Best Call Tracking Software in 2024
Call tracking technology offers a clear answer to a critical marketing question: “Is our advertising expenditure generating revenue?” It serves as a vital link between marketing activities and customer interactions, providing essential insights into the effectiveness of advertising efforts.
This article explores the best call tracking services available in 2024, providing a comprehensive guide to help you choose the right tool for your marketing needs.
What Is Call Tracking
By allocating specific telephone numbers to different promotional efforts, call tracking enables marketers to track the origins of incoming calls. This functionality allows them to ascertain which of their campaigns successfully motivate prospective customers to initiate contact. From persuasive Google Ads and dynamic social media content to compelling landing pages, call tracking provides valuable insights into which marketing tactics are most effective.
Call tracking extends far beyond simple identification; it offers a comprehensive view of the entire customer journey by capturing first-party data. From the initial moment a potential customer sees an advertisement to the point they make a call, every interaction is meticulously documented.
This rich data collection is invaluable to marketers, providing deep insights that enhance understanding of their audience, allow for thorough analysis of campaign effectiveness, and aid in the refinement of marketing strategies. Specifically, using call tracking software is crucial for PPC for locksmiths, as it allows for precise measurement of which ads lead to customer calls, optimizing advertising spend and improving ROI.
Pros and Cons of Call Tracking
Let’s explore the pros and cons of call tracking to better understand its implications for business practices.
PROS
- Enhanced Attribution: Call tracking allows marketers to pinpoint which advertising campaigns and channels are generating calls, providing clear insight into which efforts are effective and which are not.
- Improved ROI Measurement: By linking calls to specific campaigns, marketers can better understand their return on investment. This helps in allocating budgets more effectively based on the performance of different marketing channels.
- Customer Journey Insights: Tracking calls provides a deeper understanding of the customer journey from initial engagement to the final sale. This data can help in optimizing the sales process and improving customer interactions.
- Personalized Customer Experience: With access to detailed call data, businesses can tailor their communication to meet the specific needs and preferences of their callers, enhancing the overall customer experience.
- Data-Driven Decisions: The comprehensive data collected through call tracking supports more informed decision-making, allowing businesses to refine their marketing strategies based on solid evidence.
CONS
- Implementation Complexity: Setting up a call tracking system can be complex, especially for businesses with numerous marketing channels and campaigns. This might require significant resources and technical expertise.
- Cost: While call tracking can offer significant insights, it also comes with costs. These include subscription fees for call tracking services, as well as potential increases in operational costs to manage and analyze the data collected.
5 Best Call Tracking Services
Choosing the right call tracking service can make a significant difference in how effectively a business can monitor marketing efforts and enhance customer interactions. Let’s explore each to find the perfect match for your requirements.
1. Google Forwarding Number
A Google forwarding number is a specialized phone number issued by Google, designed to track call responses to your advertisements. This feature can be activated through the call reporting settings in your Google Ads account. Wonder how to build detailed call reports in the Google Ads interface for free? Check out our article on how to track phone calls in Google Ads.
Where Is Google Forwarding Number Available?
Google forwarding numbers are available in numerous countries: United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden etc. Check out the full list here.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Call Tracking: Provides a unique phone number that can be used in ads to track how many calls your advertisements generate, offering clear insights into campaign performance.
- Integration with Google Ads: Seamlessly integrates with Google Ads, making it easier to measure call conversions directly from your ads.
- Localized Experience: Tries to provide a phone number that shares the same area code or prefix as your business, or otherwise a local number for your region, enhancing trust and local appeal for potential customers.
- Detailed Reporting: Allows access to detailed reports about the calls, such as duration and origin, helping you understand your audience better.
- Dynamic Number Allocation: The system automatically adjusts and assigns numbers to optimize tracking and performance without manual intervention.
CONS
- Limited Use: These numbers are strictly for use within Google Ads; they cannot be used for other advertising or marketing purposes outside of Google’s platforms.
