You can create a Google ad extension tracking number in your CallRail account to use in any capacity that CallRail doesn't track through our Google Ads Calls Details Forwarding integration. Use the instructions in this article for any ad extension that will not exclusively be used as a call extension in a mobile ad.
If you're looking to track your call-only ads or mobile ads with call extensions, see our instructions on creating a Google Ads Calls Details Forwarding tracking number instead.
Creating an ad extension will allow you to track customers that see your ad and call your business directly, without clicking through to your landing page. With your CallRail tracking number as your call extension, your caller’s data appears alongside your activity and reports in your account.
To create Google Ad Extension tracking numbers for countries outside the United States and Canada, a member of our team will need to update your account first. Read this article to learn more about call tracking in your country.
Getting started
When you create a Google ad extension (now called assets) tracking number, we'll automatically configure this tracking number's source to "offline" so the JavaScript snippet won't dynamically swap this number on your website. This allows you to safely run other campaigns to track calls from your website separately from calls to your Google ad extension.
Create a Google Ad extension tracking number
- Click the Create (+) icon in the navigation bar on the left and select Phone Number.
- Choose the company where you'd like to add your new tracking number.
- The new number wizard will appear on your screen. The first question asks, "Where do you want to use this tracking number?" Select I’ll use it online.
- Select Somewhere else since this number will display in your ad and not your website.
- Select Yes, in an ad extension to use this number in your Google Ads call extension.
- Select On desktop and mobile devices since this number will be used in a desktop ad extension.
- Set up your call routing by entering the telephone number where we should route your calls. This is typically your primary business number. If you're using Lead Center, you'll see a second option for Lead Center's softphone you can select instead to route calls to a Lead Center Agent or Team. Then, click Number Setup to move to the next step.
- Name your tracking number for your reports and settings. Then, choose the call tracking phone number you'd like to purchase by picking from one of the three options for local and toll-free numbers. Once you've picked your number, click Number Features to move to the next step.
- Configure your whisper message and call recording. When you're finished, click Activate Tracking Number.
- To purchase an Australian or UK tracking number, please provide an address to associate with the tracking number. This does not have to be a local address, and can be your business's main address.
- Once you've completed the number creation process, you can choose one of the suggested next steps to further configure your new tracking number, or Go to Activity Dashboard to close the number creation wizard.
Add your tracking number to Google Ads
Once you've created this number in CallRail, add your Google ad extension tracking number to your campaigns in Google Ads.
Prefer to use Google's instructions? Check out their help article on call extensions.
- Once you're logged into Google Ads, select Ads & assets in the left menu.
- Click Assets.
- Click the + icon and then choose Call.
- Choose if you want to add the extension to your Account, Campaign, or Ad group.
- Click Create new to create a new call extension.
- Click Use existing to edit an existing call extension.
- If you want to edit an existing call extension, replace the phone number currently in the call extension with the CallRail number you just created.
- Click Save when finished.
Note: If your ad extension will be used with our Mobile Click-to-Call integration, you'll need to turn call reporting off at the account level. Otherwise, you may see duplicate reporting for your calls.
FAQs
Will calls to my Google Ad Extension tracking number report as conversions in Google Ads?
Calls to your ad extension numbers won't report as conversions in Google Ads unless they are being used with our Google Calls Details Forwarding integration. In order to see conversions for any other calls, you'll need to use visitor tracking.
Learn more about using CallRail to track call conversions in Google Ads.
