BeReal Surges to 40 Million Monthly Users and Unveils Ad Rollout in the US!
BeReal, the innovative social photo-sharing app, is taking significant steps to monetize its platform as it faces challenges in profitability. With its recent acquisition by French mobile publisher Voodoo for €500 million, BeReal is now introducing advertising in the U.S. market to boost revenue and maintain its relevance among users.
BeReal’s New Advertising Strategy
BeReal’s advertising rollout includes:
- In-feed ads: These will follow the app’s signature dual-camera post style.
- Full-day brand takeovers: A new feature allowing brands to dominate the app for an entire day.
The app has already tested advertising with major brands like Levi’s, Nike, Netflix, and Amazon, paving the way for a comprehensive U.S. advertising platform.
Leadership Changes to Drive Growth
To spearhead its U.S. expansion, BeReal has appointed Ben Moore, a former executive at TikTok, to lead efforts in sales, partnerships, and overall growth of the platform.
User Engagement and Demographics
As BeReal aims to attract advertisers, it reports an impressive user base:
- Approximately 40 million monthly active users, with 5 million located in the U.S.
- 85% of its users belong to the Gen Z demographic.
- In its top markets (U.S., France, Japan), 50% of users are active six days a week.
Note that these statistics have not been independently verified by TechCrunch.
Challenges in a Competitive Market
Since its founding in 2019, BeReal has navigated the ups and downs of the social media landscape. The app gained significant traction in 2022 after securing a $30 million Series A round from prominent venture capital firms like a16z and Accel. Major competitors, including Meta and TikTok, have also sought to leverage BeReal’s sudden popularity.
Download Trends and Cultural Impact
By October 2022, app intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported that BeReal had been downloaded over 53 million times, although only about 9% of active Android users engaged with the app daily. The app reached a notable cultural milestone when it was parodied on Saturday Night Live.
As of now, third-party analytics firm Appfigures indicates that BeReal has amassed 115 million downloads across iOS and Android platforms, with 33% of those from the U.S. However, download rates have significantly declined from its peak, with a projected 60% year-over-year decrease in 2024, totaling around 12.7 million downloads.
As BeReal embarks on this new advertising venture, its ability to maintain user engagement and adapt to the fast-paced social media environment will be crucial for its long-term success.
