By now, you’ve probably heard your younger cousin or neighbor shouting “OMG, it’s time for my BeReal. I only have two minutes.” You may have also seen some brands or people copying their BeReal images over to Instagram. But what exactly is the app that’s taking 2022/Gen Z by storm?
At its core, BeReal is a photo sharing app that eliminates filters, photoshopping, and as the name suggests, encourages you to share your real moments. BeReal allows users to post one photo per day that shows their followers exactly what they are doing in real time. With the limitation of only being able to post once per day, BeReal eliminates the need to be on the app for hours at a time, like other platforms we all know and love. According to Social Media Today, downloads of the app have risen by 315% since the beginning of the year, now ranking fourth in the list of most downloaded social media apps, behind Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest.
How It Works
BeReal will send users a random notification throughout the day, telling them it’s “Time to BeReal.” Once they receive the notification, they will then have two minutes to take a photo and post what they are currently doing. If a user misses the two-minute window, they will not be able to see anyone else’s content on the platform until they post. After they post, they will also gain entry to the Discover section of the app. Users can also retake their photo if they choose to, but the app will display how many times they’ve reshot it to their followers. BeReal also features both a front and back camera, so people can get the full idea of where you are, what you’re doing, and what you look like.
In addition to the elimination of photoshopped and filtered imagery, BeReal also lacks a like button. Users can instead react to other posts with different kinds of emojis, or as the app calls them, RealMoji’s. In order to use this react feature, you simply take a selfie inside the app’s template, and your face becomes an emoji itself.
Similarly, follower counts are not displayed, ads are not allowed, and you can only delete a picture after it’s been live for a whole day. You can caption your photo only after it goes live. BeReal also features what they’ve coined “memories,” which is essentially a profile page where you can view all your past photos.
Brands on BeReal
Currently, there are many limitations for brands on BeReal—most importantly, users feel that the space is meant for uninterrupted, real, everyday life. A brand presence on their feed would make it no different than the other social media giants. Some brands, like Chipotle, have joined the app and are sharing things like coupon codes rather than actual real-time imagery. Other brands, like PacSun, Trident, and the reality show “Love Island,” are posting “BeReal style” imagery on other platforms to take advantage of the momentum and conversation.
Ultimately, though, if your brand does not have a face or mascot, the BeReal arena is a tough space to play in. The content options become extremely limited to behind-the-scenes office shots/meeting shots, or everyday office life.
Now, this may not be a bad thing—users on BeReal would love to take a peek behind the curtain and see real-time moments from brands. However, without the ability to edit or properly monitor the content, it can get tricky for social media managers to get content through their approval chains since content cannot be made in advance and there is a two-minute limit to capturing your imagery. Additionally, there is currently no way to track performance or KPIs, as the app is not really built to be used in that way.
Overall, BeReal is truly more of a consumer app, but brands are beginning to dip their toes into the water without going against the ethos of the app itself. We’re likely to see some app features change in the near future, but one thing is certain—consumers are loving this app!
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