What is ‘BeReal’ and will my business need to be on it?

We all know of the big social media platforms, from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok… but get ready because a new platform is taking off!BeReal has been installed 7.67 million times since its invention in 2020.

On Monday 25th July, 2022, BeReal reached the #1 spot on the free app list in the iOS App Store for Apple’s iPhones.

What is BeReal? 

BeReal is a social media app which promotes users to post ‘real’ and unfiltered pictures. Users of the BeReal app will be sent a push notification and any time in the day –

  ⚠️ Time to BeReal. ⚠️

Users then have just two minutes to take a photo and to share it with their followers, so there is no time for re-taking pictures to get the perfect angle, lighting or applying filters (the app doesn’t have any photo editing features). 

You can retake photos within the two-minute window, but your followers will know if/ how many times you do.  If you miss the two-minute deadline your BeReal gets tagged with ‘posted late’. 

Is this a positive change in how we use social media?

It’s no secret that current social media channels can have detrimental effects on its users – especially the younger audiences. ​​Social media has been linked to poor self-esteem and self-image through image manipulation on photo sharing platforms. According to the Royal Society of Public Health,  children who spend more than three hours a day on social media are twice as likely to display symptoms of mental ill health. 

The ethos of BeReal could be the start of positive changes to already well established platforms such as Instagram. Meta has confirmed that it’s internally prototyping a new Instagram feature that’s suspiciously similar to BeReal, with the “IG Candid” feature by prompting the user to share an authentic photo at a random time each day.

Social media channels can have detrimental effects on its users – especially the younger audiences. ​​Social media has been linked to poor self-esteem and self-image through image manipulation on photo sharing platforms

Does my business need to be on BeReal?

With your social media business accounts,  like any social media channel it has to suit you and your business needs. The first question being:  

• What channels are your audience on? 

For example: if you work in the construction industry your audiences are more likely to have business profiles on LinkedIn rather than spending their time on BeReal. Remember it’s better to be on one social media channel and posting well rather than being on every social media channel and not doing this effectively. 

And the second: 

• Do you  have the resources to be able to post content regularly and is this content appropriate for your business?

BeReal is an app which wants you to use it every day to show the authenticity of the user. This channel may not be appropriate for your business… people are not likely to engage with a manager’s selfies but in the future this might be an interesting way to showcase products. 

For the time being, BeReal’s terms and conditions explicitly prohibit using the app for advertising or commercial purposes. So there’s no need to worry about your business promoting on BeReal – however, this could be the start of new features on the current platforms which you will need to be aware of.

Not sure which social media channels you should be promoting on? Contact Assisted to speak with our Social Media Team: 

Call: 01788 288020 or email: [email protected]