Are we still talking about BeReal?

I guess we are, after all, according to the latest Pew Research teen social media usage report, many teens are still engaging in the app.

This week, BeReal has announced its latest feature update, including video in your BeReal updates, groups, post tagging, and more.

First off, BeReal is now incorporating live photo functionality into the app, so that users can get a brief video with each update, as opposed to just a still image.

As explained by BeReal:

“Behind the Scenes adds a twist to your BeReal, allowing your friends to see and hear what’s really going on around you. It captures the seconds before you take your BeReal and creates a video that plays when your friends sees your BeReal in their timeline and long presses on it. It lets us share, see, and hear more of what’s going on in our and our friend’s lives.”

Not sure that many people will want this, as recording the seconds before a photo is not always the most flattering approach. But it is called “BeReal” after all, and this does lean into more authentic engagement.

BeReal’s also adding “RealGroups”, which is essentially group chats in the app.

“Planning holiday celebrations with your family? Start a RealGroup with them and you can share BeReal and fun before, during, and after! Have a brunch club who loves food as much as you do? Start a RealGroup to talk about the hottest locations, share pictures of yummy foods you’re eating and the moments you have together! Going away to college and missing your closest friends back home? Create a RealGroup to stay close, share your dorm-life adventure, see what’s going on back home, and stay close no matter how far away you are!!”

That is far too many exclamation points for my liking. Also, I don’t know that the second sentence here makes sense. Is that “BeReal” in plural form?

Users will only be able to create two BeReal groups, so you’ll need to choose your friends wisely for this aspect.

BeReal’s also adding tagging, enabling you to tag friends in your updates. Users will also be able to repost any content that they’re tagged in.

Finally, BeReal’s also launching a 2023 Recap activation next week, so you can look back on all of your BeReal posts from the year.

So BeReal is still around, and it is still being updated, despite the authentic social app losing a lot of its growth momentum, and seemingly falling out of the rotation for a proportion of its former fans.

At one point, BeReal had over 70 million monthly active users, but it now says that it’s seeing 25 million daily actives, which is up from the 20 million DAU that it reported back in April. That's still likely lower than it's peak. It's difficult to say, because monthly and daily user numbers are not directly comparable, but based on overall industry averages, that would indicate that BeReal would likely be seeing just under 50 million MAU at present.

But it is growing, and 25 million daily app users is a solid, engaged base, and as it continues to add more functionality, it is still possible that BeReal could establish a niche communications role, and become a more important platform for certain communities.

Though it’s unlikely to become a major player, and thus, a major consideration for brands.

That said, Hootsuite’s recent trends report had BeReal pretty high on the list among platforms that marketers are seeing ROI from:

I can’t say that I’m exactly sure how brands are driving significant value from the app, but maybe there is something there, which could help it establish more stable groundwork for future growth.