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Yahoo & Google Testing Pay-Per-Call Ads

Posted by Zonk on from the do-i-get-money dept.

khundeck writes "'Internet giants Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. are testing a new form of online advertising that encourages people to pick up the phone rather than click on a link, lending credibility to the 'pay-per-call' ad model.'" From the article: "Google is testing a variant in which users click on a phone icon and type their number into a box. Google then dials the user, who hears ringing until the merchant answers. Google says the service is free for callers even on long-distance calls, and it promises not to divulge the caller's number to anyone."

5 of 108 comments (clear)

  1. in... by kirkb · · Score: 4, Funny

    In Soviet Russia, ads click you? (sorry)

    --
    Slashdot: come for the pedantry, stay for the condescension.
  2. Balmer, its Google calling. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Quick! Has anyone got Steve's phone number?

    1. Re:Balmer, its Google calling. by know1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Balmer, its Google calling."
      "They are trying to sell you replacement office furniture"
      sorry couldn't help it

  3. Re:Who says I have to use my own number? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    When I worked at dynamicsoft (now Cisco) we wrote an app that would conference two totally random individuals at a time. With one click of the button, two phones would ring and each person would insist that the other had called them. It was very fun to watch.

    Its even better when you anonymously schedule it to call people at 6am.

  4. Very Helpful... Also Good For Elderly and Handicap by hzs202 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think this idea is great! It will provide an alternative route when web browsing that may prove useful not only for typical web-surfing customers but those who may not be as capable to get results from the web as... hmmm... oh I don't know, maybe your average slashdot subscriber?

    Best,