Let's BeReal - the Trending App is Struggling Without Monetisation and Branded Content Creation

BeReal allows its users to be just that. It encourages users to be their most authentic selves by prompting them to share real-life moments with their friends and followers, relying on true spontaneity.

Launched in December 2019, the app saw an explosion of popularity in 2022. It was a refreshing take for a social media platform, founded by tech entrepreneurs, Alexis Barreyat and Kévin Perreau, who believed that social media had become too curated and fake, sharing only our best moments to portray the perfect online image.

BeReal had 47.8 million monthly active users and 13 million accessed the app daily in February 2023, with 85 million downloads since its launch - most coming in 2022. It’s a successful concept for an app, and with 91% of consumers saying they are willing to reward a brand for its authenticity with a purchase, investment, or endorsement, it’s bundling with potential.

However, its growth spurt has come to a sudden end, as the platform's decline has been almost as dramatic as its initial growth. Weekly downloads are down 95% from their 2022 highs and still scaling down.

It can BeReally difficult out there

The social media game is a hard one to play, and with the introduction of the metaverse and other social platforms, there is more competition now than ever.

But can BeReal be more than just a passing trend? One of the biggest challenges it faces is the competition from existing social media platforms. Since its rise in popularity, similar inspired features were introduced by major platforms: Instagram Candid, Snapchat’s Dual Camera, and TikTok Now just to name a few, making it difficult for the platform to stand out.