentiment analysis?
- Can the platform integrate with your existing CRM system?
- What level of customer support does the provider offer?
- Does the provider offer advanced features like conversational analytics and AI-powered call routing?
- How customizable is the call tracking platform?
- What kind of security measures does the provider have in place to protect call data?
FAQs related to The Ultimate Guide to Call Tracking Marketing
Q. Top 5 Benefits of Call Tracking Marketing
Enhanced Call Attribution: Call tracking marketing enables businesses to accurately measure and attribute phone call conversions to specific marketing campaigns and channels, providing insights into which campaigns are driving the most valuable leads.
Improved Marketing ROI: By identifying which marketing campaigns and channels are driving phone call conversions, businesses can make informed decisions about where to invest their marketing budget for optimal ROI.
Enhanced Customer Experience: Call tracking enables businesses to personalize the call experience for customers by routing them to the most appropriate agent based on their needs and providing agents with detailed information about the customer's previous engagement history.
Deeper Insights into Customer Needs: Call tracking solutions can capture valuable data about customer needs and preferences, allowing businesses to optimize their marketing strategies to better meet customer expectations.
Better Sales Performance: Call tracking solutions can help businesses identify high-value sales opportunities and prioritize follow-ups accordingly, as well as use AI to automatically score sales agent performance and improve coaching.
Q. Top 10 Tips for Effective Call Tracking Marketing
Set clear goals and KPIs for your call tracking campaign.
Use dynamic number insertion to track the source of each call.
Implement call recording to improve customer service and sales techniques.
Use call tracking analytics to identify high-performing marketing channels.
Optimize landing pages to increase call conversions.
Use call routing to connect callers with the most qualified representative.
Use call data to inform and improve your overall marketing strategy.
Integrate call tracking with your CRM to enhance customer insights.
Use call tracking to monitor and improve the performance of call center agents.
Continuously test and iterate your call tracking strategy for optimal results.
Q. Top 3 Reasons to Invest in Call Tracking Marketing
Better ROI: By tracking the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and understanding which ones are driving the most phone calls, you can make data-driven decisions and allocate your marketing budget more effectively, resulting in better return on investment (ROI).
Enhanced Customer Experience: Call tracking technology can help you personalize the call experience for customers, which can lead to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction. By using data about the caller's digital journey and previous engagement history, you can route them to the right person or department and provide a more tailored experience.
Competitive Advantage: By investing in call tracking marketing, you can gain a competitive advantage over businesses that are not utilizing this technology. Call tracking can provide you with valuable insights about your target audience and help you optimize your marketing strategies to drive more calls and revenue.
Q. Top 9 Tools for Call Tracking Marketing
Invoca: A comprehensive call tracking and analytics platform that helps businesses measure the impact of their marketing campaigns on inbound calls.
CallRail: A call tracking and analytics tool that allows businesses to track which marketing campaigns are driving phone calls, text messages, and form submissions.
Google Analytics: A free web analytics service that provides businesses with detailed data and insights into website traffic, including how visitors are finding and interacting with their site.
Marchex: A call tracking and analytics platform that helps businesses drive revenue by connecting the dots between online and offline marketing.
CallTrackingMetrics: A call tracking and analytics tool that provides businesses with insights into which marketing channels are driving phone calls, texts, and form submissions.
DialogTech: A call tracking and analytics platform that helps businesses optimize their marketing campaigns and improve the customer experience by tracking and analyzing inbound calls.
Ringba: A call tracking and analytics platform that allows businesses to track and analyze inbound calls and optimize their marketing campaigns for maximum ROI.
WhatConverts: A call tracking and analytics tool that helps businesses track which marketing campaigns are driving phone calls, web form submissions, and chat interactions.
Phonexa: A comprehensive call tracking and analytics platform that provides businesses with insights into which marketing channels are driving inbound calls and how those calls are being handled by sales and support teams.
Q. Top 7 Tips for Optimizing Call Tracking Marketing
Define clear goals: Before implementing call tracking, it's important to define your marketing goals and objectives. This will help you determine which metrics to track and which call tracking tools to use.
Use unique phone numbers: Assign a unique phone number to each marketing channel, campaign, or ad group. This will help you identify which campaigns are driving the most calls and which channels to invest in.
Integrate call tracking with your CRM: Integrating call tracking with your CRM will allow you to track the full customer journey, from the first touchpoint to the final sale. This will help you gain deeper insights into your customers' behavior and preferences.
Monitor call quality: Monitoring call quality is crucial to ensure that your callers are having a positive experience with your brand. Use call recording and call transcriptions to monitor call quality and identify areas for improvement.
Train your call center agents: Your call center agents are your brand ambassadors, so it's important to invest in their training and development. Train them on the best practices for handling customer inquiries and ensure they have access to the call tracking data they need to provide personalized customer experiences.
Analyze call data: Use call tracking data to gain insights into customer behavior, preferences, and pain points. This will help you make data-driven decisions about your marketing campaigns and improve your overall marketing strategy.
Optimize your marketing campaigns: Use call tracking data to optimize your marketing campaigns. Identify which campaigns are driving the most calls and which channels are delivering the best ROI. Use this information to adjust your campaigns and allocate your marketing budget more effectively.
