Superpages lauches PPCall

It's not your average PPCall integration. Some good stuff in here

[MoneyMan]

Superpages launchs PPCall solution. [biz.yahoo.com]

This seems to be a pretty comprehensive and integrated solution.

Here are some good nuggets

With SuperPages.com Pay For Calls, a dedicated toll-free or local telephone number appears in the ad and rings through to the advertiser's regular phone line. Pay For Calls ads are integrated with and appear on the same search results page as SuperPages.com Pay Per Click ads. If the ad does not generate any calls on the dedicated number, there is no charge to the advertiser, other than a monthly maintenance charge.

That's great placement. I wonder how they determine who ranks higher between PPC and PPCall ads.

The bids are calculated based on the comparative value of the leads generated.

Hmmm - I'm not sure what this means exactly. It needs more investigation. It could be that there is a minimum bid level depending on the category and it's straight bid based management from that minimum.

An additional value of Pay For Calls on SuperPages.com is the ability to leverage ads in local Verizon yellow pages directories.

Verizon yellow pages will include generic category ads with a local contact number. The ad -- and number -- will be different for each listing category in which it appears: plumbers, lawyers, dentists, etc. Calls to that number will be forwarded to a local online advertiser in that category. This makes the static directory a dynamic advertising medium.

Wow - integration of bid based PPCall with their print medium. Now that is the type of foward thinking that will keep YPs and IYPs in the game.

[stifler12]

In addition to the PPCall, they YP's & IYP's should integrate a tracking number on every YP ad, it will add more value to the ads with more measurable ROI.

[MoneyMan]

YP's have offered call tracking on the print side for years. YP's, or anyone doing call tracking, need to charge or determine a model where the cost is absorbed in the product margin because you are dealing with a tracking medium - the phone call- which has an inherent cost. It's not like clicks where the tracking is just a matter of the technology and doesn't have an incremental cost.

When talking about print YPs, most small biz don't want to pay for it and don't see the need. They just put their ad in the print YP because "its what they are suppose to do".

[stifler12]

Agree...There will come a time when the small and medium businesses will advertise online because it is what they are supposed to do. It's going to be very interesting watch this migration of businesses re-allocating their ad dollars online from "traditional" advertising (print, radio, ect).

[Chicago]

If call is going to take hold anywhere in local search first - it will be here, in the leading IYP.

The argument is simple: researchers browse, buyers call

The question is the usability of ad provisioning, bidding, and serving. There is a lot of uniquely priced inventory on those pages now - at a time when simplicity is as important as innovation when trying to acquire SME customers.

super move though. it is good to see the big guys take these aggressive positions to protect their positions. its just good business.

[MoneyMan]

researchers browse, buyers call

Yes, this is the natural currency for local and will yield a much higher conversion for the merchant compared to clicks.

The question is the usability of ad provisioning, bidding, and serving.

I believe another large factor slowing down PPCall integration and adoption is that the providers currently will make more money on clicks than calls right now. While the SMEs understand calls better and know how to convert a call, not many have ever taken the time to track calls and breakdown the price that a call is worth to them in other mediums. The initial price for a PPCall platform is significantly higher (say average of $6 - $8 per call versus $.15 - $.25 for PPC). The SMEs are just starting to move into the Internet marketing arena and I suspect many will test this "Internet thing" with click because it is so much cheaper. In the end the Call is much more likely to yield ROI, but SME are risk averse.

Combine that will the issues raised by Chicago and there is some work to be done before we see mass adoption.

Much will depend on how many distributors like Super continue to take these risks and push.

(Yahoo is making steps as well, not in local though [webmasterworld.com...]

[RossWal]

Moneyman on tracking:

When talking about print YPs, most small biz don't want to pay for it and don't see the need. They just put their ad in the print YP because "its what they are suppose to do".

Extremely misguided on their parts, IMO. Tracking can be accomplished with a $15.00 p/m dedicated forwarding line. As I mentioned in another thread, I'm concerned about the confusion caused by inconsistencies brought by publishing multiple phone numbers for a location.

Anyone dealing with this yet.

[figment88]

I don't think SuperPages should be launching pay per call at the present time. I've been having a nightmarish time all week just trying to get basic listings updated and start a ppc campaign.

Their product management sucks. Their sales keep redirecting me in circles, and their customer support doesn't even know their current product line.

SuperPages seems to be over-reaching.

[ortelius]

I don't think SuperPages should be launching pay per call at the present time. I've been having a nightmarish time all week just trying to get basic listings updated and start a ppc campaign.

Well said Figment 88. I advertised with them for about 6 months earlier this year, and their service was awful. I have no hard evidence, but I really have some questions about how accurate the numbers are that SuperPages spits out. I just don't believe they get as much traffic as they say they do. The amount of traffic they sent me was a trickle. No ocmparsion to the major SEs. Definitely not worth the effort at this point in time.