How to Get Started with Pay Per Call
In this guide I will walk you through how you can get started in Pay Per Call marketing.
Pay Per Call
More and more publishers are getting started with pay per call. The industry is really starting to grow and mature.
There are still lots of great opportunities to capitalize on and more new campaigns and traffic sources are opening up the market further.
Many publishers have been avoiding pay per call because it is slightly different than what they are currently doing. There are definitely some subtle differences, but nothing that should stop publishers from trying their first pay per call campaign!
Below is a guide to pay per call marketing and how to get started with your first campaign.
You can also watch this Video on Getting Started with Pay Per Call - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2vR4gk_c_E
Why Pay Per Call?
Pay per call itself has been around for a long time, as long as performance online marketing. It's not actually new.
However, with the growth of mobile it's finally becoming a more wide-scale and viable option. We're seeing more and more click to call integration through mobile phones, but also through desktop computers.
Many advertisers in the performance space, up to this point, have been collecting leads that they then call back. So, why not skip that step and connect the caller and the advertiser directly, in real-time. We feel that pay per call is mobile leadgen.
Choosing a Campaign
There are a few very important items that you want to review when choosing your first pay per call campaign.
Location:
Many pay per call campaigns are locally targeted and it's important to take note of the regions that are covered. You'll need to set your campaign targeting accordingly. Any calls sent outside of that time will NOT be paid for.
Hours:
Since we're dealing with real-time callers that are calling in to an advertiser's call center, you need to make sure you're sending calls during the call center's hours of operation. There are some campaigns that are 24/7, but the majority are limited to M-F 9am to 5pm. Also, it's very important to note the timezone set on the campaign, as the do vary.
Duration:
Most pay per call campaigns convert on duration. It's not the best method, but it is currently the most accurate that we can utilize right now. Most campaigns are set to convert after a call lasts 1-3 minutes. It's also important to note if there are any key presses tied to the conversion as well.
Payout:
Campaign payouts vary greatly, depending on the vertical. Most campaigns will payout on a fixed payout for a set duration. However, in some cases a campaign may payout on a "Qualified Call" with a variable dollar amount. In this case you are likely sending calls to a bundled campaign, which is routing calls to several potential buyers and the payout is based on a different set of conversion criteria, per buyer.
Promotion:
There are many ways to promote pay per call campaigns, but it's important to confirm that a campaign allows your intended promotion method. Check each campaign carefully and read the descriptions to ensure you are utilizing an approved promotion type.
Choosing a Pay Per Call Campaign Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uutjq5klE0M
Researching Pay Per Call Campaigns - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RUx73sBlQ4
Call Promotions
A call promotion is a feature that can be turned on within any Invoca platform, you just need to ask. The call promotion will allow you to create your own Interactive Voice Response (IVR). The call promotion allows for publishers to redirect calls and route them based on a set of variables.
So, you can test campaign performance and monetize for different types of callers. You can also record your own IVR's and ask questions to filter and redirect callers for the best possible monetization.
Improving Conversions with IVR's Webinar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=matV-lenDc4
RingPools
RingPools allow for publishers to track more parameters from each click. A RingPool contains a group of numbers and a unique number is pulled from the pool, assigned to a single click, and tracks the parameters to a conversion. This form of tracking allows for publishers to track variables like keyword, clickid, subid, placements, etc.
RingPools Webinar Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1SaRH2Ix4
How to Use RingPools Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXNaPiSK-4Q
Pay Per Call Differences
Pay per call is likely different than what you're used to. Below is a list of some of the differences to be aware of.
-Real-time calls with customers and advertiser call centers
-Conversions based on durations
-Regional targeting per campaign
-Day-parting based on advertiser call center hours
-Tracking phone numbers, instead of tracking links
-IVR's/Call Promotions for routing calls
-Quality feedback is much faster
-Limitations with tracking
Traffic Sources
Search:
Search engine marketing is currently the best traffic source for pay per call, especially mobile search with click to call extensions. Google and Bing are both proven traffic sources. Desktop can work as well, but mobile search is a big driver of pay per call growth and success.
Bing Ads for Pay Per Call Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSCtzWpPUqQ
PPV:
Pay per view traffic "popped up" (sorry for the pun) surprisingly as a newer traffic source for pay per call. Tech support has proven to be a very strong category for PPV, but other verticals work as well. There is a barrier here that needs to be overcome, since you need users to pick up their phone and make a call.
Succeeding with PPV Webinar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtFx3B4I2VU
Mobile Display:
Although tracking is limited with mobile display, publishers are still doing well with this traffic source. You can gain more tracking insight through RingPools, although users will need to hit the landing page. Click to call integration through mobile banners can also work, but there are a lot more accidental dials and an IVR, to filter calls, is necessary. There is a real opportunity in mobile display for publishers to "crack the code".
Mobile Display Webinar Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo66NMuoSa0
Social:
There's not a lot of pay per call traffic coming through social media currently. It's expected that Facebook will soon add a click to call feature within their advertising creative and Twitter recently added one as well. Currently publishers are running student loan debt campaigns successfully on Facebook ads, despite not have click to call integration. There is definitely an opportunity here!
Email:
In the past many email marketers would ask for the phone numbers to be removed from the creatives and landing pages from campaigns. But, with pay per call those email marketers can get credit for those calls, in addition to lead form conversions. So, it makes sense to add pay per call to the mix. We know that many users check their email on a mobile phone, so it makes sense that they would click to call through those emails. Email is certainly an under-capitalized promotion type for pay per call.
Offline:
Since we're tracking with phone numbers, those numbers can be placed almost anywhere and publishers can get credit for driving the calls. So, offline opportunities like print, radio, tv, billboards, newspapers etc. are a viable option. Publishers can also request local numbers, to help consumers feel comfortable making the call.
Call Center:
Call centers looking to upsell, downsell, cross-sell etc. can all utilize pay per call marketing to monetize their calls. Certain campaigns will allow call center traffic and certain methods of call center promotion, like live transfers, cold drops, IVR connections, etc. If you have a call center, it's worth giving pay per call a try.
Opportunities
There are still plenty of opportunities for publishers in the pay per call space. As click to call integration continues to grow, the easier it will be for callers to call advertisers, opening up promotion opportunities for publishers. One opportunity that would greatly benefit from click to call integration is Facebook.
Mobile display is also another great chance for publishers to expand in to. Currently the only limitation is tracking, but once this is improved and allows publishers to track better, a real opportunity will open up.
Many of the campaigns in pay per call are different and there are many unique and different advertisers testing out pay per call. Expect to see new channels, verticals and advertisers in the near future with pay per call.
There are challenges and differences with pay per call, but it is still a great opportunity for first mover advantage. The publishers that take the chance now and overcome the difficulties will be the big winners, now and in the future.
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