Google Call-Only Ads: Phone Lead Generation Guide 2026

For service businesses where phone calls drive revenue, Google call-only ads represent one of the most direct paths from ad impression to qualified lead. Unlike traditional search ads that send users to landing pages, call-only ads are designed with a single purpose: getting potential customers on the phone with your team. When someone taps your ad, their phone immediately dials your business—no website visit, no form to fill out, just a direct conversation with a potential customer.

This guide covers everything you need to know about call-only campaigns: when they outperform standard click-to-call extensions, how to set them up for maximum effectiveness, and the optimization tactics that separate profitable campaigns from money pits. Whether you run a plumbing company, law firm, or any business where phone calls convert better than web leads, mastering call-only ads can transform your lead generation.

When to Use Call-Only Ads vs Click-to-Call Extensions

The choice between call-only ads and click-to-call extensions depends on your business model, customer journey, and how you close sales. Understanding the fundamental differences helps you allocate budget to the format that drives the best results for your specific situation.

Call-only ads work best when phone conversations are essential to your sales process. Service businesses like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors often find that customers searching for emergency services want to speak with someone immediately—they are not interested in browsing your website or comparing options. Similarly, law firmshandling urgent matters like personal injury or criminal defense see higher conversion rates from direct calls because potential clients want to discuss their situation rather than fill out contact forms.

Ideal use cases for call-only ads

• Emergency services: Plumbing, HVAC, locksmith, towing, water damage restoration
• High-urgency leads: Legal services, medical appointments, insurance claims
• Complex sales: B2B services, consulting, custom solutions requiring conversation
• Mobile-first audiences: Industries where customers primarily search from phones
• No website optimization: When your site underperforms but your phone team excels

Click-to-call extensions (standard search ads with call functionality) make more sense when customers need information before calling. Businesses selling considered purchases—home remodeling, financial services, or healthcare procedures—benefit from letting prospects research pricing, credentials, and services before initiating contact. The hybrid approach captures both ready-to-call leads and those who prefer to browse first.

When click-to-call extensions outperform

• Research-heavy purchases: High-ticket items where customers compare options
• Complex offerings: When prospects need to understand your services first
• Desktop traffic value: Industries with significant desktop search volume
• Remarketing opportunity: When you want to capture website visitors for follow-up

Setting Up Call-Only Campaigns Step-by-Step

Creating an effective call-only campaign requires attention to several key settings that differ from standard search campaigns. Follow this setup process to launch campaigns optimized for call generation from day one.

Step 1: Create a new campaign

In Google Ads, click the plus button to create a new campaign. Select "Leads" as your objective, then choose "Phone calls" as your conversion goal. This tells Google's algorithm to optimize for calls rather than clicks or other actions.

Step 2: Configure campaign settings

Call-only campaigns have unique settings that require careful configuration:

• Networks: Select Search Network only—call-only ads cannot run on Display
• Locations: Target areas your business can actually serve
• Languages: Match languages your team can handle on calls
• Budget: Set daily budget based on your expected cost per call and call capacity

Step 3: Set up ad scheduling

This is critical for call-only campaigns. Use ad scheduling to show ads only during hours when your team can answer calls. Running call-only ads when no one is available to answer wastes budget and frustrates potential customers who reach voicemail. Consider these scheduling best practices:

• Match ad schedule to staff availability, not just business hours on your website
• Account for lunch breaks if coverage is limited during those times
• Consider time zone differences if targeting multiple regions
• Test extended hours if you have after-hours answering service

Step 4: Create call-only ads

Call-only ads have a specific format optimized for mobile screens. Required elements include:

• Business name: Your company name as you want it displayed
• Phone number: The number callers will dial (can be Google forwarding number)
• Description lines: Two description fields to convey your value proposition
• Display URL: Shows your website URL for credibility (users cannot click it)
• Verification URL: Your actual website for Google to verify legitimacy

Call Tracking and Conversion Attribution

Accurate call tracking is essential for optimizing call-only campaigns. Without proper attribution, you cannot determine which keywords, ads, or audiences generate valuable calls versus wasted spend. Google provides built-in call tracking, but combining it with third-party solutions gives you deeper insights into call quality.

