Advanced Google Ads tracking for local service businesses

Many local service customers struggle to track their success with Google Ads and understand the quality of leads generated. Some still use outdated methods to measure the performance of their campaigns.

This article explores three ways to effectively track the performance of Google Ads lead generation campaigns for local service customers, including:

• Standard lead form tracking.
• Keep phone number.
• Call assets.

We also discuss the specific solutions, such as landing page optimization, using Google Click ID (GCLID), integrating with Zapier, and using call tracking tools like CallRail.

3 Major Tracking Methods for Local Service Businesses

Below are three primary methods to track the performance of your Google Ads local services lead generation campaigns:

Standard lead form tracking

• We’ve found that most of our agency clients’ websites are not optimized for conversions. Essential elements such as clear call-to-action buttons or prominently displayed phone numbers above the fold are often missing.
• This lack of optimization hinders the ability to effectively track leads. If the design and ability to navigate are easy for the potential customer or client, you have a much better chance of conversion.

Keep phone number

• Most companies use their main phone number as a marketing number. Relying on a single business number for all calls is a common problem, making it difficult to attribute calls to specific digital marketing efforts.
• This approach reduces the impact of our advertising strategies because every caller calls the same number.

Call assets

• Calling components allow you to add unique phone numbers to campaigns or accounts so you can track calls from specific campaigns or keywords.
• This method greatly improves your insight into campaign performance and can help you understand the value of calls coming directly from the SERPs.

Dig deeper: Google Ads for lead generation: 9 tips to scale low-spend campaigns

Solutions for improved tracking in Google Ads

To improve tracking accuracy and lead quality assessment, consider implementing the following strategies:

Optimizing landing pages

Our first step is to guarantee that landing pages or websites have clearly visible form fields and telephone numbers above the fold.

In some cases, you can use Unbounce, a template-based, no-code landing page maker, to design conversion-optimized landing pages.

Unbounce allows us to fill out forms with customer contact information and service requirements, increasing direct customer engagement. They also create a responsive landing page that will change depending on the device.

Using GCLID

A crucial part of our strategy is the use of Google Click Identifier (GCLID). By capturing the GCLID in form submissions we can track conversions back to the original keyword, giving us a detailed view of lead sources.

The great thing about the GCLID is that it can be imported back into Google Ads via offline conversions. Offline conversions are great ways to track deeper customer metrics as they move through the funnel.

For example, someone might fill out a form, but have to be qualified by a salesperson, sent to a quote or demo, send a contract, and close.

All these points are important, right? Wouldn’t it be great if Google could gain insight into those conversions? If so, you can optimize for a group or those individual goals.

What I like about Unbounce is that by creating a hidden field in the form and calling it GCLID, the form is smart enough to pull in the GCLID session without coding anything.

Dig deeper: Offline conversion tracking: 7 best practices and testing strategies

Integrate with Zapier

Zapier is a tool to connect two or more platforms via API. It’s powerful because most mainstream technology platforms have APIs that can be connected.

Connecting Unbounce to Zapier automates the transfer of form submission data, including the GCLID, to customers and back to Google Ads for conversion tracking. This setup only streamlines the process and enriches the conversion data, linking customer actions directly to specific ads.

When you look at Google campaigns, you can segment all conversion actions at any level you want. As long as you click Segment > Conversion > Conversion actionyou will see all offline conversions at the campaign, ad group or keyword level.

Call tracking with CallRail

To address the limitations of phone number tracking, we have partnered with CallRail, a leading call tracking solution. CallRail’s seamless integration with Google Ads and Zapier enables comprehensive call tracking, marking phone inquiries as conversions and enabling email notifications for inbound calls related to our marketing campaigns.

The easiest way to track this is to put a unique phone number on the landing page and call extensions in Google Ads. If you receive a phone call, you can track it and listen to the call recording. If the call comes from Google Ads, you can also trigger a conversion.

The advanced installation is also relatively simple and straightforward. With a little bit of code you can create a dynamic phone number insertion. This means that CallRail numbers may change depending on the session source (Meta, Google, Google Business Profile). This will help you understand the impact of your overall marketing strategy.

Increase your marketing impact with advanced Google Ads tracking

By applying these advanced tracking methods, you can significantly improve the transparency and effectiveness of Google Ads campaigns for local service customers.

These techniques improve measurement and optimization while helping clients understand the direct impact of their digital marketing investments.

Using technology partners like Unbounce, Zapier, and CallRail can significantly increase your understanding of marketing impact and significantly improve channel performance.