Easier Online Advertising is Just a Phone Call Away

While many of you have punched the ticket to online advertising for your contracting businesses, there are a lot of tricks from old media that translate just as well online. And one of the best is tracking numbers.

Use tracking numbers in your online ads

If you run any type of ads online (Google, MSN, Yahoo, or Facebook) then you should insert a call tracking number in each campaign to easily track your results. That way, you can move budgeted dollars from a campaign that isn’t working into one that is doing better.

But everyone knows my number….

I hate to be the guy that tells you this, but no one cares about your cool vanity number. In fact, you piss people off when they have to decipher what the hell your phone number is on their cell phones. For example, you put a vanity number in your ad, and my BlackBerry is as good as a door stop.

Local or long distance?

For online use, you want to make it easy, and easy means toll free 800 numbers. Try and stick with 800 or 888 numbers if you have to. They promote longevity and stability. And in a recent study, over 60% of the people surveyed thought an 866 number was a long distance call, so avoid those if possible!

Where to get’em?

Well, there are a ton of sites online that do easy-peasy 800 number setups that can be forwarded to any number you want, just do a bit of homework. To get started, you can use Magic Jack, Google Voice or your local phone company for remote call forwarding numbers.

Half of my advertising works, the other half doesn’t, I just don’t know which half!

Don’t be that guy, stop guessing if your online advertising is working, and start making sure. Remember, you can’t manage what you don’t track!