How does pay per call work?
An advertiser or network runs ads, landing pages or other media that ask the consumer to call. Each source gets a tracking number. When someone calls, call-tracking software records where the call came from, checks it against the campaign rules, and connects it to the buyer's phone line, intake team or call center.
If the call meets the agreed rules, it is billable. If it doesn't, for example because it is a duplicate, comes from outside the service area or hangs up too early, the buyer doesn't pay for it.
- Ads or content prompt the consumer to call
- A tracking number records the source
- Routing rules check location, schedule and buyer capacity
- The call connects to the buyer live
- The call is billed only if it meets the agreed rules
Who buys pay-per-call traffic?
Businesses that close sales on the phone: home service contractors, insurance agencies and call centers, law firms with intake teams, lenders and funding brokers, and healthcare providers that book appointments by phone.
How is pay per call priced?
Price is set per billable call and depends on the vertical, geography, how strict the qualification rules are and how many buyers compete for the same calls. Stricter rules and higher-value services usually mean a higher price per call but fewer wasted calls.
| Model | What the buyer pays for | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Pay per call | Any call longer than the billable duration | The buyer screens calls well and wants volume |
| Pay per qualified call | Calls that meet duration plus screening rules | Only a specific type of caller is worth paying for |
| Live transfer | A pre-screened caller handed over by an agent | The buyer wants callers qualified before they connect |
| Real-time bidding (RTB) | Calls won in a live auction at the buyer's bid | The buyer wants to set price call by call |