How Can I Switch the Regular Number on Our Website to a Call Rails Number?

The short answer is that you can test whether your website’s phone number switches correctly to a Call Rails number by adding “?gclid=0” at the end of your website URL. This method allows you to see how users entering your site through Google Ads are shown the Call Rails number instead of the regular number. Essentially, the system looks for your original phone number and replaces it with the Call Rails number, ensuring calls made to this swapped number are tracked accurately.

Full Explanation

This process works by detecting the presence of a specific query parameter in the URL, commonly the Google Click Identifier (gclid). When you append “?gclid=0” to your website URL, you simulate how visitors who come from Google Ads would see your site. Upon detecting this parameter, the system looks for your regular phone number – in this case, the example number provided is 347-424-932 (or whatever digit sequence is your original number) – and swaps it with the Call Rails number. This dynamic replacement ensures that the phone number displayed to visitors clicking through Google Ads is not the regular one but the tracked Call Rails number, enabling better call tracking metrics.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Visit your website with the original URL and observe the phone number shown.
2. Add “?gclid=0” to the end of your URL to mimic a visitor coming through Google Ads.
3. Reload the page and check the phone number again.
4. If set up correctly, the regular phone number on your website should automatically switch to the Call Rails number.
5. This swap happens because the system is programmed to detect your original number and replace it for call tracking purposes.
6. When someone clicks the number and makes a call, that call is tracked by Call Rails.

Real Examples

For example, if your website normally displays the phone number 347-424-932, adding “?gclid=0” after your URL will show the Call Rails number instead. This switch reflects how users arriving via Google Ads would encounter your contact info, ensuring the calls they make can be tracked efficiently by Call Rails.

Common Mistakes

• Not adding the “?gclid=0” parameter correctly to test the number switch.
• Failing to configure the system to recognize the original phone number for replacement.
• Forgetting to confirm that the Call Rails number is set up properly to replace the regular number.
• Assuming that number switching works without actually testing the URL parameter technique.

FAQs

Why do I need to add “?gclid=0” to the URL?

Adding “?gclid=0” simulates traffic coming from Google Ads, triggering the phone number switch to the Call Rails number, which allows you to verify if the number replacement setup is working correctly.

What happens if I visit the website without “?gclid=0”?

If you visit without the parameter, you will see the regular phone number because the system only switches the number when the tracking parameter is detected.

Does this affect all users?

No, only users who arrive through specific tracked ad clicks, carrying parameters like “gclid”, will see the Call Rails number, helping to attribute calls properly.

Key Takeaways

• Adding “?gclid=0” to your website URL helps test dynamic phone number switching for Google Ads traffic.
• The system looks for the original number and replaces it with the Call Rails number when the parameter is detected.
• This setup is essential to track calls correctly from ad-driven visitors.
• Testing without the parameter shows the regular number, validating the switch mechanism.
• Calls made by users dialing the switched number are tracked by Call Rails.