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Article3 min read

A Phone Click Isn't a Call: How Stores Should Evaluate Direct Inquiries

In its September review, Yandex highlighted Direct's built-in call tracking. I explain how to link calls to ads and avoid mistaking repeat inquiries for new sales.

A work phone placed next to product samples on a store counter
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A customer clicked the phone number but decided not to call. Another called twice because no one answered. A third asked about a size and placed an order later from a computer. If you look only at clicks on the number, these scenarios are easily confused.

In the September 3, 2026 update review, Yandex highlighted Direct's built-in call tracking. The tool was introduced in summer as a beta feature. It allows you to count actual calls and use them to optimize campaigns, making the verification of inquiry quality especially important.

Choose the outcome you need

For a store, a call can be the start of a sale, an inquiry about an already paid order, or a request regarding a return. All three contacts are important, but only one necessarily relates to attracting a new customer.

Define the signs of a useful inquiry together with the staff who answer the phone. Call duration alone is not enough: a short question can lead to a purchase, while a long one may not be related to the assortment.

Analyze missed calls separately. A rise in missed calls can sometimes signal successful interest generation but insufficient staff on the line. Increasing the advertising budget in such a situation may only increase losses.

Number substitution requires a website check

Dynamic call tracking uses substitute numbers to link inquiries to their advertising source. On the site, the number may appear in the header, mobile panel, contacts section, or a pop-up window. It is crucial to verify the entire intended scenario, not just a single block.

After connecting, call the number a visitor would see from a phone. Ensure the call reaches the correct team and is not lost during transfers. Then verify how the inquiry appears in the available reports.

Do not treat the appearance of data in the dashboard as proof of processing quality. If an employee cannot see the product or the context of the question, the conversation will still be inconvenient for the buyer.

Align advertising with communication outcomes

A useful dataset includes new inquiries, repeat calls, missed calls, and completed orders. This helps determine exactly what the campaign delivers and where customers drop off.

For high-value items, account for the decision-making period. A person may compare options for several days. Evaluating performance on the day of the first call yields incomplete results, while mechanically attributing every subsequent purchase to the last contact is an oversimplification.

Clicking a phone number isn't a call yet: how a store should evaluate leads from Yandex Direct

In its September review, Yandex highlighted built-in call tracking. I explain how to link calls to ads without mistaking repeat inquiries for new sales.

Call tracking makes the customer journey visible. The real value emerges when a store uses this data to drive specific improvements: responding faster, refining product cards, and distinguishing purchase intent from questions from existing customers.

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