Someone should call Google and tell them to stop introducing a new service every day. It’s giving rise to cognitive overload in the advertising industry! Greg Yardley picked up on the sudden appearance of a phone icon beside some sponsored links appearing on the right hand side of a Google search-results page. He then investigated further and quotes this from the FAQ page of the experimental service.

We’re testing a new product that gives you a free and fast way to speak directly to the advertiser you found on a Google search results page – over the phone.

Here’s how it works: When you click the phone icon, you can enter your phone number. Once you click ‘Connect For Free,’ Google calls the number you provided. When you pick up, you hear ringing on the other end as Google connects you to the other party. Then, chat away on our dime.

We won’t share your telephone number with anyone, including the advertiser. When you’re connected with the advertiser, your number is blocked so the advertiser can’t see it. In addition, we’ll delete the number from our servers after a short period of time.