Local fix

How to add a click-to-call phone link

Most local searches happen on a phone. If your number is plain text instead of a tap-to-call link, you're adding friction to the exact moment someone wants to reach you.

A click-to-call link wraps your phone number in a tel: anchor so that tapping it on a mobile device starts a call immediately. It's a tiny markup change with a direct line to conversions.

It costs nothing and there's no downside — desktop browsers handle tel: links gracefully, often offering to call via a connected app.

Why it matters

The majority of local searches are on mobile, and many end in a phone call. A tappable number removes the copy-paste friction between intent and action, measurably lifting calls — especially for services people call in a hurry (plumbers, clinics, restaurants).

How to tell if this is you

Abby flags “Click to Call” when your phone number appears as plain text with no tel: link. The fix is wrapping it in a tel: anchor.

Not sure if your site has this?

Run Abby's free scan — it checks this and 25 other on-page, technical, and structured-data signals in about 60 seconds, no signup.

Scan my site free

The fix

Make your phone number a tappable link: <a href="tel:+15551234567">(555) 123-4567</a>. Most local searches happen on mobile, so a click-to-call link lifts calls and conversions.

Before

<p>Call us: (555) 123-4567</p>   <!-- plain text, not tappable -->

After

<p>Call us: <a href="tel:+15551234567">(555) 123-4567</a></p>

Fix it on your platform

WordPress

Edit the header/footer phone number into a tel: link (via the theme customizer or a simple HTML widget); many local-business themes include a click-to-call header option.

Shopify

Edit your theme header/footer to wrap the phone number in a tel: link.

When this doesn’t apply

Applies if you take phone enquiries. A business that operates purely through online booking or forms, with no published phone, may not need a tel: link.

Fix every issue at once.

Abby's free scan finds which of 26 checks your site fails. The $8.99 fix guide turns each one into a copy-ready fix for your exact pages — prioritized, with code — or bundle it with a security fix guide for $19.99.

Get my fix plan

FAQ

What format should the tel: link use?

Use the full international format in the href — tel:+15551234567 — while showing your local format as the link text, e.g. (555) 123-4567. The + and country code make it work reliably from any device.

Do click-to-call links work on desktop?

Yes, gracefully. Desktop browsers typically offer to place the call through a linked app (or simply do nothing harmful), so there is no downside to using tel: links everywhere.

Where should the click-to-call number go?

Ideally in the header (so it is reachable from every page), plus the footer and contact page. For local-service businesses, a visible header phone link is a conversion staple.