Call Ads on Google: What Replaces Call-Only Ads in 2026
. By Ads Daddy.
Google call ads are on their way out, and the phone call isn't. Google is replacing standalone call ads with responsive search ads (RSAs) that carry call assets. Your customers still get a tap-to-call button. You just build it a different way. Below is how call ads work, how to set up the replacement, and how to track whether the phone is ringing with real customers or time-wasters.
If you'd rather not wrestle with Google Ads settings at all, our team manages Google Ads campaigns end to end, so you can get back to answering the phone.
TL;DR
- Call ads (call-only ads) are being phased out. Google's help pages say the option to create new ones was removed in February 2026, and existing ones stop getting impressions in February 2027.
- The replacement is an RSA with call assets. Add your business name and phone number as call assets, attach them to a responsive search ad, then retire the old call ad once the new one is approved and performing.
- Turn on call reporting. Without it you're paying for clicks and guessing which ones turned into customers.
- Judge by call quality, not call volume. Set a minimum call length, import the outcome of each call, and bid for the calls that turn into sales.
- Check your phone number and verification page first. Google must verify the number, and the page must show the same one.
Table of Contents
- What Google call ads actually are
- Are Google call ads going away?
- What replaces call-only ads: call assets in RSAs
- How to set up call ads on Google the 2026 way
- Track your calls or you're flying blind
- Optimising phone-call campaigns
- Quick pre-launch checklist
- Our view: phone leads are still the quickest route to revenue
- Want us to run it for you?
- FAQ
What Google call ads actually are
A call ad is a Search ad built to make your phone ring. It only shows on devices that can make calls. The person sees your business name, a phone number and a couple of lines of copy. They tap, the dialler opens with your number (or a Google forwarding number), they confirm the call, and you're talking to a lead.
Think of it like a shop with a single door marked "Come in and talk to us". No browsing, no brochure. If a final URL is supplied, clicks on the headline or description can send people to your website instead, but the star of the show is the call button.
A call ad has these parts, according to Google's own call ads help page:
- Up to two headlines, which are optional
- A business name and a phone number, which are required
- Two description lines, and the second is optional
- An optional display path and final URL
- A verification URL that leads to a page showing your business phone number
That last one trips people up. If the number on the verification page doesn't match the number in the ad, you're going nowhere fast.
Why people liked them
Call ads suit businesses where a conversation closes the sale. Plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, dentists, lawyers, finance brokers, car hire, emergency services. If the customer's thought is "I need someone now", a phone number beats a landing page with a form.
Google says call campaigns suit advertisers whose main goal is phone calls. They let you bid based on call value and set a minimum call duration for counting a conversion. That second feature matters more than it sounds, and we'll come back to it.
Are Google call ads going away?
Yes. Here's the timeline Google gives in its help documentation:
- February 2026: the option to create new call-only ads is removed.
- February 2027: existing call-only ads stop receiving impressions.
Today is November 2026, so you can't build a fresh call-only ad, and any old ones you have are on a countdown. Check Google's help page for the current status before you plan around those dates.
Why the change? Google says RSAs use multiple headlines and descriptions, and its AI tests combinations to match what people are searching for. A single fixed call ad can't do that. Google's stated direction is to move call ads to call assets inside RSAs.
Don't panic. Your phone leads don't vanish. The format changes.
What replaces call-only ads: call assets in RSAs
A call asset adds your phone number to an ad. On a phone, it can show a tap-to-call button. On desktop, a "Call us" button can show the number and a QR code. The ad can still send people to your website too.
That's the big difference. The old call-only ad was phone or nothing. The new setup gives the searcher a choice: call or click. Some people will always want to read first.
From Google's call assets help page, here's what to know:
- You can schedule call assets for the hours your team actually answers.
- Clicks on the call button cost the same as headline clicks under standard CPC charging.
- Assets don't show on every impression. The auction decides, based on historical performance and other factors.
