Companies are finding there are more options to connect to, and track the leads that arise from their online ads as Google along with other companies continue to refine their offerings and approaches.
Click-to-Call
Recently Google has been testing the inclusion of click-to-call phone numbers in search ads on high-end mobile phones, according to Search Engine Land - a feature that is similar to a cost-per-call service where the advertiser is charged for the click to call the same way you might get charged for clicks from an ad to a website.
Such functionality, according to Jamie Wells, director of global trade marketing for the Mobile Media group at Microsoft, is the next opportunity and the next hot area for search. (via Mediapost). "If you look at the classic purchase funnel, this really is the last mile," he says. "You invest all this money in television, outdoor and radio to drive awareness - the last thing you want to do is allow a competitor to swoop in and undercut all that investment. You want to make sure to complete the sale."
Linking calls to online ad leads is also a focus of Ifbyphone, which provides campaign management tools with customized call tracking reports and a Reseller Portal. In its recently released latest version, 3.1, Ifbyphone users can group any combination of inbound and outbound calls by specific numbers, smart click-to-call activity, voice broadcast results and call transfers.
"We're making it easier for developers to use our API, for resellers to manage accounts and for marketers to track campaigns," said Irv Shapiro, CEO of Ifbyphone.
Social Media Connections
Integration to social media sites has also been a focus of vendors and service providers. Classifieds site Oodle has become the latest among local listings sites to integrate additional social tools such as Facebook Connect and Twitter capabilities. (via ClickZ).
The site just announced it now allows its users to publish listings on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. "By enabling connecting applications for the social sites, Oodle argues potential buyers will get a clearer sense of who the sellers are."
