The success of BeReal, despite its uncertain longevity, is frequently credited to its genuine and spontaneous nature, coupled with a strategy that confines interactions to specific moments. This approach stands in stark contrast to the pervasive, toxic culture of constant scrolling on other social platforms.
Yet, in my view, BeReal's real feat lies elsewhere. By making access to friends' posts dependent on one’s own contribution, this approach significantly diverged at a time when other social networks were overrun with lurkers, those passive observers who never actively engage. Additionally, this approach sparked a new dynamic, where the content shared by others becomes the catalyst for interaction, steering the focus away from the 'self' and ego, towards the 'alter', the other.
This emerging dynamic is also making waves in other social arenas, notably on LinkedIn. The Microsoft-owned platform has recently introduced two significant changes. Firstly, it has enhanced the significance of comments, which were previously seen as mere add-ons, by enabling the inclusion of multimedia elements and, in some instances, elevating comments to the status of independent posts. Additionally, it's a well-known strategy among community managers to boost reach by inserting an article link in a comment (for more details, refer to this article).
Furthermore, the development of collaborative articles on LinkedIn reflects this trend towards less self-centered interaction.
And then there's ID from Amo, the new social network developed by the founders of Zenly. The concept? On ID, interaction occurs through the sharing of varied content - from memes to photos, stickers, drawings, and texts - on other users' 'boards' or profiles. In short, ID favors community-driven content, thereby promoting a model that not only strengthens social interdependence but also encourages the emergence of a composite social identity… perhaps more authentic?
It’s also worth noting that Instagram is also actively working to develop more collaborative features as well.
What's the key takeaway from all this? For brands, the new challenge might lie in their comment section and in implementing more collaborative strategies. It's no longer just about responding or moderating, but rather about valuing each interaction, co-creating, remixing. This dynamic aligns with the resurgence of influencer marketing, which faced some setbacks in France in 2023. Notably, there was a digital backlash against influencers led by rapper Booba. Despite these challenges, influencer marketing is redefining itself. This shift is encouraged by the introduction of French law n° 2023-451 of June 9, 2023 - the first of its kind - aimed at regulating commercial influence and preventing misuses on social networks. This evolution is all the more relevant in light of the choice of 'authentic' as the word of the year 2023 by Merriam-Webster, a term that seems destined to strongly influence brand strategies in 2024 and way beyond...
MD