Social media; it's connected billions globally, allowed for faster communication, kept us in the loop of world news and gossip, is a fantastic marketing tool, and has expanded grounds for people to raise awareness and educate. In fact, it's on grounds like TikTok where I have learnt so many new things that I otherwise probably wouldn't have if not for the social media platform - i.e new cooking recipes and cultural practices from all kinds of places, learning how to foster a more inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community, the need for us to take initiative for climate change, as well as the pressing issue of promoting universal human rights. TikTok, now being the 5th most used social media platform globally has been one of the leading social networking applications in terms of authenticity promotion with "... an average of 64% of TikTok users say they can be their true selves on TikTok..." (TikTok). It's breaking away from the large superficial focus of other platforms such as Instagram with users "...around the globe find[ing] TikTok content to be authentic, genuine, unfiltered and trendsetting..."(TikTok).
Indeed, in this new day and age with "...45% of Gen Z believe there is too much pressure to be perfect on social media..." (MarketingCharts), and that "Broadly speaking, millennials seem to prefer to consume content while Generation Z prefers to create content..." (Forbes), it's no wonder why Gen Z is moving towards platforms like TikTok where its users are able to produce content on a more authentic platform.
Accordingly, founder of BeReal Alexis Barreyat launched the BeReal app in 2020 "after being tired and annoyed with all the bullsh*t on social media...No likes, No followers, No ads, No filters, just what my possible friends are doing, in the most authentic way possible..." (Alexis Barreyat on LinkedIn). In 2022 followed the ongoing boom of the app with daily downloads growing by 315% between January and April this year. One reviewer of BeReal said "This app is great because it rebels against the guise of perfect lifestyles and aesthetics," (MarketRealist).
BeReal v TikTok: How are they different from other social media platforms?
Let's start with how BeReal and TikTok work.
BeReal; an app that sends a daily alert at different times where users must capture a photo that simultaneously uses the front and back lenses within 2 minutes of the alert, and must share it with their friends. If you exceed this timeframe, your friends are able to see how long the delay was. There are no filters or edit buttons, and if you retake the photo, your friends are able to see that the photo was recaptured prior to posting. Lastly, when you come across your friends BeReal post you are encouraged to react with a RealMoji – a photo of your reaction to their post. Lastly, the app doesn't have a follower count, no videos can be posted and no ads exist on the app either.
TikTok; an app that originally began as musical.ly - a lip-syncing video streaming app that was annulled in 2018. Following the termination of musical.ly was the birth of TikTok. While also a video streaming app, TikTok users have a wide selection of sound, song and film snippets and can also create their own sounds for others to use, along with the option to add filters and special effects. It does however, include like and follower counts as well as ads.
What makes these two apps so different from other social media platforms is that for starters, BeReal exposes any ingenuity of posts (that is the recapture of photos) and removes the pressure of followers on their users. There aren't trends to try or challenges to pursue. Plus there are no adds - which while great for users, it will likely prove to be an issue for long-term maintenance and growth of the app (we'll discuss this later). Similarly, TikTok also promotes this authentic prospect by identifying as an entertainment app and alike to BeReal, intends to steer away from toxic cultures promoted on other social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook that are "full of fakes," (Forbes).
To BeReal or not to BeReal?
With the bona fide appeal of BeReal, the platform has been number one in the free apps category on Apple's iPhone appstore for weeks. This is because 88% of Gen Z "...believe it's important to live one's life as authentically as possible..." (MarketingMag). Hence the birth of other similar social media apps like Lockit or Livein. However, even with the creation of other platforms, BeReal's recent popularity has far superseded that of the most widely used apps such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook.
Already, we've seen that TikTok was a competitor from BeReal's release due to its individuality for authenticity when compared to other social media platforms, however, now due to BeReal's enormous success, other apps such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok itself have had to develop and promote similar BeReal features to in the heat of this authenticity war.
Here's a list:
Snapchat creates a dual camera recording and capture feature
Instagram also releases a dual camera feature
Instagram announced a "Candid Challenge," where alike to BeReal, everyday randomised alerts will pop up for Instagram users where they have 2 minutes to upload a candid post to their story with the dual camera feature
TikTok announced a "TikTok Now" feature where users will receive a daily prompt to capture a 10-second video using the front and back camera with 3 minutes to post it
It's a blatant rip off of BeReal - I'm aware.
Unfortunately, its not likely to BeReal
There are three main reasons why this app is not likely to sustain in the long-run. These are that other platforms will copy the app, that BeReal needs to find a way to monetise and that unfortunately the whole concept of authentic social media is a sweet dream.
