Lose the Competition.

#1- Toll-free 833 numbers create a pure channel of communication, unpoisoned by competitive ads shown by Google.

The web isn't what it used to be. Amateur marketers are oblivious to the emerging problems with search and direct navigation, like that proverbial frog boiling in water.

They see Sandals resorts advertising 1-800-Sandals on national ads and roll their eyes, as though Sandals is some dinosaur from the 90's that just doesn't get the web. No, it's the amateurs who don't "get it."

Amateurs still believe that search is the end-all of digital marketing, while it has slowly become the enemy— and should be avoided. While you're likely to rank high for your own brand and web address, Google surrounds your link with ads and links to competitors, begging to rain on your parade. 

The last thing you want to do is send live prospects to the web. Even direct navigation to your website address— that URL printed right on your business card— will often get poisoned by your competitors' ads. More recently, with Google's switch to "Mobile First," your organic listing is not even visible for several page swipes!

This all started when search invaded the URL bar in 2009. Since then, Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others are highly likely to show competitive ads to your prospects on their way to your door. If your brand contains a unique word or spelling, it gets worse. Modern computers will miscorrect it (i.e., auto-corrected in error) over and over again. Every time I type "Tom," I get "Tomorrow." Do you get that too?

Whether it's laziness or confusion in a world with hundreds of new domains called “gTLDs”— something other than "com" to the right of the dot— expect users to just type your business name, not the full URL (i.e. not "YourCompany.Com"), and be whisked off for a ride through the Disneyland of search. Companies like Sandals, Zappos, and countless others are now compelled to pay homage to Google, spending millions each to displace competitive ads presented to users who are simply searching for their trademarked brands. Take a look for yourself. Google the terms "Sandals" and "Zappos," and, as you’ll see, their own paid ad appears right above their organic listing. They’re paying twice, and there's nothing they can do about it.

The magnitude of this prospect diversion is staggering. Domain owners have felt these effects for years— and I speak from experience, as I personally hold over 4,500 domains. Back in 2007, direct navigation revenues to domain owners, those generated by Adwords PPC, were ten times (10x) higher than they are today. This effect is largely because Google has cut direct navigation down to a fraction of what it used to be, before search invaded the URL bar. Why? 

Their business model is to get between you and your prospects, everywhere they can. There has even been talk of eliminating the URL bar altogether-- and they're exploring this for Chrome. Search optimization is a necessary evil, but do you see where this is going? 

Search should only be used to engage strangers. No sane marketer would send live prospects through "Disneyland" when they could communicate directly and avert the temptations of competitive ads. That fact, along with the compelling closure rates by phone, is why Sandals uses 1-800-Sandals as their call to action. 

You want prospects to reach out to you and you alone— and the only pure channel is to have them call or text your number, where there are no diversions, competitive ads, or content filters. 

#2- Why Messaging— Business texting and Voicemail transcription— will renew demand for toll-free numbers, now "Hybrid Numbers."