BeReal is one of the latest social media apps to create a buzz.
It generated more than 56 million downloads in 2022, catching the attention of TikTok, which launched a feature (TikTok Now) that is reminiscent of what’s making BeReal popular.
But what is BeReal? Essentially, the app prioritizes more authentic, in-the-moment content. Originally launched in 2020, BeReal offers a “new and unique way to discover who your friends really are in their daily life.” Gen Z users (specifically 18- to 24-year-olds) are the majority of BeReal’s base.
The following are six things you should know about BeReal.
The daily BeReal notification is global and random
BeReal sends you a daily alert asking you to post a picture within two minutes that shows whatever you’re doing at the moment. This alert is sent at a random time each day and at the same time to all users globally.
While users can post after the two minutes is over, the text below that shared photo will say that the deadline was not met. For instance, the text could say: “3 hours late.”
You’re actually taking a ‘double photo’
To take the prompted photo when alerted, you open BeReal and snap a selfie with your phone’s front camera, while the back camera captures the view in the other direction.
Images are only visible to your contacts on the app for 24 hours.
You have ‘friends’ not ‘followers’
On BeReal, you don’t have followers. You have “friends,” which means that only the people you personally add can see your posts. In addition, you can’t see your friends’ photos until you upload your own.
Keep in mind that there are no friend/follower counts, removing the temptation to build “influence.”
The app also has built-in emojis, and users can react to and comment on each other’s images. There’s also a “RealMoji” feature, which is a photo taken with the front camera of the user’s face reacting in some way. It allows users to see their friends’ real-time reactions to what they’re doing at that specific moment.
No filters or photo editing
Part of what is making BeReal so popular is its lack of filters and editing. You also can’t import edited photos, so you can only capture an image from within the app in real-time.
You can retake the photo up to 10 times, but the app will tell your friends how many times you’ve retaken the photo before you uploaded it.
BeReal has a Discovery section
While users specifically connect with the people they know, BeReal does have a discovery section. It enables you to see other posts from around the world from other users who have their privacy settings unlocked.
It emphasizes the mundanity of the world, where other apps (like Instagram or Twitter) tend to promote over-the-top lifestyles and images.
No advertising
BeReal does not host advertising on its interface. Depending on your perspective, this can be a good or bad thing. For users, it can feel like a relief to not navigate any ads in an app. For brands, it immediately removes an obvious way to connect with users on BeReal.
Only time will tell how long the ad-free experience will last on BeReal and how funding for the app will evolve.
In conclusion
Just like with any other newly popular social media app, the best thing to do is to try it out yourself. Only then can you better understand the nuances and value of BeReal and how it may or may not fit into your brand’s digital marketing strategy in the future.
Check out the eight most common social media mistakes that you should avoid.
