Today Google formally announced the launch of clickable phone numbers for its mobile ads. “Click to Call”, as the phrase will officially be called, will be available only for high-end mobile devices or phones that allow full HTML browsing. It allows users to search on Google as they normally would and rather than have to click through to a webpage and find the number, the number is included in the ad copy.

What does this mean for businesses advertising on search? Greg Sterling of Search Engine Land expounds on it in his article. Here are a few of the points he makes:

• The presence of a phone number in the ad significantly improved ad performance. It gives a greater sense of credibility for the advertiser and then trust for the user. It also makes the ad stand out more.
• Calls can be tracked and show up  in reporting.
• Advertisers can make mobile specific campaigns with mobile targeting and ad copy. Very effective!
• The feature is now basically a pay per call system at bargain pay per click prices.

As the feature becomes increasingly popular we can expect to see prices increase as advertisers bid against each other. For now though, it is a steal for what businesses are paying. Just another exciting and innovative way that advertising is evolving.

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