Phone numbers on adsense ads

Do you think they affect CTR

[loanuniverse]

These phone numbers in ads can get a bit irritating as the top two ads in my index page seem to have been taken over by them. While I would like to block them out of principle (no way you can convince me that this is not to get around paying for the click), I figure that they must be paying a pretty penny to get that position.

What would you do in this situation?

edit: I read [webmasterworld.com...] again and I agree that anyone interested would probably visit the site, but there is one in ten that might call before clicking.

[Blue_Fin]

I don't do anything when I see ads with phone numbers on them as I don't think it impacts clicks, but even if it did, if I blocked them then I wouldn't get their ads later if they removed the phone number.

[onfire]

(no way you can convince me that this is not to get around paying for the click),

Well there’s no way i can believe that nobody would not click the ad first and go check them out before even considering phoning.

1.Uless they are so well known, or the product is that you don't need to go and have a look,
2.That they are really that shallow & they believe all that they read in the ad hype.

I am still trying to convince myself here, but i know 110% that i would not call before clicking on the Ad / link before going to the next step and make contact, which with even a phone number present i would shoot an email off first rather than phone.

So I cannot see them gaining anything from displaying the phone number in the Ad

BTW Happy New Year!

[yoyo8]

but there is one in ten that might call before clicking.

And where did you get that figure from? I can't imagine anyone calling a number sight-unseen, period. Even for a big, established company, why phone them when one could just do the same thing via the web? And since the person IS viewing the ad via the web, there would be almost no reason to call.

[Marcia]

People might be putting the number in to attract clicks, figuring that a company that appears to have a live person at the other end of the phone will be appeal to people. People might be more likely to click just because of the personal touch of having the phone number there in case there are questions or support is needed.

[digitalghost]

>>I can't imagine anyone calling a number sight-unseen

Well, yeah, because they have to see the damn number before they call it. ;) Simply providing a phone number can inrease conversion rates by 15% on some sites, why not try a phone# on ads?

>>People might be more likely to click

Yathink? :)

[Marcia]

DG, I wouldn't call a number just because I saw it on an ad without clicking on it, but I might be curious to see who's making an open show of having a number available.

>>Simply providing a phone number can inrease conversion rates by 15% on some sites, why not try a phone# on ads?

Apologies if it's off topic, but it has to be asked. 15% conversion increase just for having a number someplace on the site, or does it have to be on every page to increase conversion?

[digitalghost]

>>does it have to be on every page to increase conversion

Doesn't have to be on every page, just needs to be prominent, either on the page, via text or a footer link, or similar link. A phone# lends credibility. Add a BBB logo if you can. :)

[ken_b]

I think seeing a phone number in the ad would add credibilty for many people. Whether using the very limited ad space to place a phone number there is worth it might be another question.

It would be interesting to know how having a number in the add affects the CTR though.

[europeforvisitors]

This was discussed in:

[webmasterworld.com...]

In that thread, an advertiser reported that including a phone number in ads had increased the clickthrough rate, probably because "having the phone number up front breeds a higher degree of trust."