Amid a new era of online authenticity, BeReal and TikTok become the听social media apps taking Gen Z by storm听
Since its inception almost two decades ago, 2022 paints a very different picture of the social media landscape.听Unlike Instagram and Facebook, which have come under fire for the pressure to present our most perfect selves, apps such as TikTok and BeReal have been launched听to share听unvarnished glimpses into our everyday life.
Despite being founded in 2020, BeReal’s growth has accelerated in recent months,听with听the number of times it was installed increasing by听86% month-over-month听– according to听Sensor Tower.
Particularly amongst Gen Z 鈥� who have a strong focus on quality and authenticity online, with data by value exchange platform听Room Unlocked听unveiling that close to听half (47%) of young听adults听say they cannot relate to or identify with any influencers because of how disingenuous they are听– the听pursuit for online authenticity is听dramatically reshaping the internet and the way we consume social media.As users, we have outgrown the culture of perfectionism associated with听mainstream social media platforms, giving rise听to听apps听which champion genuine and unfiltered content.听Exploring the relationship between influencers and their younger followers, Room Unlocked revealed the days of mega-influencers promoting 鈥業nsta-perfect鈥� lifestyles and products for听quick-cash听are听fading, with听52% of Gen Z saying the cash-rich lifestyles of influencers amidst the cost-of-living crisis infuriates them.
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Being polled as one of the most philanthropic generations,听it comes to no surprise that听close to half (48%) say they follow influencers on the basis of shared beliefs and value with them.听The听growing popularity of genuine voices in the space听such as Stacey Solomon, Mrs Hinch and Alex听George听and their engaged community of followers, only听serve听as testament that social media users are valuing un-filtered posts and real conversation over听curated feeds and unrelatable听lifestyles.听CEO and founder of Room Unlocked, Alex Payne,听argues that by eliminating currency听out of the equation,听and instead focusing on 鈥榲alue exchange鈥�, the relationship听between brands and their ambassadors听is only driven by advocacy and passion. With Room Unlocked鈥檚 value exchange approach, influencers seek out the products/services they genuinely want to promote, solely in exchange for receiving them 鈥� not for money. 听Alex Payne CEO and co-founder of Room Unlocked, comments:“TikTok overtook instagram, Facebook and Snapchat to become the most downloaded app in 2021 – now over 3 billion downloads and counting. BeReal is another platform on an impressive growth journey – in April 2022, it had听been downloaded 7.7m times. By the end of October 2022, that is up to 53m with a 29200% increase in users over the same timeframe.“The clue to this rapid scale is in the name – the app is simply about encouraging users to 鈥楤e Real鈥� once a day, TikTok鈥檚 growth can also be put down to Gen Z鈥檚 move towards authenticity over 鈥榠nfluence鈥�. No longer are the younger generation prepared to buy into filters, photoshop and editing.“We have all seen the stats around Gen Z – socially, environmentally and ethically more conscious than any generation before them. This couples with the authenticity and reality we鈥檙e now seeing in the content they produce and the platforms they use. Brands are having to go with them, and to be comfortable placing themselves in the stories influencers tell, rather than paying influencers to tell their story.”
