How Does BeReal Work?
If you’re not on BeReal yet, let me explain to you how it works.
First, you will be able to have a single post per day. Every day at a different time, everyone is notified simultaneously to capture and share their real-time photo. No videos, no filters, only your real life in a single shot.
And you need to act fast! When you receive the notification, you’ll only have two minutes to capture your picture, both with the rear and the front camera. So, as you can see, there’s no time for overthinking what you’re going to post. It is all about what you are doing at this specific moment.
Also, another important piece of information is that BeReal’s main purpose is not for you to have a lot of followers or only to “check what your friends are doing”.
The platform wants you to be real (duh), too. So, to make sure you’re also posting your real-time photos, the platform will only allow you to see and interact with your friends on the app if you are up-to-date with your own posts.
If you don’t post, you’re not allowed to interact with other people.
It’s kind of wild, honestly, how people have adapted to that urgency. The whole thing puts a weird but relatable pressure on you to just share whatever’s happening, even if you’re just halfway through your morning coffee in pajamas. The result? Everyone gets a small, unglamorous window into your routine—and that’s exactly the charm. There’s a sense of camaraderie in knowing your friends probably looked equally frazzled or bored when the notification hit. Not every app actually gives you permission to be this unfiltered.
For people used to meticulously curating every post, this randomness is half the fun (and maybe a little jarring at first). But you start realizing pretty quickly that everyone’s daily life is sort of… normal, which is weirdly refreshing. No one’s “on” in these photos, and that makes all the difference if you’re tired of everyone’s highlight reels. There’s some humor in watching everyone’s unposed moments stack up, and for folks who quietly like the ordinary, it’s a small delight.
And How Are Brands Using BeReal To Interact With Their Customers?
With that explanation, you might be thinking there’s no room for Marketing on BeReal. But I’m here to tell you that yes, there is — all you have to do it’s think outside the box.
Some brands are already testing some approaches on the platform to understand its environment and possibilities and, of course, to take advantage of this new trend.
Chipotle, for example, is one of the growing number of brands joining BeReal. They joined the app in April and are using it to share exclusive and reusable promo codes for a certain number of people.
Using the platform to share exclusive coupons, information or releases is a smart way to engage with your BeReal audience without depending on a lot of planning, as you won’t be able to predict when exactly the platform will send the daily notifications.
As an important note, BeReal doesn’t allow formal advertising at this stage. But there are other ways to use the platform besides that. For me, the main message is that customers are demanding real content, without masks.
Brands can be inspired by the platform’s idea of life without filters, and start showing themselves without filters, too. How about inviting the customers to see the “behind-the-scenes” of the operation, meet the real people behind the company, and use it to strengthen the brand community? It’s a great way to start!
