Introduction

What does the future of social media look like? That is a question that many industry titans have scrambled to answer. There is no certainty, no clear answer to the question, but there are lots of ideas. One answer is TikTok, the rapidly rising, ever-relevant platform centered around short-form video content. Instagram has ruled the social media marketing roost for years now, and they are still holding strong. YouTube isn’t going anywhere, and Facebook remains the biggest social media platform on the planet.

However, there are a lot of different platforms that are rising into relevancy that could become the future of social media. Social media is a fickle industry, and the public’s interest is hard to capture. But once a platform starts to become trendy and capture attention, there is always the chance that the hype around it will convert to a massive user base and a status as one of the biggest tech giants in the world.

One platform that is beginning to receive a lot of hype, with tons of media attention and a growing number of users, is BeReal. Let’s look at what this platform is and what it teaches us about the future of social media.

What is BeReal?

BeReal is the new social media app taking the world by storm. However, this platform is a little different than previous because it has a message behind it. Too much social media is fake, with heavy filters, picture editing, and posts from friends that only revolve around their best moments. It presents an inauthentic image and has caused upticks in anxiety and impossible beauty standards. BeReal exists to counter that, as a social media platform free from filters and editing, centered on positivity and authenticity.

Once a day, at random, users are prompted to post. They have two minutes to take a picture, and when they do, the photos are uploaded to two feeds. One is a Discovery feed, with strangers’ posts, and the other is a Friends feed, with posts from people the users follow. Rather than exotic travel locations and fitness pictures, the feed for BeReal is mostly filled with regular people living their regular lives. It is a welcome change for many.

BeReal is just getting started but has acquired a relatively significant user base in a short period. According to TechCrunch, they now have over 2.93 million users, and that number climbs every time another major outlet writes an article about the platform. Compared to TikTok or Instagram, that number is tiny, but the hype around this app is very real.

BeReal exists as the antithesis to many of the dominant platforms right now, particularly Instagram. There have been countless articles and reports detailing the harm social media is causing to people’s mental health, and BeReal stands as the first major social media app that directly responds to that.

BeReal and Social Media’s Authentic Future

For social media marketers and people involved in the industry, there is a lot to take away from the rise of an app like this. BeReal is a product of a time when filters and editing are abundant, and many people are fed up and frustrated. It has become a consistent part of the discourse around social media that it promotes anxiety and impossible standards because it only captures the best of people’s lives. The future of social media might be like BeReal, where the opposite approach is taken.

Authenticity is now trendy, with influencers sharing posts about their editing practices and insecurities. People now want more clarity and less flash, willingly sacrificing the aesthetic value of filters and edits for the authenticity and comfort that comes with platforms like BeReal. Whether you plan to consider using this platform or not, social media marketers should take note of this changing consumer preference.

Whether posting Facebook Ads, running an Instagram brand page, or TikTok influencer marketing, authenticity should be your new focus. Apps like BeReal show us that what people want on social media is changing. They want a more authentic connection with the brands and creators they follow. Less editing and filters, more openness and realness. The future of social media is highly likely to be one centered around positivity and authenticity, where brands, users, and creators all do away with some of the fakenesses that these platforms have inspired.

Influence Hunter is an influencer marketing firm with high-level experience elevating brands’ social media outreach. As a top influencer marketing agency, Influence Hunter has worked with enterprises ranging from global corporations to rising start-ups, developing high-performing, customizable campaigns. To see first-hand the great results we can bring, Contact Us Today.