Google’s new smartphone ad format allows customers to call directly by tapping a button

Google is rolling out a mobile ad format that will allow smartphone users to call an advertiser directly from their ad, rather than clicking through to their website.

The ad format, called call-only campaigns, features the advertiser’s name, along with a short description of their business and a call button.

Call-only campaigns will have the same cost-per-click (CPC) cost as a standard ad that links to a website, even though Google claims the call button typically increases click-through rates by 6-8%.

Currently, Google’s call-only campaigns are available for ads targeting its search network and not for display network only ads. Call-only campaigns targeting the display network will also only appear on smartphones and not on desktop PCs, laptops or tablets.

Australian advertisers, as well as those in the US, UK, France, Spain and Germany, also have the option of showing the ads with a Google forwarding phone number rather than their own number.

Call-only campaigns come after Google added the ability for developers to create ads that deep-link to content within Android apps late last year.