Tracking "Click-to-Call" Actions in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Emails

Updated: Sep 14, 2023

As marketers, understanding how our audience interacts with our emails is essential for optimizing performance. One common challenge faced in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) is tracking "click-to-call" actions within emails, #sfmcsad :-(

If you've ever wondered how often a phone number is clicked in your email, you're not alone!

In this SFMC.Essentials blog post, we'll explore a clever & pragmatic workaround to track "click-to-call" actions without compromising user experience.

TL;DR: Take me to the solution, please: The Solution: Track "Click-to-Call" Actions Using an Active Image

H2: The Challenge: Tracking "Click-to-Call" Actions in Emails

In the scenario described, an email contains a phone image linked to a phone number using the following code

HTML code:

<a alias="Call me" href="tel:+31612345678" target="_blank" title="Call me"><img alt="Call me" src="image_url_of_a_phone" style="display: block; max-width: 100%;" width="50"></a>

When recipients click on the image, the phone number is automatically called. However, SFMC does not track these "click-to-call" actions by default, making it challenging to measure engagement.

The Solution: Track "Click-to-Call" Actions Using an Active Image

Thanks to a creative workaround shared by the Litmus Community, you can now track "click-to-call" actions without redirecting users to a cloud page. Here's how:

Create a cloud page containing an active image that represents the "click-to-call" action. This image can be a 1x1 transparent pixel or any other visual element.
Add the cloud page URL to the email's HTML code, replacing the "tel:" portion of the href attribute. This ensures that the cloud page is loaded when the phone image is clicked, allowing SFMC to track the action.

<a alias="Call me" href="cloud_page_url?phonenumber=+31612345678" target="_blank" title="Call me"><img alt="Call me" src="image_url_of_a_phone" style="display: block; max-width: 100%;" width="50"></a>

3. On the cloud page, use JavaScript to detect the page load event and initiate the "click-to-call" action using the provided phone number.

<script>
  window.onload = function() {
    var phoneNumber = getParameterByName("phonenumber");
    if (phoneNumber) {
      window.location.href = "tel:" + phoneNumber;
    }
  };

  function getParameterByName(name) {
    var match = RegExp('[?&]' + name + '=([^&]*)').exec(window.location.search);
    return match && decodeURIComponent(match[1].replace(/\+/g, ' '));
  }
</script>

With this solution in place, you can effectively track "click-to-call" actions in your SFMC emails without compromising the user experience.

Conclusion

Tracking "click-to-call" actions in Salesforce Marketing Cloud emails can be a challenge, but with the right approach, you can measure engagement and improve your campaigns. By implementing the solution outlined in this SFMC.Essentials blog post, you'll be able to track "click-to-call" actions and gain valuable insights to optimize your email marketing efforts. Happy tracking!