That last point is the catch. With call-only ads, every impression carried the call button. With call assets, Google decides when to show it. So you can't just add the asset and walk away.
Call-only ad vs RSA with call assets
| Call-only ad | RSA with call assets | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it shows | Call-capable devices only | Phones and desktop |
| What the searcher can do | Call (or click through if a URL is set) | Call or visit your website |
| Copy | Fixed headlines and descriptions | Multiple headlines and descriptions, tested by Google AI |
| Call button on every impression | Yes | No, the auction decides |
| Availability | Existing ads end in February 2027 | The current route |
How to set up call ads on Google the 2026 way
This is the process. Google lays out the same path in its transition guide.
Step 1: Get your number and name right
Your phone number must be accurate, active and relevant to your business, and Google has to verify it. Your business name needs to match what you'll say on the phone. When you answer a call from someone who clicked your ad, Google's policy says to state the business name as it appears in the ad.
Where it goes wrong: the ad says "Smith Plumbing" and your receptionist answers with "Hello?". That's a policy problem and a lost-sale problem in one.
Step 2: Add call assets
In Google Ads, add your business name and phone number as call assets. If you have different numbers for different locations or services, add each one.
Where it goes wrong: using a number that rings out after 5pm, with no schedule set. Schedule the asset for staffed hours so you don't pay for calls nobody answers.
Step 3: Create or edit an RSA
Build a responsive search ad, or modify an existing one. Write plenty of distinct headlines and descriptions. Google tests the combinations, so give it real variety: a price angle, a speed angle, a trust angle, a location angle.
Where it goes wrong: ten headlines that say the same thing. The AI has nothing to test, and you get nothing to learn.
Step 4: Attach the call assets
Add the call assets to the campaign through the "More asset types" option. Now the ad can show a call button where the auction allows.
Step 5: Wait, then retire the old call ad
Don't delete your old call ad straight away. Google's advice is to remove it only after the RSA is approved and starts performing. Otherwise you create a gap in your leads.
Step 6: Switch on call reporting
This is the step most people skip. We cover it next, because it's where the money is.
Setting this up by hand is doable, but the details add up: policies, verification, bidding, tracking. Our Google Ads setup guide for small business walks through the account basics, and our team handles the build and ongoing optimisation if you want it off your plate.
Track your calls or you're flying blind
A ringing phone feels like success. It isn't, until you know who called and what happened next.
Google's call reporting assigns forwarding numbers and reports call duration, start time, the caller's number (for calls over 15 seconds, except in India) and connection status. It's available on the Search Network.
Here's how it works in plain terms:
- Tap-to-call clicks are charged on the same CPC basis as a website click.
- Manual dials of a displayed forwarding number aren't charged.
- Calls over a set length can count as conversions, and you can feed those into automated bidding.
Set a minimum call length
A ten-second call is usually a wrong number or a hang-up. A three-minute call is a conversation. Tell Google what counts. If you only want calls longer than, say, 60 seconds counted as conversions, set it that way. Then your bidding learns from real conversations instead of accidental taps.
Track calls to your website number
If people see your number on your site, Google's conversion tracking can swap it for a forwarding number and attribute calls to specific keywords, ads, ad groups and campaigns. That's how you find out that "emergency plumber" brings calls and "plumber jobs" brings nothing.
Separate sales calls from everything else
Google's call conversion import helps you tell sales calls from support calls and connect outcomes to ads and keywords. If a third-party call analytics provider is in the mix, call details forwarding can pass campaign, ad group and click IDs and support lead scoring, routing and offline conversion import.
It's like dating. A lot of first dates isn't a relationship. You want to know which ones led somewhere.
Ask the people who answer the phone
Google recommends talking to your call-answering team and checking sales data for conversion rates, average order values, profitability and customer lifetime value. Then import downstream sales or lead conversions where you can.
The maths is simple. Say a call costs A$30 in clicks. If one in four calls becomes a customer worth A$800, that's about A$120 per customer against A$800 in revenue. If one in twenty converts, it's A$600 per customer. Same ad, wildly different result. Only tracking tells you which one you're living in.