Q. How Can Call Tracking Marketing Help Your Business?
Call-tracking marketing can help your business in several ways:
Measure marketing ROI: Call tracking allows you to track and measure the performance of your marketing campaigns, including which ads, keywords, and channels are driving phone calls. This information can help you allocate your marketing budget more effectively and improve your overall return on investment.
Improve customer experience: With call tracking, you can gather valuable information about your callers, including their interests and preferences, which can be used to personalize their experience and increase their satisfaction. By providing a better customer experience, you can increase the likelihood of converting callers into customers.
Optimize sales performance: Call tracking provides insights into the performance of your sales team, including call duration, conversion rates, and missed opportunities. This data can be used to optimize sales processes and improve sales performance.
Enhance lead generation: Call tracking can help you identify which marketing channels and campaigns are generating the most leads, allowing you to focus your efforts on the most effective strategies.
Improve campaign targeting: Call tracking data can be used to identify which demographics are most responsive to your marketing campaigns, allowing you to adjust your targeting strategies to improve results.
Overall, call tracking marketing can help you make data-driven decisions, improve customer experience, and increase your marketing effectiveness, leading to increased sales and revenue for your business.
Q. What Are the Benefits of Call Tracking Marketing?
Call tracking marketing provides several benefits for businesses, including:
Improved ROI: By tracking phone calls and tying them to specific marketing campaigns, businesses can better understand which campaigns are driving the most revenue and adjust their marketing spend accordingly.
Enhanced customer experience: Call tracking allows businesses to personalize the call experience for customers, which can increase conversion rates and overall customer satisfaction.
Deeper insights: Call tracking provides businesses with valuable data about their customers' needs and behavior, which can inform marketing strategies and lead to more effective campaigns.
Better lead generation: Call tracking can help businesses identify which marketing channels and campaigns are driving the most high-quality leads, allowing them to focus their efforts on the most effective strategies.
Increased efficiency: By using call routing and automated tools, businesses can streamline their call handling processes and improve the productivity of their sales and customer service teams.
Overall, call tracking marketing provides businesses with a comprehensive view of their marketing efforts and customer interactions, allowing them to make data-driven decisions and optimize their strategies for maximum ROI.
Q. What Strategies Should You Use for Call Tracking Marketing?
There are several strategies you can use for call tracking marketing, including:
Targeted advertising: Use call tracking to identify which advertising channels and campaigns are generating the most calls and adjust your marketing budget and strategy accordingly.
Personalized call experience: Use call tracking data to personalize the caller’s experience by routing them to the most appropriate agent or department based on their interests or needs.
Conversion optimization: Use call tracking to analyze which keywords and ad content are generating the most conversions, and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Lead scoring: Use call tracking data to score the leads generated through phone calls and prioritize follow-up accordingly.
Customer insights: Use call tracking to gather customer insights and feedback that can be used to improve your products and services.
Sales coaching: Use call tracking data to analyze and coach your sales team to improve their performance and close more deals.
ROI analysis: Use call tracking to measure the ROI of your marketing campaigns and adjust your strategy accordingly to improve your bottom line.
Multi-channel attribution: Use call tracking to track and analyze the impact of all marketing channels on phone call conversions, including online and offline campaigns.
Continuous improvement: Use call tracking to continuously monitor and improve your marketing campaigns to ensure maximum ROI and customer satisfaction.
Q. What Are the Best Practices for Call Tracking Marketing?
Clearly define your goals: Before implementing call tracking, determine what you want to achieve with it. This will help you choose the right call tracking software and strategies that align with your goals.
Track all calls: Make sure to track all incoming calls to your business, including those from online and offline sources, to get a complete picture of your marketing campaign's effectiveness.
Use dynamic number insertion: Dynamic number insertion (DNI) allows you to display a unique phone number to each visitor based on their traffic source. This helps you attribute calls to the correct marketing channel and optimize your campaigns accordingly.
Integrate call tracking with other tools: Integrate your call tracking software with other marketing tools, such as Google Analytics and CRM systems, to get a more comprehensive view of your customers and their behavior.
Personalize the caller experience: Use the data collected from call tracking to personalize the caller experience. Route callers to the right department, offer targeted promotions, and provide customized responses based on their past interactions with your business.
Train your staff: Ensure that your staff is trained to handle calls efficiently and effectively. This includes being knowledgeable about the products and services offered, providing excellent customer service, and following up on missed calls promptly.
Continuously analyze and optimize: Regularly analyze the data collected from call tracking to identify trends and areas for improvement. Use this information to optimize your marketing campaigns, improve the caller experience, and ultimately drive more conversions and revenue.
Q. Why Should You Invest in Call Tracking Marketing?
Investing in call tracking marketing can bring numerous benefits to your business, including:
Better insights: Call tracking enables you to gain a deeper understanding of your customers' behavior and preferences, allowing you to make more informed marketing decisions.
Improved ROI: By tracking which marketing campaigns generate the most calls and sales, you can focus your resources on the channels that drive the most revenue and optimize your return on investment.
Enhanced customer experience: With call tracking, you can personalize the call experience and route callers to the right agents or departments, improving customer satisfaction and retention.
Competitive advantage: Call tracking can help you stay ahead of your competitors by providing a more comprehensive view of your marketing efforts and customer interactions.
Overall, investing in call tracking marketing can help you improve your marketing strategy, increase revenue, and build better relationships with your customers.