Mobile Demand Side Platform (DSP) StrikeAd has launched technology that enables advertisers to optimise the RTB (Real Time Bidding) media buy to the call duration within a click-to-call mobile ad campaign.

The StrikeAd DSP uses telephony proxy diversion and analytics to track call duration and determine the pattern of an impression profile, that is most likely to result in a phone call over a certain duration. It can then bid in real time on similar profile impressions to dramatically reduce wasted ad spend and greatly improve ROI.

StrikeAd uses telephony software to ensure that when a user clicks a banner, they are given a unique phone number to call. The unique number is then mapped with each click ID. When the call is completed, the telephony software tells the StrikeAd server the phone number and call duration. The StrikeAd platform then uses the ID and phone number to attribute the conversion if the call duration was over a set threshold, for example, two minutes. This data later enables StrikeAd to see exactly which impression profile the call was driven by and identify and buy further inventory with a high potential for another phone call over two minutes.

“Once we know the duration of a call which resulted in a conversion, we can identify the exact details of the impression that drove it, including what device make and model it was, where the banner was seen and what time of day it was and so on,” says StrikeAd CTO, Michael Dewhirst. “So rather than simply assuming that a click-to-call banner click resulted in a phone call, we verify and confirm whether there was a call at all and how long it lasted for.

“This enables us to then find similar inventory for our clients ad campaigns which form a similar profile – same device, same time of day, same site, etc – which results in higher conversion levels for our clients by an order of magnitude, and reduces huge wasteful spend in terms of advertising budget. This approach is a game-changer when it comes to click-to-call campaigns.”