BeReal is suddenly on everyone's lips and according to People's Media Habits 2022, a whopping 1 in 3 young people use the app. But what exactly is the hype? And is there room for businesses there?
BeReal was launched in 2020, but it wasn't until 2022 that it really gained momentum and Gen Z adopted it (maybe just as well that we let go of two years of home office photos and quarantine?).
They have deliberately targeted students and have established a College Ambassador Program where students are paid to enlist more students to the app.
BeReal wants to reduce body pressure and promotes an unpolished image of reality, and maybe that is precisely why it has become so popular? But if we believe the internal office, it is not completely without social pressure in BeReal either; the optimal thing is that the push notification comes in the event that you “do something fat” so that you can show your friends that you live a exciting life. And the need for precisely cool photos has already begun to manifest itself, there are examples of “optical illusions” by moving the camera or other creative solutions such as using your dog in selfie mode.
In BEREAL's Terms of Use, you, as a user, must agree that it is not allowed to conduct marketing or commercial activities in the app. So, as of today, it is not actually allowed for companies to sell or promote products. With that said, there are still some companies that have tried to share discount codes, but they have been stopped and BeReal has introduced a maximum limit on the number of friends — without disclosing what the limits are.
However, some companies have adopted the app to show off a real side of themselves and let customers join “behind the camera”, often using mini-influencers. So maybe it's an idea to invest a few minutes every day to reach this target audience?
So far, BeReal, like many new apps, has been funded by investors and there are no options for ads or paid placements. There are still some thoughts on the future of the app and how BeReal can make money in the long run.
One possibility is that they open up for ads or paid placements, alternatively they can also sell placement in challenges they have in the app. Some also speculate that they should start with a paid membership and that the user of the app will have to open their wallet. Another possibility is that BeReal is acquired by another company and becomes integrated into an existing platform. With that said, existing platforms have already adapted some of the function such as TikTok Now or Instagram Dual, which have the advantage that users already have friends, followers and familiarity with the apps. So I guess the future of both BeReal and TikTok Now depends primarily on which of them manages to create sustainable business models.
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