Google Ads call tracking setup

Enable Google forwarding numbers to track calls directly within Google Ads. This provides:

• Call duration: How long each call lasted
• Caller area code: Geographic origin of calls
• Call start time: When calls occurred
• Conversion tracking: Attribution to keywords and ads

Set up call conversions in your conversion tracking by defining minimum call duration thresholds. Google counts a call as a conversion only when it meets or exceeds your specified duration. The right threshold depends on your business:

Recommended call duration thresholds

Third-party call tracking integration

For deeper insights, integrate call tracking software like CallRail, CallTrackingMetrics, or Invoca. These platforms provide capabilities beyond Google's native tracking:

• Call recording: Listen to calls for quality assurance and training
• Call scoring: Automatically categorize calls by quality and outcome
• Keyword-level tracking: Detailed attribution down to search terms
• CRM integration: Connect calls to customers in your sales system
• Offline conversion import: Feed closed deals back to Google Ads

The most sophisticated advertisers import offline conversion data back into Google Ads. When a call converts to a paying customer, that conversion value feeds into Google's algorithm, enabling smarter bidding that optimizes for actual revenue rather than just call volume.

Ad Copy Optimization for Phone Calls

Call-only ad copy must accomplish a specific goal: convincing mobile users to call your business immediately rather than continuing to search. This requires different messaging strategies than standard search ads designed for website clicks.

Effective call-only ad copy principles

Focus your messaging on immediacy and availability. Users searching on mobile often have urgent needs, and your ad should communicate that calling right now will solve their problem faster than any other option.

• Lead with availability: "Answer 24/7" or "Speak to Expert Now"
• Emphasize speed: "Same-Day Service" or "Instant Quote by Phone"
• Include credibility signals: Years in business, licenses, guarantees
• Use action-oriented language: "Call Now" instead of "Contact Us"
• Address the specific need: Match ad copy to keyword intent

Call-only ad copy examples by industry

Testing call-only ad variations

Run at least 2-3 ad variations per ad group to identify top performers. Test these elements:

• Urgency vs value: "Call Now for Same-Day Service" vs "Call for Free Estimate"
• Specificity vs broad appeal: Specific services vs general offerings
• Credibility elements: Years in business vs customer reviews vs certifications
• Call-to-action phrasing: "Call Now" vs "Speak to Expert" vs "Get Help Today"

Bid Strategies for Call Campaigns

Choosing the right bidding strategy significantly impacts call-only campaign performance. Unlike standard campaigns where you might optimize for clicks, call campaigns should optimize for calls as conversions or, ideally, for qualified calls that convert to customers.

Recommended bidding strategies

Start with Target CPA (cost per acquisition) bidding if you have established conversion tracking and enough historical data. Set your target CPA to your maximum acceptable cost per call based on your close rate and average customer value.

Calculating your target CPA

Determine your maximum cost per call using this formula:

Maximum CPA = Average Customer Value x Close Rate x Target Margin

For example, if your average customer is worth $500, you close 20% of calls, and you want a 50% margin on advertising, your calculation is: $500 x 0.20 x 0.50 = $50 maximum cost per call. This gives you a clear target for bidding decisions.

Bid adjustments for call campaigns

Apply bid adjustments to improve efficiency across different segments:

• Device: Call-only ads only show on mobile, but adjust bids for device types
• Location: Increase bids in high-value service areas, decrease in low-margin zones
• Time of day: Bid higher during peak calling hours when staff is ready
• Audience: Bid up for remarketing lists of past callers or website visitors

Call Quality Optimization Tactics

Generating high call volume means nothing if those calls do not convert to customers. Optimizing for call quality ensures your budget generates valuable conversations rather than tire-kickers and wrong numbers. This requires looking beyond basic Google Ads metrics to understand what happens after the phone rings.

