Insights · Follow up · Tracking
How to track phone calls from Google Ads and your website
By Abu B, Senior Data and Analytics Lead
Published · 3 minute read
The short answer
To track calls from Google Ads, use three layers: call assets with a Google forwarding number for calls straight from the ad, website call conversions or call tracking software for calls from your landing pages, and offline conversion imports to tell Google which calls became clients. Without call tracking, many service businesses undercount their leads and Google optimises for the wrong thing.
For many service businesses, phone calls are the most valuable leads. Yet in a lot of the accounts I audit, calls are not tracked at all. Google Ads then thinks the campaigns are underperforming, and bids towards whatever it can see, usually form fills. Here is how to measure calls properly.
Why does call tracking matter?
- Calls often make up a large share of enquiries for trades, solicitors and clinics.
- Smart bidding can only optimise towards conversions it can see.
- Without it, you cannot tell which campaigns and keywords bring in callers.
Layer 1: calls straight from your ads
Add call assets to your campaigns so a phone number or call button appears with your ads. Turn on call reporting, and Google uses a forwarding number to record each call, its length and whether it counts as a conversion. Set a minimum call length, such as 60 seconds, so wrong numbers and quick hang-ups are not counted as leads.
Layer 2: calls from your website
Many people click your ad, read your page, then call the number on it. There are two ways to catch these.
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Google website call conversions | A Google forwarding number replaces your number on the page for ad visitors | Google Ads only, at no extra cost |
| Call tracking software | A unique number is shown to each visitor or source, recording where every call came from | All channels: ads, SEO, social and email |
Call tracking software shows which channel, page and often which keyword led to each call, and can record calls for quality and training, with the right notices to callers.
Layer 3: tell Google which calls became clients
A 90-second call is not always a good lead. Mark each call in your CRM as qualified, booked or not suitable, then import those outcomes back into Google Ads as offline conversions. Bidding then moves towards the searches that bring clients, not just callers.
A quick health check
- Call your own ad numberCheck the call appears in Google Ads.
- Call from your landing pageCheck website call tracking records it.
- Compare with your phone recordsIf your phone bill shows far more calls than your reports, something is not being tracked.
- Check countingOne call should count as one conversion, not several.
About the author
Abu B, Senior Data and Analytics Lead. Abu makes sure every decision is backed by accurate data. He runs tracking, attribution, GA4, call tracking, CRM setup and dashboards, working with Klaus on automation.
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