Any organization that is customer-facing, knows that incoming calls are an integral way to convert leads. Assessing how and where to utilize marketing campaigns to attract more incoming calls can be a difficult and complex process. Enter- Call tracking software.
Call tracking solutions typically provide unique and trackable phone numbers to use in both online and offline marketing campaigns. The trackable numbers then offer a deep analytic dive into the origin and demographics of inbound calls, so that marketers can assess what campaigns are working. Here we’ll discuss why call tracking providers can play an integral role in your marketing strategy and an overview of 5 popular providers.

What is call tracking software?

Whether or not your business relies on heavy phone traffic, any time you have a CTA that points to a phone number, you should be analyzing campaign performance and consumer demographics. Call tracking software generates either a 1-800 or local phone number to use in cross-channel campaigns, IE- print media, website, landing pages, PPC or keyword campaigns, social media, etc etc. These numbers are then used to track inbound calls, often record calls, and provide in-depth analytics on which sources are generating the best and most robust traffic.

Call recordings can also be used to both assess lead qualifications and increase future call conversion rates. Many call tracking programs can also operate as your entire call center ecosystem, offering phone answering services, interactive voice response (IVR), outgoing voicemail recordings and more.

Why is call tracking software beneficial in marketing?

It is estimated that 73 billion calls will be made to businesses this year. After a decade of smartphone domination and reliance on digital interaction, consumers are craving the human touch. However any money spent on customer acquisition via call-volume is diminished without analyzing the effectiveness.

Call tracking software is the A/B testing and analytics arm of all inbound (and outbound) phone traffic. When a business utilizes a call tracking provider, they are ensuring that they get the best ROI on their marketing campaign, and can continuously adapt to meet the needs of their clientele. So how do you know which software is right for your organization? Let’s highlight a few popular options.

CallRail

CallRail is one of the most popular call tracking options available. CallRail creates dynamic local and toll-free numbers for use in both online and offline marketing campaigns. As far as pricing, CallRail is one of the most transparent companies. They not only offer a 2-week free trial, but very affordable pricing structure, with options starting as low as $30/month. Which is probably why they can boast an 85K+ customer base. They also offer month-to-month accounts, with no long-term contracts. CallRail integrates with Google Analytics, Google Adwords, Hubspot, Marketo, Salesforce, Unbounce, and Zapier. You can also implement CallRail as your entire call flow system, with an IVR, call routing, voicemail, scheduling etc etc. CallRail is a very flexible, user-friendly and affordable option for both small and larger organizations alike.

DialogTech

DialogTech’s pitch is that they let marketers track a caller’s behavior on your website so you can get a complete picture of how website visitors convert to phone leads. Similar to CallRail, DialogTech uses dynamic number insertion to assign a unique call tracking number to all campaigns. DialogTech works with keyword platforms such as DoubleClick, Marin, Kenshoo, and more, allowing users to accurately identify the ROI from keyword campaigns. It also integrates with Google Analytics, Google Adwords, Universal Analytics, and Adobe Media Optimizer in order to make it quick and easy to receive and analyze your data. DialogueTech also recently introduced a new AI feature; using machine learning algorithms to analyze the full context of calls to assign a score to each conversation that will deliver insights and reports to improve overall functionality of a sales program.

Invoca

Invoca is another call-tracking platform that offers similar features to the first two discussed, however it operates on more of an enterprise-level. Their company’s recent push;

“The only call intelligence provider that currently integrates with four Adobe experience products including Adobe Analytics, Adobe Audience Manager, Adobe Advertising Cloud, and Adobe Target.”

Aside from their strategic Adobe partnership, Invoca goes big on the integrations and tech partners; Facebook, Google Analytics & Adwords, Salesforce, as well as 30+ other tech partners. Because of this, they boast both high-level customers (such as Lending Tree, Dish, Mutual of Omaha) and serious backers (Morgan Stanley, Accel, Rincon, Salesforce Ventures). Similar to DialogTech, Invoca has also hoped on the AI buzz train and offers machine-learning-based conversation analyzation, however they are unique in that they utilize IBM Watson’s speech to text API.

While Invoca is known for its big name partners and integrations it really is meant for larger organizations with a big budget, not as focused on small-to-medium sized businesses.

RingDNA

The first niche call-tracking system discussed, RingDNA exclusively integrates with the SalesForce CRM. Therefor this would only be geared towards organizations already using SalesForce. However because it’s strictly SalesForce-based they can offer much more in-depth solutions for every aspect of the user’s organization, such as a focus on both outbound and inbound sales, and programs for marketing, operations, and sales managers and teams. RingDNA really focuses on assisting sales-heavy operations with intelligent dialer integration to the Salesforce cloud. This is a great option for a completely SalesForce business that focuses on serious volume.

Marchex

Marchex is one of the older players in the game, as it’s been around for 15 years. The solutions they offer include; call recording, routing, identification, conversion and keyword tracking, and social media analytics. They also boast big-name clients such as ADT, T-Mobile, GM, and more. A few drawbacks with their integrations; the only CRM they partner with is [24]7 and their exclusive social media platform is Facebook. Marchex does offer a free trial, however their pricing structure isn’t publicly advertised.

The Takeaway

Customer calls convert 10-15x faster than web leads. In an omnichannel world, the call channel is alive, well and thriving. Once you are allocating your marketing budget and efforts on pushing consumers to phone, implementing tracking data analytics will not only improve the caller experience, but offer invaluable insights.

Bottom line- Call tracking solutions provide an instantaneous overview of cross-campaign performance and allows marketers to calculate an accurate ROI.