Nearly 80% of UK adults now own a smartphone which means phones are ringing at UK businesses like never before. 78% shoppers stated that they used a mobile device during their last shopping trip. The vast majority of retail purchases still occur offline, and yet the smartphone is the most important resource informing those decisions for most UK consumers.
The most popular way a British consumer jumps from online to offline is by making a phone call which establishes that the click-to-call is emerging as the most common form of purchase-oriented activity from digital ads. A June 2015 report from BIA/Kelsey predicts that calls to businesses from smartphones will reach 162 billion by 2019.
Mobile advertising platforms have taken notice, with Facebook introducing new click-to-call functionality and Google launching “Call-Only” mobile ads in 2015. Research done by Google has found that one third of UK mobile search consumers frequently feel the need to directly call a business. Consumers state that the main motivation behind calling is to talk with a real person so they can quickly get their questions answered and ultimately make a purchase.
How often will the UK population click-to-call a business from a smartphone this year? Consumers all over UK made more than 12 billion phone calls directly from smartphones to businesses in 2016 and the numbers is only going to increase in 2017.
Over 42% of mobile consumers use the click-to-call feature when they are nearing a purchase decision. Click-to-call represents a critical opportunity to connect with both loyal customers and prospects when they are ready to buy. In addition, as marketers measure and analyze phone calls from search, display and other digital channels, there are opportunities to drive revenue and reduce acquisition costs.
1. Click-To-Call Commerce Mobile Performance Report, Marchex Report 2015
2. United Kingdom Click-to-Call Mobile Performance Report, Marchex Report 2016
3. Getting to $72 Billion: BIA/Kelsey’s Mobile Ad Revenue Forecast, BIA/Kelsey, 2017
4. I-Want-To-Buy-It Moments: Mobile’s Growing Role in a Shopper’s Purchase Decision, Web. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/purchase-decision-mobile-growth.html July 2016
