This is the latest in BIA Advisory Service’s Vantage Points series where we tap the perspectives of various lookout points from around the local media and tech sectors. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect that of BIA Advisory Services.
Tiara Gazarian, Director of Sales and Client Relations
Tiara Gazarian is Director of Sales and Client Relations at Phonexa. As Director of Client Relations, Tiara works directly with clients to help them learn and manage their platform, paying special attention to best practices for their business and how Phonexa’s platform can make their business operations more effective and efficient.
The global trend of smartphone usage and adoption is impossible to ignore. In 2017, a reported 1.5 billion smartphones were sold around the world. Just as significant as the recent explosion of mobile device usage is a phenomenon that marketers are wise to pay attention to the era of Call Commerce.
A webinar and report from BIA/Kelsey reveals that call commerce—much of it emanating from the combination of mobile search and “click-to-call” ads—is responsible for influencing some $1 trillion in consumer spending in the U.S. alone. As a result, marketers across all industries have every reason to pay attention to inbound calls and have an even greater need to maximize their ROI when targeting mobile users in campaigns. The solution for these challenges of the smartphone era come in the form of call tracking software.
What is Call Tracking Software?
Call tracking software gives marketers the tools to determine the attributions for their marketing campaigns. Using call tracking software, a business can discover if they drove more calls with social ads, mobile search, offline advertising, or from other marketing efforts. These platforms also have tools that allow businesses to manage their calls, such as real-time inbound traffic analyzation, interactive voice response, and call lead distribution.
As a result of the need for businesses to measure their inbound call attribution, call tracking software space has become a highly competitive market. Numerous call tracking software platforms are available to marketers, all offering varying features and capabilities. It has created a scenario where businesses and marketers have a dizzying array of SaaS platforms to choose from to decide their ideal call tracking solution.
Call Tracking Software Competitive Intelligence Report
Phonexa, a call tracking software company, recently commissioned BIA Advisory Services to conduct a study of three major call tracking SaaS platforms to compare their offerings and functionality. The report was released in June 2019 and shows that while the call tracking platforms align on some standard options and features, there are also remarkable differences between platforms when looking at some call analytics and tracking features as well as in additional capabilities.
The report focuses attention on comparison categories that would have value for interested marketers and lead generators, looking at each option in terms of Platform, Call Analytics and Tracking, Call Management, Security and Compliance, Additional Capabilities, Market, and Support. The report shows that the Phonexa platform manages to not only align with the other platforms on the standard functionality on such items as Real-Time Inbound Traffic Analyzation and the Capturing of Data at Campaign, Key Word, and Ad Level, but that it also exceeds the other platforms when it comes to the range of additional capabilities. Interested marketers may want to know the value of digital marketing tools beyond call tracking.
Understanding Digital Marketing Tools
It’s worth it for marketers to be aware of the digital marketing tools that can increase ROI and optimize campaigns with the same impact as call tracking and analytics. For those marketers in lead generation, it’s well-known that while many leads can come in via calls, there are still plenty that are web-only. In order to effectively track and distribute these leads, marketers need a lead management system. With a comprehensive lead management system, it is possible to track and manage leads that come in via a web form. For marketers generating leads using both web-focused and call-focused campaigns, having the functionality to manage these leads with one simple SaaS solution is invaluable!
Another digital marketing tool that works well in tandem with call tracking software is email marketing. Email marketing remains one of the most popular ways for marketers to retarget past customers by delivering messages right to a consumer’s email inbox. With email marketing, marketers get far-and-away the best return-on-investment for their efforts. The integration of an email marketing platform with a call tracking platform allows marketers to keep a close eye on all their marketing efforts—comparing key reports and testing different messages to see what can deliver the best possible ROI.
The Value of an All-in-One Platform for Call Tracking
The necessity for marketers to use call tracking software is apparent. But is there a similar value for using an all-in-one platform with additional capabilities for lead management and email marketing?
The answer appears to be “YES.” While marketers may be tapping into customers using mobile ads and focusing on “click-to-call,” there remains a sizable market for web leads and retargeting over email. For businesses looking to maximize their efficiency and marketing spend, using an all-in-one platform for call tracking, lead management, and email marketing is a formula for success.
According to the Call Tracking Software Intelligence, only Phonexa offers businesses the benefits of an all-in-one platform, combined with exceptionally robust features, as part of one SaaS solution. For greater insight into the call tracking software market and to see the areas where Phonexa’s platform has more functionality, check out the full report now.
