Phone Numbers in CPC ads

Has anybody seen phone numbers in CPC ads. I've been getting a lot of them on the Game Certainty blog. Does Google allow this? It would seem to circumvent the entire CPC model

 

While I suspect most people would click long before calling, and I'm not in a segment which normally sees phone numbers in ads, I have on rare occasion seen one.

I immediately add the URL to the competitive ad filter.

 

Yes, I seem them when I search for Maple Leafs Tickets on Google.

http://flickr.com/photos/amit-agarwal/83778811/

The Advertiser (Razorgator) is also displaying ads on Yahoo but they do not carry the phone number.

http://flickr.com/photos/amit-agarwal/83778811/

Probably Yahoo doesn't allow phone numbers in ads but Google does.

 

Yes they do. On the AdWords side I've run campaigns for a few years that use phone numbers in the ad text.

 

I'm seen quite a few advertisements for SMS competitions showing up with phone numbers. Something along the lines of "Win [prize]. SMS [keyword] to [number]"

Wonder why they are buying CPC advertising if they don't really need people to click on the ads. Guess they are trying to spend the minimum amount.

 

I wouldn't mind them a bit if they were only allowed as CPM ads.

 

Agreed 100%. I sent Google an email. Can't wait for the response.

 

Do you really think it effects your revenue in any significant way?

 

i dont really understand why google would allow people to do this - google only gets paid if people click the ads doesn,t it?

 

You get paid for the CPM from the ad display, but you also get paid for a CPC if it's clicked, right?

It sounds as though people are afraid that they lose the click revenue in exchange for gaining low impression revenue -- but to me it sounds like we can gain both.

 

No. With a CPM ad you get paid for each impression. You don't get paid when someone clicks on a CPM ad.

 

randymorin will you tell us what Google replied?