Best Call Tracking For Adwords

Set Up Google Integrations

CallTrackingMetrics has two unique integrations with Google:

Google Analytics
Google AdWords

Both the Google Analytics & Google AdWords integrations report call data as "Conversions" in AdWords, but they operate differently and work to achieve separate goals.

About Google Analytics

This integration will track calls from Visitors to your Landing Pages/Website as "Events" in Analytics. This popular integration allows you to view your calls right in Google Analytics and analyze them in conjunction with your website data. CallTrackingMetrics sends all inbound calls, inbound texts and FormReactor® submissions into Google Analytics as "Events" with the Website Visitor detail attached. Connecting Google Analytics to Google AdWords creates a seamless flow of data, connecting the exact "Paid Click" to the unique caller.

Inside Analytics, "Goals" can be set up around "Call Events" and can be customized in a variety of ways.

For example, you can create a goal for:

Organic Traffic
First-time Caller(s)
Total Talk Time of over 120 Seconds
Google AdWords Visitors
Site Visits over 30 Seconds

These Goal Completions can be imported into Google AdWords as a "Clicked Conversion", helping improve your overall conversion rates.

Google AdWords will only allow calls to be imported as a Conversion that can be tracked back to a "Paid Click." Note that it takes up to 5 business days from the time your goals start completing in Analytics for the "Import from Google Analytics" option to appear in your AdWords account.

The following items must be completed prior to setting up your Google Analytics Integration:

Purchase Tracking Number(s) & associate them to the Tracking Source of Google AdWords
Place CallTrackingMetrics tracking code in the header of landing page(s)
Make sure Google Analytics tracking code is on the landing page(s)
Make sure you have administrative access to the UA (Universal Analytics) property that's related to the landing page(s)
Google Analytics must be linked to Google AdWords
Google AdWords must have auto-tagging turned on

Connect CallTrackingMetrics and Google Analytics

1. Go to Settings → Integrations.

2. Select Google Analytics.

3. Click the "Link your Analytics Account" button.

In a separate browser, log into the Gmail account that has access to the Google Analytics property you'd like to connect to CallTrackingMetrics.

4. Allow CallTrackingMetrics access to the "Users UA Properties" by signing in to your Google Account.

5. Under Site Tracking, select the site that you wish to track from the dropdown menu.

6. Once a selection has been made, click the "Use Selected Profile" button.

7. Under the Google Events section, customize how you want the information to report using the toggle options.

8. Save your changes.
Save your changes

At this point all your inbound call and form data will report as Events inside of Google Analytics. Learn more about the data CTM sends into Analytics.

Key facts to remember:

Google Analytics & AdWords do not report in real time.
Google Analytics & AdWords do not report in the same time.
It typically takes between 5 minutes and 24 hours for paid campaign data to populate in the call log.
CallTrackingMetrics tracking code must be installed on the page.
Google Analytics tracking code must be installed on the page.
Google Analytics must be linked/ communicating with Google AdWords.
CallTrackingMetrics must be communicating with Google Analytics.

If communication is broken in any of the three areas, the keyword data and conversions will not report.

About Google AdWords Integration for Click to Call

This integration will track calls to your click to call ads and call extensions back to the exact keyword and ad that led to the call. You will see this information in AdWords as phone conversions so you are not just optimizing around those people that clicked on the ads- but also the many mobile and desktop searchers who called right from the click to call ad or extensions.

The following items must be completed prior to setting up your Google AdWords Integration:

Tracking Number & Tracking Source for Ad extension (must be offline source)
CTM call extension script from the Google AdWords integration page
Make sure you have access to Google AdWords.
Make sure you have the authority to authorize scripts inside of Google AdWords.
Make sure you are using Google call forwarding numbers

Connect CallTrackingMetrics with Google AdWords

1. Go to Settings → Integrations.

2. Select Google Ads > Google Ads (Google Apps Script).

3. Under "Associated Tracking Source" section, associate any Offsite Tracking Sources that you want us to track.

4. Save your changes.
Save your changes
5. Once the tracking sources are activated, scroll to the "AdWords Script" at the bottom of the page.

6. Copy the script.
Copy the script
7. Log into your Google AdWords account.

8. Go to Bulk Options → Scripts.
Go to Bulk Options
9. Select "New Script".
Select New Script
10. Name your script something easily identifiable.

11. Select All and Paste the CTM Script.

12. Authorize the Script.

13. Select "Run Script Now and Close".

14. Create a Schedule for the script to runhourly.

15. Set your "Ad Extensions" and "Call Only Ads" to use Google Reporting.

16. Click "Save".

Key facts to remember:

Script must be authorized inside Adwords
Script must be scheduled to run hourly.
Must use Google Reporting, this will use the Adwords does not always use a forwarding number but instead shows the assigned forwarding number. This can cause discrepancies in reporting.
Google Forwarding Numbers must forward to CTM Tracking Number.

Because the script is set to run hourly the campaign, ad group, and keyword data will appear in the call log after about an hour.