Google and Click To Call

Something on the roll out?

[trillianjedi]

A change in google's robots.txt often precedes a roll out of some kind:-

[google.com...]

Right at the end:-

/call

[google.com...]

Nothing there but an XML package with an error message and "callerID field" at the moment but according to BT's header check tool it's coming from a server called "ctcserver":-

HTTP/1.0 200 OK
Set-Cookie: PREF=ID=0a75758b327e8dfe:TM=1150880453:LM=1150880453:S=OQr3J79m6hSjqhl5; expires=Sun, 17-Jan-2038 19:14:07 GMT; path=/; domain=.google.com
Set-Cookie: S=callhost=WJfb_CsgF-8; path=/; domain=.google.com
Cache-Control: no-cache
Content-Type: text/xml
Server: ctcserver
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 09:00:53 GMT
Connection: Close

I know they've been messing around with click to call in AdWords ads for a year or two - are we looking at a full scale Alpha release shortly?

[TMF_Melissa]

Lots of 2nd and 3rd tiers have experimented with this - Business.com, Looksmart, etc.

Google is one of the few that allows you to put your phone number in your ad - tracking that is a challenge (I use a service call VoiceStar) but the volume just hasn't been there for the 2nd and 3rd tiers - Google could make it work I'm sure. Something to watch. Or even better to ask the Google guys at the next Webmaster World Conference - VEGAS BABY!