Dive Brief:

• Taco Bell attributes the success of its mobile app, which received a lot of attention after its social media "blackout," to paid search. Last fall, the chain re-launched its mobile app and "blacked out" its social media accounts. All tweets, posts, and photos were deleted, replaced with a simple message: Taco Bell was now #OnlyInTheApp.
• After the marketing stunt, Taco Bell analyzed marketing tactics and discovered that paid search—from Taco Bell and related terms— resulted in five times stronger purchase rates and 10% higher average order rates than other digital marketing tactics. 
• The app itself is centered around search as well, as consumers use the app to search for Taco Bell locations, menu items, ingredients, and more. 

Dive Insight: 

Marketers can get caught up in social media efforts, but Taco Bell's stunt shows the power that paid search has. Since the social media blackout, Taco Bell's app has garnered 2 million downloads. "We weren't just driving people to the landing page; we're driving you to learn more about Taco Bell and give you the opportunity to download the app," David Garcia, manager of media and brand partnerships at Taco Bell told Search Engine Watch.