Call Tracking and SEO: Trick or Treat?

Call Tracking and SEO

2 min read

Call tracking is a technology that tracks which sales and marketing sources, campaigns, and keywords generate phone calls. Each consumer engagement point is assigned a unique phone number. This is a treat for marketers but having different phone numbers can be tricking for search engines.

Today, in honor of Halloween, we want to share a few tricks to treat your SEO.

Call Tracking Treats

Thousands of marketers and companies throughout the United States depend on call tracking to close the loop on their marketing ROI calculations. Call tracking is used by some of the world’s largest companies to measure their PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts, and retargeting efforts. They prioritize data collection and analysis.

Marketing and advertising agencies also use call tracking. It is a clear way for agencies to prove their worth to clients. It is especially popular among firms that do PPC and SEO work.

According to BIA/Kelsey, call tracking is a $68 billion industry. (Source) The magnitude of this number indicates the importance of call tracking. The capabilities and information call tracking delivers a treat to millions of users.

However, some critics think call tracking sabotages SEO. This camp believes call tracking tricks SEO.

Call Tracking and SEO Tricks

When used correctly, call tracking does not hurt SEO.

Adam Steele is one of the foremost local marketing experts on the web and founder of Nightlite Media, a Vancouver-based SEO firm.

“As long as precautions are made to make certain your tracking number doesn’t get scraped by Google, or some other authority, tracking numbers are totally fine.”

Adam Steele

The Trick to Call Tracking and SEO

Google makes it very clear that Name Address and Phone number (NAP) must be consistent in all online directories. Having different phone numbers in many places confuses Google’s algorithms and thus plays tricks with your SEO.

Do not use different call tracking numbers in various directory listings. If you do, it will hurt your SEO. If you incorporate a call tracking number in online directories, use the same number in all listings.

TRICK: Use the same number for all online directory listings.

Another Trick for Call Tracking and SEO

Dynamic Number Insertion or DNI connects multi-channel and multi-touch website traffic to phone calls generated from these web pages. The technology works by dynamically displaying unique tracking phone numbers on web pages; thus its name, how tricky.  

DNI helps companies and marketers see their customers’ complete online and offline journeys. At the same time, digital search marketers get closed-loop attribution for optimizing their ROI.

Mike Blumenthal, one of the foremost local search experts, said

“…use a JavaScript to display a tracking number to the user,

that guarantees that the Googlebot and search from Google 

always see your local number [not the call tracking number].”

TRICK: Use DNI.

If DNI seems scary, the call consultants at Convirza can treat you to more information. (385-695-3219)

The Last Trick for Call Tracking SEO

Don’t be in the dark on call tracking and SEO, grab a few Halloween treats and download The Authoritative Guide to Call Tracking and Local SEO.

TREAT: Get call analytics for your PPC, SEO, and website.

Happy Halloween!

Originally published on Oct 31, 2017. Updated on Oct. 31, 2018.