Google’s Click-To-Call feature, introduced in the U.S. some time ago, has been made available to our British friends. Certain sponsored ads now have a small green telephone icon next to them - click on it, and you’re informed that “Google can call your phone now and connect you to this company.”
A moderator on the Search Engine Watch Forums seems to have been the first to mention the update (although “credit goes to my workmate Sami for this spot”). “I actually prefer this ‘Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You’ model compared to MIVA’s toll-free number setup,” wrote “evilgreenmonkey,” also known as Robert Kerry.
Kerry then threw out a couple questions. “Is this going to revolutionise paid search? Will Google’s promotion of Pay Per Call boost take up of MIVA’s rival solution?”
“egain” responded about an hour later. “Personally I think so, we as a online marketing agency, have just launched our own service that does the same thing, to a positive response. To me it can only get bigger.”
Kerry linked to an example of Google’s Click-To-Call feature, visible in these results for jet2. An important detail is that you can “connect for free.” “Google foots the bill for all calls, both local and long-distance,” a FAQ page stated. “However, if you give us a mobile phone number, your normal airtime fees or other fees charged by your provider for the call may apply.”
Google also gave an obligatory nod to user privacy. “Your number is blocked so that the advertiser can’t see it. Google doesn’t share your number with the advertiser, and we won’t use the number to make any other calls to you. In addition, your information will be deleted from our servers after a period reasonably necessary to operate the service.”
Tag: Google Click-To-Call
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