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Google Forwarding Number

A Google Forwarding Number is a unique, dynamic phone number provided by Google Ads that enables advertisers to track and measure phone call conversions from their ads. This number is assigned to your ads when you enable call tracking within Google Ads. When someone clicks on your ad or dials the number directly, the call is routed through this forwarding number and then connected to your business.

The Google Forwarding Number helps understand how campaigns are performing, especially when a significant part of a business involves customer calls. By using a Google Forwarding Number, companies can monitor call durations, the caller's location, and whether the call resulted in a valuable lead or conversion.

How Does Google Forwarding Number Work?

When you enable call tracking within Google Ads, Google generates a forwarding number specific to your ad. This number is displayed on your ad instead of your business phone number, but it works exactly the same: customers call the number, and the call is automatically forwarded to your business.

Here’s a simple breakdown of how it works:

Ad Clicks or Call: A user sees your Google ad and either clicks on it or dials the phone number directly from the ad.
Forwarding Number Displayed: The ad shows a unique Google Forwarding Number assigned to that campaign or ad group.
Call Routing: When the user dials the Google Forwarding Number, the call is forwarded to your business phone.
Call Tracking: Google tracks call metrics, such as the length of the call, whether it was answered, and the caller’s general location (based on the area code).
Conversion Tracking: If the call meets your defined conversion criteria (e.g., it lasts longer than 30 seconds), it is recorded as a conversion in your Google Ads account.

The Google Forwarding Number is displayed only in your ads, not on your website. This means you can accurately track calls generated directly from your paid search campaigns.

Benefits of Using Google Forwarding Numbers

Using a Google Forwarding Number offers a variety of advantages for businesses looking to track the performance of their Google Ads campaigns:

Accurate Call Tracking: Google Forwarding Numbers provide detailed insights into how many calls are being generated from ads. This helps advertisers attribute phone call conversions to specific keywords, ads, or campaigns, giving them a clear picture of what’s working and what’s not.
Call Data for Optimization: The data gathered from calls, such as the duration and location of callers, can be used to optimize campaigns. For example, one may discover that certain keywords result in longer, higher-quality calls, allowing for bid adjustments and better budget allocations.
Improved Conversion Tracking: Phone call conversions can be one of the most valuable types of conversions, especially for service-based businesses. By tracking calls as conversions, it’s easier to get a more comprehensive view of the return on ad spend (ROAS) and campaign performance.
Detailed Reporting: Google Ads offers detailed call reporting, including metrics like call start time, duration, and the caller’s location. This data is essential for understanding customer behavior and improving ad performance over time.

Limitations of Google Forwarding Numbers

While Google Forwarding Numbers offer powerful call-tracking capabilities, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. Google Forwarding Numbers are not permanent. They are assigned dynamically and may change. If someone saves the forwarding number and calls it later, it may no longer route to your business.

Limited geographical availability is another drawback, since the service is not available in all countries. You’ll need to check if your region supports this feature.

And lastly, Google Forwarding Numbers only appear on ads, not on your website. To track calls from your website, you’d need a separate call tracking solution, such as using Google Call Conversion Tracking for website visitors.

How to Get a Google Forwarding Number

Getting a Google Forwarding Number for your campaigns is a straightforward process, but it requires enabling specific features within your Google Ads account. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to set it up:

1. Create a Call Extension or Call-Only Ad

To start using a Google Forwarding Number, you need to add a Call Extension or create a Call-Only Ad in your Google Ads account. A call extension allows you to display a phone number directly in your ad, while a call-only ad is specifically designed to encourage phone calls.

Go to your Google Ads account and navigate to the Ads & Extensions tab.
Select Extensions, then choose Call Extensions or Call-Only Ads depending on your campaign goals.
Add your business phone number to the extension. This is the number Google will route calls to after generating a forwarding number.

2. Turn on Call Reporting

Once you've created your call extension or call-only ad, you'll need to enable Call Reporting to start tracking phone calls and use the Google Forwarding Number.

Go to the Settings section of your Google Ads account.
Under Account Settings, find the Call Reporting option and turn it on.

This allows Google to generate a forwarding number and track call-related data for your ads.

3. Enable Call Conversions

To track phone call conversions, you need to set up call conversion tracking in your Google Ads account. This ensures you can see which calls are leading to valuable outcomes, like sales or leads.

In Google Ads, go to Tools & Settings, and under the Measurement tab, click on Conversions.
Click the + New Conversion Action button and choose Phone Calls.
Set up your conversion criteria. You can define what counts as a conversion based on factors like the duration of the call. For example, you might set a threshold of 60 seconds to ensure you're only counting meaningful calls.

4. Monitor Performance

Once you’ve set up call extensions, enabled call reporting, and defined call conversions, you’re all set to start using a Google Forwarding Number. Monitor your call data under the Reporting section of your Google Ads account, where you’ll see metrics like the number of calls, call duration, and whether the calls resulted in conversions.

And don’t forget: Calls are just one piece of the conversion puzzle. Combine call data with other metrics, such as website visits and form submissions, to get a complete picture of how well your campaigns are performing.

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