If a social network works, surely we will soon see said social network embodied in the form of a new feature on Instagram. We have seen it with CameSnapchat and TikTok and everything indicates that the next step for Instagram is to copy the basic functionality of BeReal, a social network / platform that has been growing and becoming popular for some time.
be real. BeReal is a social network whose operation it’s extremely basic. It only allows you to post one photo per day (combining the front and rear cameras) when you send us a notification. Such notification is sent at a random time. Upon receiving it, the user has two minutes to publish what they are seeing and/or doing at that moment. There are no filters, you can’t choose a photo from the camera roll. It uploads what is happening at that moment, whatever it is. What is real is uploaded.
People likes it. Yes, and the evidence is there. BeReal is currently in the second position of the most popular free apps in the App Store and in position 30 in Google Play, above Netflix, Duolingo, Booking, Glovo or Uber. The app launched in 2020, but it wasn’t until January 1, 2022 when it started to take off. Its MAUs (monthly active users) have grown by 315% and, according to the company, its downloads total 7.67 million.
Be real, but on Insta. BeReal’s popularity is growing so much that it’s no wonder Instagram has taken notice of it. Alessandro Paluzzi, a well-known social media feature leaker, discovered an internal test on Instagram called “IG Candid” that is practically a copy of BeReal. Later, an IG spokesperson confirmed that it was an internal prototype, but without giving more details. It is not known whether or not it will end up in the app, but it is a sign of Instagram’s interest.
#Instagram is working on IG Candid Challenges, a feature inspired by @BeReal_App ?
ℹ️ Add other’s IG Candid to your story tray. And everyday at a different time, get a notification to capture and share a Photo in 2 Minutes. pic.twitter.com/caTCgUPtEV
– Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) August 22, 2022
I came, we don’t forget you. And it is that Instagram has a long history of copying functions of other social networks to become a macro social network with all the available options. Do you remember Vine? The six-second video social network was a hit in 2013 and Instagram was soon implement video upload (in June 2013) and the loops (loop plays) on Vine in 2015. We all know what ended up with Vine.
Snapchat, always present. But without a doubt, the most talked about “inspiration” was that of Snapchat stories. The application of the little ghost had gained a lot of strength and, in 2016, Instagram did not hesitate to copy its format to implement Instagram Stories. Later, he also copied from Snapchat live events, augmented reality filters and the geostickers. Currently, Instagram stories are a cornerstone of the app, far above the feed photos, condemned to live in the background.
Reels on Xataka’s profile on Instagram.
i saw it in TikTok reels. From what we have seen so far we can extract a pattern: app that works, app that Instagram asks for the WorkBook because it has not done the tasks. The last thing has been the Reels, a copy of TikTok that allows users to upload relatively short videos to the platform similar to those of TikTok. It’s an algorithmic feed, you can add music and sounds, and currently Reels are one of the big bets on Instagram.
But it doesn’t always work out all right. Although Instagram often implements features quite successfully, it does not always do so successfully. This is the case of IGTV, its app to upload long videos to the platform. The idea was to stand up to YouTube, but finally the app, as an independent app, has disappeared for become part of an additional function within the main app. Taking down YouTube is not easy.
Goal: Get people to spend time on Instagram. Offering all possible social functions goes beyond the user having options. It is a retention issue. A large part of Instagram’s revenue comes from ads. The more time users spend on Instagram, the more ads they will see and the more revenue they will generate for the company.
Now it’s time to wait. It will be necessary to see if, finally, Instagram ends up launching IG Candids. If it does, it will surely be interesting to analyze what happens with BeReal when users do not have to use an additional application for the same function that they already have in the social network where their friends are.
Add Comment