Vanity Numbers Make for Memorable Mobile Ads, Study Shows

Earlier this year we asked ourselves a simple question: how do more memorable numbers stack up against their generic versions in terms of advertising? While we know from experience that vanity numbers make it easier to recall a company's contact details on ads where immediate action is rare, such as print or banner ads, search advertising prompts a more direct response from potential customers. They search with the intent to act, whether that's clicking through to a website for more information or clicking to call one of the companies listed. Naturally, we wanted to know how integrating the clarity and convenience of a vanity number would affect consumer behavior when they search.

Smartphones and search make for a unique advertising opportunity for vanity number marketing.

Making Mobile Memorable

As shared across several media outlets today, our test compared mobile ads running with a basic numeric phone number to those using a vanity toll-free number in the ad copy. The RingBoost study compared calls made for replacement windows. The test was based on 100,000 total impressions of two Google ads, one featuring vanity toll-free number 877-WINDOWS, the other 877-422-5878. The ads were heavily targeted towards users conducting searches on mobile devices.

When the results were in, we found that searchers were 33 percent more likely to click on the memorable vanity phone number.

Following the study our Director of Marketing, John Borley, emphasized to business owners the importance of creating a memorable mobile ad:

"The results of our study show the continuing importance of vanity phone numbers to successful marketing in the mobile age. Mobile search is taking off, joining other forms of marketing as the way people are finding and calling companies."

As to why vanity numbers make for more memorable mobile ads, we made the following observations:

• A vanity number bridges the gap between text and telephone call. It slots neatly into the text-based format of a search advert, while being a familiar form of contact number that translates to the desire to call.
• Using a vanity number helps the ad to stand out from other ads with similar wording or phrases.
• The toll free aspect of the number appeals to the more cost-conscious part of our mind.

The Importance of Inbound Calls

Last year, eMarketer identified that more sales managers rate phone calls as "excellent" or "good" – making them more important than any other lead type. What's more, inbound phone calls are 10 – 15 times more likely to lead to sales conversions than web leads. That's confirmed by the experts at call tracking solutions firm LogMyCalls. Combine this with the already established case for mobile search, an increasingly important channel for corporate marketers. In 2013 Google reported that that 61% of mobile searches result in a phone call. Mobile advertising platform xAd says that 52% of all mobile ads result in a phone call. With a click through rate (CTR) 33% higher for the ads featuring a toll free number, the potential to directly drive increased inbound calls is immediately felt when a vanity number is in place. And that's without even considering the potential for repeat business as the number lingers in the memory of first-time customers, making them long-term loyal buyers. To see for yourself just how much a memorable vanity number will increase both brand recognition and your inbound call volume, get in touch with us today on 1-877-RINGBOOST. We'll work to make the study results a reality for your sales team!