1. It's Instagram's world
Sadly, an unwritten rule of the internet is that "if there's a new social media feature, Instagram will copy it."BeReal wouldn't be their first victim. Here's a list of features they've overtly "drawn inspiration from."
Reels - TikTok
Remix - TikTok
Stories - Snapchat
AR selfie filters - Snapchat
Disappearing videos and photos - Snapchat
Nametag - Snapchat
Discovered Feed - Snapchat
To the dismay of these apps, these features on Instagram are wildly popular amongst both consumers who use the app for pleasure and social networking, alongside businesses and organisations who use it for operational purposes. Instagram also has the edge of Instagram shopping, which broadens their demographic of users - they appeal to businesses as well as general social media consumers. BeReal has no such feature and instead promotes a private and intimate experience for their users. In order to maintain this privy experience for BeReal consumers, no ads exist on the app.
2. No ads, no problems?
No - no ads, big problems. The lack of advertising will likely prove to be an issue in their pursuit for longevity. BeReal needs to figure out a means to monetise its app without hindering the personal user experience that not only appeals to its consumers, however that they are also now accustomed to.
The app may not require it now, but this may not remain the case. According to CMO of Sprout Social Jamie Giplin "...they [BeReal] will probably take the more tried and true advertising feature, so think about ads like infeed images or video based ads that you typically see on other platforms..." (Wall Street Journals). It's something that BeReal will need to consider because investors of the app will expect the platform to monetise at some point - just as any investor would assume for any given business.
Initially, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok all began without ads but eventually had to promote ads of popular influencers and businesses to sustain growth, and it is now core to their revenue structures. While Instagram was once simply a social media platform, it is now a major e-commerce app where its consumers actually want to see advertising with "...about 90% of shopping enthusiasts follow a business and 50% are more interested in a brand after they see an ad for the product or service..." (Instagram). So not only did the app transform away from its initial desire to be a social networking app, however so did its consumers.
Advertising will prove to be a hard feat for BeReal. How exactly will they maintain the intimate, authentic and privy nature of the platform when they will likely require the implementation of advertisements? Thereafter, will consumers still be interested if the app has ads just like all of the other social media platforms that at that point, will likely have similar features on their own app? In turn, what will make BeReal much different from other apps at that point?
3. Can social media ever BeReal?
While the goal of authenticity on social media is sweet and idealistic, the reality is that given society's deep rooted pressure for perfection and that a post only captures a single candid or posed moment, collectively, social media can never truthfully depict the user.
Despite platforms such as BeReal and TikTok arguably being the two leading apps for authenticity promotion on social media platforms, users can still cheat. Those users who feel the beauty, lifestyle or economic pressures of society will not often be phased by the controls of these apps. That is, the alert that a photo has been recaptured or delayed isn't all that concerning compared to any insecurity they may feel with an 'unphotogenic' or 'unaesthetic' post. So consumers who feel insecure on these apps due to unrealistic and toxic beauty standards will likely still re-take these photos on BeReal. Perhaps not everyone, but many do feel that pressure.
Even on TikTok, despite it being an entertainment app, it is still a platform that unfortunately, also exposes its consumers to toxic beauty and lifestyle standards via trends, cyber-bullying and/or the rise of TikTok stars - whom majority fit the mould of society's beauty standards. So as much good as the app is promoting, there is an equally easily accessible dark side. A trend that I find increasingly distressing is the "What I eat in a day trend," where wellness influencers or TikTok influencers share their daily meal plan. At first glance this may seem to be a simple post where people share their diet, however in reality, health experts condemn them as "...promoting eating disorders, disorderly eating, comparison and poor self-esteem..." (Health). Only further feeding into mental, physical and emotional health woes.
This is not to say that the users are to blame for this lack of social media authenticity whatsoever, it is societal pressures that is the culprit. Although, I do also believe that influencers should be promoting authenticity where possible. That is, to disclose any editing of posts or to post without filters and/or editing. Many influencers themselves are likely afraid to do so given societal pressures and/or brand deals fuelled by these insecurities. Truthfully, online authenticity is an incredibly difficult ambition that daunts its users.
The latter is not to discourage the promotion of authentic, real and bona fide activity on social media. I am sceptical as to whether universally we will ever be able to achieve honest depictions of social media consumers, however little by little we can rebuild the confidence of those battling with insecurities fabricated by society, and in turn standardise normality - no filter, no editing, no faking lifestyles, and no promoting unhealthy beauty and living standards. It just takes a little personal responsibility to do so.
Whether BeReal sticks around or not, we should continue to push for representation of normality on social media, and to remember that not everything is always as it seems!
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