What you told me
| input | your words |
|---|---|
| call_sources | call assets on Search ads; the header number on every page; tap to call on mobile |
| site_setup | web developer edits the site; Google Tag Manager in use; no other call tracking or number swapping |
| country | United States |
| good_call | "a call that ends with a booked job" |
| call_log | 33 calls from the last 2 weeks |
Conversion actions to create
| source | Google call conversion type | what it counts | needs a Google forwarding number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call assets on Search ads | Calls from ads | calls from call assets that last at least the minimum length you set | yes |
| Header number, desktop and mobile visits after an ad click | Calls to a phone number on your website | calls to the forwarding number shown on your site after an ad click, at least the minimum length | yes |
| Tap to call on the mobile header | Clicks on a number on your mobile website | the tap only; Google says "we can only track these clicks, not the phone calls themselves" | no |
| Your office phone system outcomes (optional) | Import call conversions | calls you mark in your own system, for example booked jobs | yes |
Google says calls from ads, website calls and imported calls "require Google forwarding numbers", and that these numbers are available only in the countries on Google's list. I have not checked that list for the United States; it is not in my saved sources (question 1).
Call length choice
I marked each call Good (booked) or Not good from your good_call. Small sample: this is 33 calls over 2 weeks, fewer than 100, so read the cuts as a starting point, not proof.
| call | seconds | outcome | source | mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | 12 | wrong number | call asset | Not good |
| C2 | 25 | hang up | website | Not good |
| C3 | 48 | price shopper | website | Not good |
| C4 | 95 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C5 | 140 | booked | website | Good |
| C6 | 33 | spam | call asset | Not good |
| C7 | 210 | booked | website | Good |
| C8 | 62 | question, no booking | website | Not good |
| C9 | 18 | hang up | call asset | Not good |
| C10 | 175 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C11 | 88 | question, no booking | website | Not good |
| C12 | 240 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C13 | 41 | price shopper | website | Not good |
| C14 | 9 | wrong number | website | Not good |
| C15 | 130 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C16 | 57 | question, no booking | website | Not good |
| C17 | 300 | booked | website | Good |
| C18 | 72 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C19 | 36 | spam | call asset | Not good |
| C20 | 115 | question, no booking | website | Not good |
| C21 | 190 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C22 | 28 | hang up | website | Not good |
| C23 | 66 | price shopper | call asset | Not good |
| C24 | 155 | booked | website | Good |
| C25 | 84 | question, no booking | website | Not good |
| C26 | 205 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C27 | 14 | spam | website | Not good |
| C28 | 99 | booked | call asset | Good |
| C29 | 52 | price shopper | website | Not good |
| C30 | 260 | booked | website | Good |
| C31 | 45 | question, no booking | call asset | Not good |
| C32 | 120 | booked | website | Good |
| C33 | 70 | question, no booking | call asset | Not good |
Counts by script. A call is kept when its length is at or above the cut. Share of good calls kept = good kept / all good calls.
| cut (seconds) | calls kept | good kept | not good kept | good kept / all good | share of good kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 27 | 14 | 13 | 14/14 | 100% |
| 60 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 14/14 | 100% |
| 90 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 13/14 | 93% |
| 120 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 11/14 | 79% |
| calls in log | good calls | not good calls | shortest good call (seconds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 14 | 19 | 72 |
Your choice, with the trade off in counts: in this log the highest cut that still keeps every booked call is 60 seconds (6 not good calls still counted, see the cut table). Higher cuts drop booked calls; lower cuts count more calls that did not book. The pick is yours.
A wording difference to know: one Google page counts a call "when it lasts longer than a minimum length you set", the other says every call that lasts at least that long is counted. A call exactly at the cut (for example C32 at 120 seconds) may fall either way; I counted it as kept.
A minimum length cannot tell a booked job from a long question call. If you want only booked jobs counted, the Import call conversions action fits that, as Google describes it: you can "Import call conversions that you track in another system into Google Ads".
Setup steps and blockers
| step | what | source note | status |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Confirm Google forwarding numbers are offered for your country on Google's list | needed for calls from ads, website calls and imports | HELD, question 1 |
| S2 | Create the Calls from ads action with the chosen minimum length; call reporting must be on in account settings | Google: make sure call reporting is enabled | HELD |
| S3 | Create the website calls action and install the Google tag plus phone snippet on pages with the header number | Google Tag Manager is an install option; Google's caution against it applies only to sites with DNI or third party call tracking, which you said you do not use | HELD |
| S4 | Verify domain ownership by linking Search Console to Google Ads | Google marks this "(Recommended)"; the Google tag cannot verify the domain when installed through a tag manager such as GTM | HELD |
| S5 | Create the mobile click action if you also want taps counted | counts clicks only | HELD, question 3 |
| S6 | After setup, test with a search and an ad click | Google: "It can take up to an hour" for ads to be enabled for the action; the test click is charged | HELD |
I am not claiming these actions will change bidding or cost per lead; they change what Google Ads counts.
Questions for you
- Can you check Google's forwarding number country list for the United States, or should I open it in a later session? It is not in my saved sources.
- Which minimum length do you want, from the cut table? Or would you rather import booked jobs from your phone system?
- Do you want mobile taps counted as their own action? A tap is not a completed call.
- Can your phone system export booked calls with the caller number and time? That decides whether an import is practical.
Needs your decision
- Steps S1 to S6 are HELD. Nothing is created in Google Ads and no website change is made until you approve the plan.