Google began alerting some Adwords advertisers that they will be rolling out automated call extensions in mobile ads starting on Feb 6th. The new automated call extensions will automatically pull phone numbers featured on landing pages.
What is a call extension?
Call extensions make it easy for customers to call you directly from your ad, and for you to better understand the value of your campaigns by measuring the phone calls that your ads generate.
Call extensions are a type of ad extension–an ad feature that allows advertisers to include additional information about their businesses and offerings in their text ads. In the case of call extensions, this additional information is your business phone number. This information is featured prominently in search results, with your phone number being a link to call you directly.
Why does it matter?
There are both pros and cons to the implementation of call extensions. Call extensions can help increase the value of your ad by making it more noticeable and easier for users to contact you, but those clicks can come at an increased cost. If you receive automated call extensions, you will want to monitor your budget to make sure that they’re working for your business.
There are also many cases where your landing page could be eligible for automated call extensions, but call extensions may not be the right fit for your needs. It may be that you would rather have users fill out a form because operators are not available. In those cases you will want to opt out of this new program.
What do I do if I don’t want a call extension?
Call extensions aren’t a good fit for every landing page or every business. If you do not want to be part of this new program, it is time to be proactive. You will want to opt out of all automated extensions. To do so, navigate to the Ad Extensions tab in AdWords and check the box, “Do not use specific automated extensions for this account,” available at the bottom of the Automated extensions report.
