Question

How do we track calls in Google Ads? How will we know how many total calls our client received and how many customers were closed on average?

Answer 1

Great question, that's where the real ROI is!

Here's the concise rundown:

1. How Google Ads Tracks Calls (It's All About "Forwarding Numbers")

Google uses special, temporary numbers called Google Forwarding Numbers (GFNs) to track calls:

• Calls from your ads directly: When someone clicks a "call" button on your ad (or dials a GFN shown).

• Calls from your website: When someone clicks your ad, lands on your site, and then calls a number on your site that Google has dynamically replaced with a GFN.

You tell Google: "Count this as a conversion if the call lasts X seconds" (e.g., 30+ seconds). This filters out accidental calls.

2. How to See "Total Calls" (From Ads)

• In Google Ads, check your Conversions report for "Calls from ads" or "Calls from website."

• You can also add columns like "Phone calls" or "Avg. call duration" to your campaign reports.

Important: This only shows calls Google tracked from your ads. Your client's actual phone system will show all calls received, regardless of how they came in.

3. How to Know "Customers Closed" (The Tricky Part!)

Google Ads cannot tell you if a call resulted in a sale directly. It only knows if the call met your duration threshold.

To get sale data, you need to connect the dots:

• Best Way: Call Tracking Software + CRM.

  • Use a dedicated call tracking platform (like CallRail). They assign those dynamic numbers, record calls, and capture all the Google Ads info (which campaign, keyword, etc.).

  • Integrate that with your client's CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.).

  • Sales reps log the call outcome ("closed won," "qualified lead") directly in the CRM.

  • You can then run reports in the CRM showing actual sales from Google Ads calls. You can even send this "offline conversion" data back to Google Ads to help it optimize for real sales!

• Manual (Less Ideal): For very small operations, your client could manually log call outcomes and try to match them up with Google Ads call details. It's tedious and prone to errors.

So, while Google tracks the "rings," you'll need external tools or a good internal process with your client to track the "sales" that follow those rings! Got it, concise and conversational, focusing on 2025!

How to Track Calls in Google Ads

Google Ads primarily tracks calls with "Google Forwarding Numbers" (GFNs) – these are unique, temporary numbers Google swaps onto your ads or website to measure:

1. Calls directly from your ads (like "Call" buttons on mobile ads).

2. Calls from your website (after someone clicked your ad, landed on your site, and then called your number, which Google temporarily replaced with a GFN).

You set a minimum call duration (e.g., "count as a conversion if it lasts 30+ seconds") to filter out spam.

Total Calls & Closed Customers

• Total Calls (from Ads): Google Ads shows you how many calls originated from your campaigns (look for "Phone calls" in your reports or "Calls from ads" under conversions). But remember, this is just calls Google tracked. Your client's actual phone system will have the true total for all sources.

• Closed Customers (The Real Goal): Google Ads doesn't know if a call became a sale. For that, you need to connect your systems:

  1. Best Way (2025): Call Tracking Software + CRM.

     • Use a tool like CallRail, WhatConverts, or Invoca. These give you even smarter GFNs, can record calls, and pinpoint the exact Google Ad/keyword that drove the call.

     • Then, integrate that call data directly into your client's CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM).

     • Their sales team logs the call outcome (e.g., "Closed Won!") right in the CRM.

     • You can then see reports in the CRM showing actual sales from Google Ads calls. Even better, you can send this "offline conversion" (the sale data) back to Google Ads, telling its AI to optimize for actual sales, not just call duration.

  2. Manual (Less Ideal): For tiny businesses, your client could manually log call outcomes and try to match them with Google Ads data, but it's a huge headache and prone to errors.

So, while Google Ads helps you see calls, combining it with a good call tracking solution and your client's CRM is the surefire way to prove ad spend is leading to actual closed deals!