wiki/clients/current/adava-care/2026-04-05-callrail-attribution-explainer.md · 1115 words · 2026-04-05

CallRail & Attribution Explainer — 2026-04-05

Overview

Mark walked the team through CallRail and Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI), diagnosed Adava Care's current static multi-number tracking setup as insufficient for granular attribution, and outlined a consolidation strategy to route all marketing calls through a single number to Keri. The session also touched on a pending CallRail setup for [1].

Attendees: Mark Hope, Melissa Cusumano, Sebastian Gant, Karly Oykhman, Chris Ostergaard, Ben San Fratello


Key Decisions


Diagnosis: Adava Care's Current Setup

Adava Care currently has 10 location-specific phone numbers on its website, managed via Go High Level (set up by Karosh). These are static tracking numbers — each number is associated with a source (e.g., a Google Ads call extension), so a call to that number indicates the caller saw it in that placement.

What this provides: High-level source attribution (e.g., "this call came from a Google Ads extension").

What this misses:
- The specific keyword the caller searched
- The ad they clicked
- The landing page they were on
- Any session-level data

Mark described this as "A-level call tracking" — better than nothing, but far short of what DNI enables. The setup also routes calls directly to each facility, meaning marketing leads land with non-sales staff rather than Keri.


How Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI) Works

DNI connects an inbound call to the caller's full digital journey by temporarily assigning a unique phone number from a pool to each website visitor.

Step-by-step:
1. A user searches (e.g., "assisted living Milwaukee") and clicks a Google Ad.
2. Google assigns a GCLID (Google Click ID) to that click — stored as a public cookie.
3. The user lands on the website. CallRail's JavaScript detects the GCLID and swaps the visible phone number with a unique number from a pool (typically 4–6 numbers).
4. The user calls the swapped number. CallRail logs the call and links it to the GCLID.
5. The CallRail dashboard shows the full attribution path: source → keyword → landing page → call.

Example output for Adava Care:

Google Ad → Keyword: "Assisted Living Milwaukee" → Landing Page: Fardale → Call at 10:30am

The number stays associated with that visitor for ~30 minutes, then returns to the pool. The GCLID linkage persists even if the caller returns later.

Pool sizing: Start with 4 numbers. Increase if call volume causes collisions. Numbers can be local area code or toll-free ($5/month each).


Implementation Strategy for Adava Care

Prerequisite: Number Consolidation

DNI requires a single swap target — one number that the JavaScript replaces. The current 10-number setup must be resolved first.

Recommended approach:
- Replace all location-specific numbers on the website with one central number (toll-free recommended, so callers in Madison aren't put off by a Milwaukee area code).
- Route that number through a CallRail call tree to Keri.
- If location-specific routing is needed, use a whisper message to tell Keri which location page the caller was viewing (e.g., "Call from Adava Care Fardale page") — this avoids needing a separate number pool per location page, which gets expensive.
- Location direct-dial numbers (for families reaching a specific facility) should be moved off the main marketing pages or removed entirely.

Call Flow Design

Client Communication

Adava Care (and any client with DNI active) must be briefed that the phone number on their website will appear to change. This is expected behavior. Failure to explain this causes client confusion and erodes trust. See also: Bluepoint incident where an unrecognized pool number alarmed the client.


CallRail Feature Reference

Feature Description
Keyword Pool (DNI) Rotating number pool tied to visitor sessions; connects calls to GCLIDs and session data
Static Tracking Numbers Fixed numbers assigned to a source (billboard, ad extension, direct mail); source-level attribution only
Call Flow Builder Ring groups, IVRs, sequential routing, voicemail
Whisper Message Private audio clip played to the agent before caller connects; identifies call source
Inbound Recording Records calls; playback, tagging, lead scoring, and MP3 download available
Outbound Recording Requires agents to initiate calls from the CallRail mobile app
Dashboard Call logs, keyword data, landing page data, talk-time ratios, call tagging, lead value
Integrations HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Google Ads (GCLID), Zapier, webhooks, Google Tag Manager, MailChimp
Client Access Clients can be added as users scoped to their company only

On outbound recording: CallRail can record outbound calls, but only if the agent dials from the CallRail app. For clients whose primary need is outbound call recording (not DNI or multi-number attribution), HubSpot's native calling may be a simpler and better-integrated solution.

On legal compliance: Some states require two-party consent for call recording. Inbound calls are typically covered by the "this call may be recorded" disclosure. Outbound recording carries more legal complexity — state-by-state consent requirements apply.


Action Items


Sources

  1. Index|Bluepoint
  2. Index|Adava Care Client Index
  3. Index|Bluepoint Client Index
  4. Dynamic Number Insertion|Dynamic Number Insertion (Dni) — Concept
  5. Callrail Overview|Callrail Overview
  6. Static Vs Dynamic Tracking|Static Vs. Dynamic Call Tracking