Young girl stroking head of dog

Integration gives agencies and brands a greater overview of their customers’ online journeys

In keeping with its long history of integrations, ResponseTap is among the first phone call analytics companies in the world to integrate with the Google Marketing Platform via its new Conversions API.

The API allows rich phone call conversion data to be associated with both click-through campaigns and, more significantly, post impressions. ResponseTap is already working on implementation for its customers to ensure they get the most out of this new opportunity.

The ability to link digital media metrics to offline activities, such as the phone call, provides fresh insight into customer journeys enabling brands to make better and more informed decisions about their existing and future campaigns.

“We’re delighted with this latest development,” says ResponseTap’s CEO, Ross Fobian. “Google Marketing Platform is a well-established, leading campaign management system. By opening up its API, tech vendors such as ResponseTap can give marketers and agencies greater visibility into their campaigns and attain a deeper understanding of their key conversion data”.

Anything that provides a clearer overview of individual customer journeys should be applauded. Since inbound phone calls can now be analysed within the context of other online activities in the Google Marketing Platform, our customers can gain fresh, granular insights they couldn’t before.

Bringing online and offline closer together

Linking the offline and online customer journey has, until very recently, been considered the Holy Grail for marketers. Google Marketing Platform’s Conversions API is good news for agencies and brands that can now tie any phone call, whether or not it led to a sale, to an ad impression.

Crucially, offline actions can now be used to customize ads and drive better conversion rates. If an ad is viewed or an inbound phone call made that doesn’t result in a sale, agencies or brands can change their messaging and/or creative, and keep pushing the offer. If it did result in a sale, it can be pulled from the buyer’s line of sight and automatically switched to another product or to a cross-sell promotion, avoiding repetition and maximizing sales results. Even ads viewed with no clickthroughs can still be tied back to a call. These are known as view through call conversions.

The customer in mind

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this” continues Ross. “Knowing which ad impression led to a high level buying action, such as the customer picking up the phone to talk, is vital information that facilitates accurate campaign development. Naturally, we’re moving fast to on-board agencies and direct customers with the evolving system.”

Joining the dots

With Google Marketing Platform and call data combined, media managers are now better positioned to precisely reach specific audiences and find new ways to increase the effectiveness of their marketing spend by making their advertising more relevant. An ad-initiated phone call is a key part of this context.

Says ResponseTap co-founder, Richard Hamnett, “contextual advertising is only worthwhile if it actually is contextual. When it comes to ad impressions and PPC, that context is ‘timing’. You’re not going to sell a customer a holiday today if they went and booked their holiday yesterday.

The ResponseTap integration with Google Marketing Platform is one step closer to achieving true online and offline cross-channel attribution. It helps media managers deliver the right creative at the right time. What’s more, new insights can be used to create campaigns that do a better job of engaging and selling – that help the brand-consumer relationship to positively evolve. These are the things every agency and company want to see happening. ResponseTap’s integration with Google Marketing Platform is going to be a big help.