Performance marketers are masters of efficiency. They know all the tricks to drive leads and online sales through their digital channels in the most cost-effective way possible. But many are ignoring a valuable source of revenue: the phone call can seem complicated because it combines online and offline elements. But with the right pay-per-call platform, advertisers, publishers and agencies can generate, track and analyze inbound calls in the same way they do with online traffic. For those still trying to understand the finer points of pay-per-call, here are some frequently asked questions to get you in the game:
- What is pay-per-call? Pay-per-call is a type of performance marketing in which an advertiser pays publishers (also known as affiliates or distribution partners) for quality calls generated on behalf of the advertiser. Simply put, pay-per-call tracks calls in the same way that performance networks track clicks.
- What are the advantages for advertisers?Advertisers who choose to publish pay-per-call campaigns can expand their distribution and inbound call volume across multiple channels. They also benefit from complete visibility and control over call traffic and customer experience. Pay-per-call gives brands the control they need.
- Which verticals work well with pay-per-call? The best verticals for pay-per-call are considered buying sectors that focus on lead generation. At HAF we specialize in the verticals of; Insurance, Finance, Energy, Home Improvement, Medical & Education.
- What are the advantages for publishers? With pay-per-call, publishers can develop a new revenue stream within their existing business model. Pay-per-call offers the opportunity to monetize online and phone traffic using existing promotional channels and methods. Publishers will also have the same tracking and analysis capabilities for call traffic that they use for online traffic.
- What marketing channels and tactics work best with pay-per-call? Pay-per-call campaigns get great results from both online and traditional marketing tactics. How are calls tracked back to their origin? HAF traces phone calls through unique tracking phone numbers.
- How does a call qualify for a commission?Advertisers set the criteria that define whether a call is commissionable. Typically, this is based on the length of the phone call, in addition to other qualifying factors such as the date and time of the call, the region of the call, or even the outcome of a call, such as a sale or other conversion. At HAF we classify calls in real-time.
- Can the call be filtered? Yes, calls can be filtered based on conditions such as time and day of the call, geographic location of the caller, type of phone, and repeat versus new call. HAF filters calls using customer responses to questions and telephone prompts via interactive voice response (IVR). Based on these conditions, the advertiser can adjust the number of calls to be commissioned. This allows them to pay a higher commission for higher-quality calls.