How would you interpret increasing discovery views, decreasing phone calls?

[HoosierBuff]

I have client with 20 plus locations, and the agreggate data shows a trend over time that is increasing "discovery searches" yet decreasing phone calls. The profiles have remained largely the same - no major changes in amount or ratings in reviews.

I would hazard a guess that it could be:

1. Showing up more often (discovery), but, for terms that are lower on the page - thus getting the discovery search counted, but, being so low that nobody would ever call
2. Decreasing proclivity to call due to ads there are definitely more ads on the page now than even last year
3. ?????

what do you think?

 

[Rich Owings]

Are you just tracking phone calls through GMB Insights? They have a reputation for under-counting them.

 

[HoosierBuff]

Correct, just using the GMB data (questionable for sure), but, I'm using that as a consistent metric, and it's interesting to see Discovery continue to increase, while phone calls decrease.

 

[michaelrosa640]

In the past I have seen this happen when listings are showing up for irrelevant search terms. I had one client in the personal care service space who started getting calls for services they did not offer, while their actual service bookings dropped.

Some quick research found that the listings were showing up for unrelated search terms simply because they had a geo modifier in the business name and that was enough for Google to show the listing for any geo related personal care service using this modifier. We removed the modifier, discovery searches fell some, but calls and appointments went back to their normal levels.

 

[HoosierBuff]

Thanks. . . I think it must be something like that. . . seeing some terms that aren't "off" neccesarily, but, definitely not a customer looking in the market. Seeing searches that are triggering the local pack that probably shouldnt' be, or are at best, tangential.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Definitely wouldn't put a lot of stock in "Insights".

Have you considered setting up your own call tracking? That will give you incredibly concrete data.