Pay Per Call
The advertising model known as 'pay per call' has its roots in the yellow pages industry, which dates back to the late 19th century. By the 1970s, major national companies, such as Allstate Insurance, were placing print advertisements across various directories in numerous cities, generating a significant volume of ads. These ads included specific tracking phone numbers, commonly referred to as landlines.
The data from these numbers was relayed to the advertisers, demonstrating the profitable return on investment (ROI) from their print ads and tracking system. One of the greatest advantages was, and still is the ability to record calls for quality assurance, providing clear insight into the value of their investment.
However, with the advent of Google, the phone industry was caught off-guard. Users were directed to websites where they spent, on average, only 30 seconds before leaving, resulting in a negative ROI and no meaningful engagement with the brand.