BeReal is the latest social app to surge and skyrocket throughout the year. But can your brand hitch a ride on its wave of popularity?   

Let’s look into BeReal’s unique edge in the social media space and the possible potential it has for brands looking into new ways to engage.  

What is BeReal?  

Founded in 2020 by Alexis Barreyat, a former GoPro employee, BeReal shows you “Your Friends for Real”. As the app’s description explains, “every day at a different time, everyone is notified simultaneously to capture and share a Photo in 2 Minutes.” 

How does BeReal work?

BeReal is entirely photo-focused, with users getting notified when their friends post a pic. What time does BeReal send a notification? There’s no knowing as it changes day to day! No filters, hashtags or likes. The catch is – you can only view their message by sending one back. The app creates a snappy (haha) swiftness for users that feels… well, real. 

Unlike other social media apps, BeReal feels authentic. This is likely due to the restriction of having to actually add people as friends (remember that?) and reply in a certain amount of time.

So, how big is BeReal right now? Is it something brands should be keeping an eye on as it grows? 

Business is Booming

Who exactly is using BeReal? Can it rival TikTok? According to Apptopia, since January, daily downloads for BeReal have reportedly increased by a whopping 315%. 

App analysts, Sensor Tower also reported that the total worldwide download number for the app is now 4 million. 

But the sweet stat you should be interested in is the number of daily active users, which has reached 2.93 million and continues to increase. If you think about it, that’s 2.93 million people who will directly engage with content within only 2 minutes. 

But hold your horse, buckeroo! BeReal has a few hurdles to consider before your brand goes headfirst into potential trouble. Let’s look at the ups and downs of the app as of right now.  

Too good to BeTrue? 

We’ve seen apps grow quickly and then disappear from the trending tabs. Remember Vero? How about Peach? Feels like yesterday we were reporting on the potential of Clubhouse. Type these words into Google News – tumbleweeds intensify. 

The point is, it may be too early to tell what BeReal’s staying-power will be. It’s still early days; holding off on the latest trend could mean avoiding wasted time and budget on campaigns that likely won’t get any attention. 

Don’t worry – we’ll keep you posted on everything BeReal-worthy on our socials; so you know whether it’s an investment worth making. 

Do I know you? 

BeReal’s close-knitted community is also its strongest barrier for ads trying to break in. 

People have to accept friend requests on the app, hence the authentic vibe the app has attained. We won’t lie; seeing faceless brands “BeReal” and sending us random pictures doesn’t sound super appealing.

Perhaps, the key is to find your dedicated audience and keep content natural to the platform. It works exactly the same on other unique social sites, such as TikTok. 

Though it might be tricky picking up an audience on BeReal, it’s not impossible. Let’s look at how brands can get authentic with their audiences.

A Can-Do Attitude 

The popular Mexican grill, Chipotle took to BeReal and found its footing on the app perfectly. 

By adding Chipotle’s account, audiences could get hold of an exclusive deal – a limited reusable promo code that the first 100 consumers could use to score a free entrée through their restaurants and takeaway services.   

By adding Chipotle’s account, audiences could get hold of an exclusive deal – a limited reusable promo code that the first 100 consumers could use to score a free entrée through their restaurants and takeaway services.   

The campaign is one of the first marketing moves on BeReal, proving its success as a potential ad avenue. Though we’d suggest not splashing the cash on ads for the platform, it’s a great low-fi way to engage with audiences you know are loyal to your brand. 

However, if you’re going to take to BeReal, we’d recommend promoting the heck out of your profile on your other social media sites, so any offers or campaigns you show off don’t go unnoticed. 

We’re excited to see where BeReal WillBe in the upcoming months – the potential for unique and distinct campaigning is huge! 

It will also be interesting to see if paid media makes its way onto the app. Would ads keep to the organic style BeReal is going for? Or will it be the cause of #BinReal. 

So, wondering how to get started on BeReal? Our advertising and marketing experts are on the cusp of the latest tips and tricks in getting brands seen – Get in touch now to discuss how we can supercharge your social campaigning.