- Incompatibility Issues: Google forwarding numbers do not support call tracking on the Display Network or work with early media phone tree systems, which could limit their functionality in certain advertising contexts.
- Number Reassignment: Google owns these numbers and may change or reassign them.
It’s important to note that while the forwarding number itself is free, the costs associated with the advertisements and potential call charges are still relevant.
2. Ringba
Ringba is a platform designed for tracking inbound calls and providing analytics, tailored for marketers, brands, and pay-per-call operations.
Where Is Ringba Available?
Ringba provides the capability to allocate on-demand toll-free and local phone numbers worldwide, ensuring extensive global reach and enhanced customer accessibility.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Supportive Business Model: Ringba demonstrates its commitment to helping businesses grow by not requiring contracts or charging setup fees, ensuring alignment with client success.
- Advanced Call Tracking: Automates call flow, dynamically routes calls based on performance, manages partnerships, and balances call loads in real-time, enhancing efficiency and response rates.
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Allows businesses to pre-qualify potential clients, create personalized customer experiences, and automate customer service workflows using an easy-to-use IVR builder.
- Ring Tree Technology: Offers integration with a private real-time bidding marketplace that connects with the world’s largest call buyers.
- Instant Caller Profile: Enables making data-driven decisions quickly with Ringba’s real-time caller data enrichment, providing valuable insights before even answering the phone.
CONS
- Initial Learning Curve: Ringba may not be immediately intuitive, requiring users to invest time in understanding how to effectively use the platform.
Curious about how to use the tool? Read our article on how to set up call tracking on Google Ads with Ringba for detailed guidance.
Pricing
Business | Starts at $127/month |
Professional | Starts at $197/month |
Enterprise | Custom |
Ringba’s suite of tools is geared towards enhancing operational efficiencies and optimizing customer interactions, making it a powerful solution for businesses looking to leverage call data strategically.
3. CallRail
CallRail’s Call Tracking enables seamless tracking of calls, texts, forms, and chats, alongside the simplicity of click tracking. Access essential metrics to optimize your spending across diverse channels, from digital advertising to traditional print, all within a user-friendly, comprehensive dashboard.
Where Is CallRail Available?
CallRail provides call tracking services across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Integration with Over 700 Marketing Tools: Enhances existing marketing tools by providing deeper insights and better ROI with easy integration.
- Campaign Spend Optimization: Identifies underperforming campaigns, allowing you to allocate resources to channels that generate more leads and maximize ROI.
- Personalized Customer Interaction: Offers personalized call routing, hold messaging, and other automations based on campaign source to improve customer experience.
- Enhanced Lead Management: Utilizes automatic conversation analysis and lead scoring to better understand and target high-value customers.
- Competitive Advantage through Calls: Features like live call sentiments and call summaries provide quick insights, helping convert more leads into customers.
- Efficient Lead Qualification: Automates the tagging and qualification of leads using custom rules that identify key conversation keywords.
- Keyword and Messaging Optimization: Automatically analyzes call keywords to reveal trends and emerging opportunities.
CONS
- Complex User Interface and Navigation: CallRail’s sophisticated features can present a steep learning curve for beginners transitioning from basic functions to more advanced insights and customization options.
Pricing
Call Tracking | Starts at $40/month |
Call Tracking +
Conversation Intelligence |
Starts at $85/month |
Call Tracking +
Form Tracking |
Starts at $85/month |
Call Tracking
Complete |
Starts at $130/month |
CallRail’s services are designed to optimize marketing spend, deliver personalized customer interactions, and capture in-depth insights into customer behavior.
4. HubSpot
HubSpot’s call tracking software provides marketers with a powerful suite of tools designed to deliver deep insights into customer interactions.
Where Is Hubspot Available?
HubSpot’s call tracking software is available globally, with accessibility not limited by specific countries.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Increased Efficiency: Automates the process of dialing and logging calls, allowing sales reps to spend more time selling and less time managing manual tasks.
- Organized Workflow: Helps organize daily sales calls by using data from HubSpot’s Smart CRM to prioritize and queue calls effectively.
