Spam calls from Google Ads: where they come from and how to cut them down

You put your number on your ads. The phone starts ringing. Brilliant.

Then you answer it. Someone wants to sell you a listing, a "Google partner" package or a better website. The next one is a recorded message. The one after that hangs up.

Spam calls are one of the most annoying parts of advertising locally, and they make it hard to tell whether Google Ads is actually working. Here's how to get a handle on them.

First, work out where they're coming from

Not every spam call comes from your ads. Your number is on your website, your Google Business Profile, directories and probably a few lists you never signed up for. Before you blame Google Ads, find out.

If your account uses Google's call tracking, calls from your ads come through a forwarding number, and you can see them in the account: when they came in, how long they lasted, and which campaign they came from. If a call isn't in there, it didn't come from an ad.

No call tracking? That's the first thing to fix. Without it, you're guessing.

Count real calls, not every call

Google lets you choose how long a call has to last before it counts as a conversion. If a 10-second hang-up counts the same as a 10-minute conversation about a new kitchen, Google learns the wrong thing. Set a sensible minimum length, so the account is judged on real conversations.

Only show your number when you can answer it

If calls outside office hours are mostly junk (or go unanswered), schedule your call assets to show only when someone's there to pick up. You'll lose less money and fewer real customers.

Be careful with lead forms inside Google

Google offers forms people can fill in without ever visiting your website. They're quick, which is the problem. Quick to fill in means quick to fill in with rubbish. If you use them, add a qualifying question or two, and check every lead.

Keep a note

This bit isn't glamorous. Keep a simple list of which calls were real and which weren't. It shows you whether the spam is getting better or worse, and it's exactly the feedback that makes an account better over time.

You won't get it to zero

Some spam is just the cost of putting a phone number on the internet. The aim isn't zero. The aim is knowing which calls came from your ads, counting only the real ones, and not paying Google to find you more of the rubbish.