For a wider view on measuring beyond clicks or call volume, this piece on lead nurturing and conversion strategies shows what happens after the first contact.
Optimising phone-call campaigns
Once calls are tracked, you can squeeze more from them.
Bid for the calls that pay
Google recommends reviewing performance by conversion type and raising call bid adjustments where your campaigns produce high-value calls. These adjustments increase call asset exposure without raising bids for website clicks. Handy, since you can lean into phone leads without overpaying for browsers.
Make calling easy on your site
Since many people land on your website after clicking, Google suggests:
- Put a call button on every page of the mobile site
- Make the number clickable
- Show the number as text, not an image, on desktop
It sounds basic. You'd be amazed how many sites hide the number in a footer graphic. If your site isn't built for thumbs, our guide to mobile-first advertising covers why it matters.
Staff the phones
A call asset schedule only helps if someone competent answers. Train whoever picks up to state the business name as it appears in the ad, ask what the caller needs, and book the next step. A missed call is a click you paid for and threw away.
Quick pre-launch checklist
- The phone number is accurate, active and relevant to the business
- The verification page shows the same number as the ad
- Call assets are scheduled for staffed hours
- Call reporting is on
- A minimum call duration is set for conversions
- Whoever answers states the business name as it appears in the ad
- The old call ad stays live until the RSA is approved and performing
Our view: phone leads are still the quickest route to revenue
We've watched plenty of businesses chase clicks and ignore the phone. Then they wonder why the numbers look good and the bank balance doesn't.
Here's our take. The format changing from call-only ads to RSAs with call assets isn't bad news. It's a nudge to treat phone calls like the high-intent leads they are, and to measure them properly.
Our approach is hands-on management of campaigns across Google, Meta, YouTube, LinkedIn and Microsoft, with integrated tracking and lead delivery, so clients don't need to learn or run the ad platforms themselves. That includes the fiddly bits: asset setup, policy compliance and performance analytics.
If you want calls from people ready to buy, build the system around the call, not just the ad. Number, schedule, tracking, follow-up. Get those right and the format matters a lot less.
Adrian
Want us to run it for you?
We create, manage and optimise campaigns on Google, Meta, YouTube, LinkedIn and Microsoft. We handle the setup, tracking and optimisation, so you're not spending evenings inside Google Ads menus. See our Google Ads and multi-platform management.
If your business is in finance, we also run lead generation where leads are delivered to you. Our published prices start from A$70 per lead for consumer car finance leads and from A$170 per lead for commercial ABN finance leads. Details are on our pay-per-lead page, and our lead generation service covers the wider approach.
Ready to turn clicks into calls? Book a call with us and we'll look at your phone-lead setup.
FAQ
How do I run call ads on Google?
You can no longer create new call-only ads, since Google removed that option in February 2026. Instead, add your business name and phone number as call assets, then attach them to a responsive search ad. Switch on call reporting so you can see which calls came from which campaigns.
Are Google call ads going away?
Yes. Google says existing call-only ads will stop receiving impressions in February 2027. The replacement is an RSA with call assets, and Google advises removing the old call ad only after the new ad is approved and performing. Check Google's help pages for the latest timing.
Does Google charge when someone calls my business?
Google charges for a click when a customer taps to call, on the same CPC basis as a click to your website. It doesn't charge when someone manually dials the forwarding number shown in the ad. You can also set a minimum call length so only real conversations count as conversions.
Why isn't my call button showing on every ad?
Call assets don't appear on every eligible impression. The auction decides whether to show them, using historical performance and other factors. Scheduling the asset for staffed hours and tracking call conversions helps your account show the button when it counts.
What do I need before launching a call campaign?
You need an accurate, active phone number that Google can verify, and a verification page showing that same number. Answer calls with the business name as it appears in the ad. Have call reporting switched on before you spend a cent.