- Enhanced Accessibility: Enables making calls directly from a web browser, eliminating the need for physical phones and simplifying the calling process.
- Integrated Tracking: Seamlessly integrates with existing systems, automatically tracking and logging each call in the CRM, ensuring no data is lost.
- Enhanced Sales Coaching: Provides tools such as transcriptions, keyword searches, call commenting, and analysis, which help managers coach their teams more effectively.
CONS
- Complexity in Setup and Use: The initial setup and ongoing management of the call tracking system might require a learning curve and could be complex for users not familiar with CRM systems.
Pricing
HubSpot’s call tracking functionality is accessible within the Starter, Professional, or Enterprise editions of the Sales Hub.
Starter | Starts at $15/month |
Professional | Starts at $90/month |
Enterprise | Starts at $150/month |
Overall, for businesses looking to streamline their sales processes and gain deeper insights into customer interactions, HubSpot’s call tracking can be a valuable investment.
5. Invoca
Invoca provides services in marketing attribution and conversation intelligence for tracking incoming calls. The company offers a complete solution that includes call tracking and recording technology, which helps businesses figure out which marketing campaigns are leading to phone calls.
Where Is Invoca Available?
The Invoca platform supports phone call routing and language assistance in the US, Canada, and the UK, each with different levels of service.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Performance Measurement & Attribution: Ensures efficient use of marketing budgets by providing full attribution for every call driven by your marketing efforts, helping to optimize ad spend and boost campaign performance.
- Powerful AI Conversation Analytics: Enhances agent performance by analyzing and scoring 100% of customer interactions.
- Signal AI: Utilizes Signal AI to extract actionable insights from every conversation, significantly boosting Return on Ad Spend, revenue, and reputation.
- Immediate Data Activation: Maximizes the value of existing platforms with seamless integration via numerous no-code and low-code options, enabling quick and easy implementation.
CONS
- Needs More Customization and Filtering: Invoca’s reporting features could benefit from improved customization and filtering options to better align with user needs and preferences.
Pricing
Invoca’s pricing is based on various specific factors. Those interested are invited to complete the form on the website, and a brief meeting will then be scheduled to discuss their unique requirements.
With its focus on delivering comprehensive insights and enhancing marketing attribution, Invoca is a valuable tool for any company aiming to refine its engagement through detailed call analysis.
Wrapping Up
Call tracking ensures that each dollar allocated to marketing efforts is traceable, demonstrating a direct link between investment and financial return. This accountability is key for evaluating the true effectiveness of marketing strategies.
If you are a locksmith looking to attract more customers, our locksmith Google Ads guide is a great starting point.
FAQ
What is call tracking software?
Call tracking software is a tool that allows businesses to measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns by tracking phone calls back to the specific advertisements, campaigns, or channels that generated them.
How much does call tracking cost?
The cost of call tracking can vary widely depending on several factors including the provider, features, scale of your marketing efforts, and the specific needs of your business.
What is the best free call tracking app?
Google’s call tracking tool provides exceptional value as it is offered at no cost, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to manage their marketing expenses efficiently.
What are the key features to look for in call tracking software?
Key features to consider include call recording, call analytics and reporting, integration with other marketing tools (such as CRM systems and Google Analytics), customizable call routing, and dynamic number insertion (DNI) for website tracking.
Is call tracking software GDPR compliant?
Many call tracking software providers offer GDPR compliance features to ensure the protection of personal data. These features may include data encryption, consent management tools, and compliance with data retention policies. It’s advisable to review the privacy policies and data processing agreements of call tracking software providers to ensure compliance with GDPR regulations.
Is call tracking software easy to set up and use?
Yes, most call tracking software solutions are designed to be user-friendly and easy to set up. They typically offer intuitive interfaces, guided setup processes, and customer support to assist users with any questions or technical issues.
Viktoria Arsenteva
Marketing Manager at Lira Agency. I enjoy creating valuable and informative content for our clients and visitors. I spend my free time reading books on marketing and psychology.