Keyword refinement for quality

Analyze which keywords generate calls that convert versus calls that waste time. Common patterns emerge when you track call outcomes:

• High-intent modifiers: "emergency," "24 hour," "near me" often signal urgent needs
• Service-specific terms: Detailed queries like "water heater repair" vs generic "plumber"
• Location qualifiers: Searches including your city name show local intent
• Low-quality indicators: "free," "cheap," "DIY" may attract price-shoppers

Build robust negative keyword lists based on call quality data. If calls from certain keywords never convert, add them as negatives regardless of call volume they generate.

Improving call handling

Your team's phone skills directly impact campaign ROI. Consider these improvements:

• Answer speed: Answer within 3 rings—missed calls are wasted ad spend
• Greeting consistency: Train staff on professional, brand-aligned greetings
• Qualification questions: Quickly identify caller needs and qualify opportunities
• Call recording review: Regularly listen to calls and provide coaching
• Callback procedures: Have a system for following up on missed calls quickly

Using call data to optimize campaigns

Close the feedback loop between call outcomes and campaign optimization:

1. Track call outcomes: Log whether each call became a customer, quote, or dead end
2. Identify patterns: Which keywords, times, and locations produce best customers
3. Import offline conversions: Feed closed deals back into Google Ads
4. Adjust bidding: Increase bids on high-converting segments, reduce on low performers
5. Refine targeting: Expand audiences that work, exclude segments that waste budget

This approach, similar to what works for Meta Ads in professional services, creates a virtuous cycle where campaign performance improves over time based on real business outcomes rather than just click metrics.

Integrating Call-Only Ads with Other Channels

Call-only campaigns work best as part of a comprehensive lead generation strategy. Integrate them with other advertising channels and your Local Services Ads to maximize phone lead volume while maintaining efficiency.

Multi-channel call generation strategy

Different advertising channels reach customers at various stages of their journey:

• Google Call-Only: Capture high-intent searchers ready to call now
• Local Services Ads: Build trust with Google Guaranteed badge
• Click-to-call extensions: Reach researchers who may call after browsing
• TikTok Lead Gen: Top-funnel awareness driving eventual calls
• Retargeting: Re-engage website visitors who did not call initially

Attribution across channels

Use unique phone numbers or call tracking pools to attribute calls to specific channels. This prevents double-counting and helps you understand the true contribution of each advertising platform. Unified call tracking platforms can provide a single view across all channels, making budget allocation decisions clearer.

Common Call-Only Campaign Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced advertisers make mistakes that undermine call-only campaign performance. Avoid these common pitfalls to maximize your return on ad spend.

Mistakes and solutions

• Running ads when no one can answer: Use strict ad scheduling matching staff availability
• Setting call thresholds too high: Start at 60 seconds and adjust based on data
• Ignoring call quality: Track outcomes beyond just call duration
• Not using forwarding numbers: Enable Google call tracking for proper attribution
• Broad keyword targeting: Focus on high-intent, specific keywords
• Neglecting negative keywords: Continuously build lists based on low-quality calls
• Same ads for all services: Create service-specific ad groups with tailored copy
• Not testing ad variations: Always run multiple ads per ad group

Measuring Call-Only Campaign Success

Evaluate call-only campaign performance using metrics that reflect actual business impact, not just advertising metrics. The ultimate measure is return on ad spend calculated on closed business, not call volume.

Key performance indicators

Track these metrics weekly and monthly to identify trends. Short-term fluctuations are normal, but consistent underperformance in any metric signals the need for optimization.

2026 Call-Only Ads Best Practices Summary

Call-only advertising continues to evolve with Google's platform updates. These current best practices reflect the 2026 advertising landscape:

• Use Smart Bidding: Target CPA and Maximize Conversions outperform manual bidding in most cases
• Enable offline conversions: Import closed deals for algorithmic optimization
• Integrate call tracking: Combine Google's data with third-party platforms
• Test continuously: Rotate ad copy and landing pages regularly
• Monitor quality relentlessly: Call volume without quality equals wasted budget
• Coordinate channels: Call-only works best alongside Local Services Ads and click-to-call

Ready to generate more qualified phone leads? Benly helps service businesses optimize their call campaigns with AI-powered insights, competitive intelligence on what messaging works in your industry, and automated recommendations to improve call quality and reduce cost per acquisition.