This project is a proposed feature for BeReal to bring back users who feel they may have aged out of the BeReal platform.

Disclaimer: This project was completed as part of a remote externship program with BeReal via Extern. All work shown is for educational and portfolio purposes.

Background

While doing the baseline usage tests for BeReal, I noticed that, despite having a large network, nobody I knew was posting. This became more apparent throughout the research phase, and I realized the problem:

Younger millennial and older Gen Z users, like myself, slowly left the platform as they entered the workforce. As BeReal's core Gen Z demographic shifts from student life to full-time work, they will likely experience the same effects.

With the externship goal of increasing MAU in mind, I chose to target this demographic for my feature pitch in order to increase user retention and make the app more attractive to former users.

Initial Research

I surveyed a total of 15 users, 5 current BeReal users, 5 former BeReal users, and 5 non-users to find out what keeps users posting and what stops them from posting. 4 of these users (2 current, 1 former, and 1 non-user) were later invited to a focus group to discuss their platform and test the potential new feature.

In the initial survey, the "Time to BeReal." notification was shown to be a major pain point for working users. The current and former users mentioned that, if they received a notification during work hours, they'd ignore it and post late. Two of the former users stated that ignoring the notification led them to slow their post frequency, which later caused them to abandon the app. The remaining three former users expressed that they stopped using BeReal. because of the lack of interesting content. They would post their desks when they could, only to be met with similar desk photos from their friends or even a blank feed.

Competitor Research

I used the Retro app as my main example for competitor analysis. I was already aware of it as a casual user, and noticed that it filled a similar niche to BeReal, in that it rewarded authenticity while allowing flexible post notification windows.

In order to analyze user sentiment further, I used Perplexity to scrape App Store and social media reviews for both BeReal and Retro, and found common ground where users praised the anti-algorithm social focus of both apps.

Where BeReal prioritizes spontaneity, Retro mainly prioritizes making and revisiting memories. Instead of being prompted every day to post live, Retro allows users to change their prompt frequency to fit their schedule. The post cadence is lower-pressure than BeReal and it doesn't feel punitive when users post late, whether on purpose or accidentally.

Solution - RealRhythm

I came up with RealRhythm, a feature that allows users to select an alternative posting cadence that better fits their weekday schedules. Since users pointed out that posting at the notification time at work can be difficult, I proposed a shorter window that starts near the end of the work day, allowing users to continue making spontaneous and authentic posts without having to do so at work. The posting window still exists, but shifts later to avoid interfering with users' daily lives at work. They'll still be able to connect with their friends and family who use the app, won't be subjected to a separate feed, and, most importantly, will not be marked late because of their changing lifestyle. The posting window remains unchanged on weekends, and RealRhythm can be turned off if users are on vacation, allowing them to experience the original BeReal posting window when they're able to.

I wanted to avoid unnecessary and possibly intrusive data collection, so I chose to set a toggle for it instead of automatically opting in users based on age or employment status. Additionally, I wanted to make sure that RealRhythm was not positioned as "users can control the posting window" in my pitch and prototype microcopy, since I was aiming for inclusivity while maintaining BeReal's mission of authenticity.

Feature Test

I selected four participants from my initial survey to participate in a virtual focus group where they could test the RealRhythms onboarding flow. I created a Canva prototype where users could test both the promotional banner and traditional settings flow. All users found the feature easy to opt in or out of, and 3 of the 4 participants believed that this would keep them active on the app.

Impact

Based on the feature test and additional surveys, RealRhythm could increase BeReal's MAU between 2-4.5% from returning users and maintain their existing user base over time. This is critical because the current generation of college students is set to enter a workforce that is experiencing another return-to-office push, which will affect their posting ability even more than the user groups I surveyed.

Conclusion

As Gen Z enters the workforce, BeReal should be able to shift with them. Workplace restrictions can make the daytime notification window a source of friction, which can push users to post late or disengage to avoid being marked "late." RealRhythm would address this directly by allowing users to shift their window to better fit their new adult lives, without compromising the authenticity that makes BeReal unique. Usability testing and focus group feedback confirmed that the feature allows spontaneity while fitting into users' evolving schedules without feeling like full control. Together, these findings show that RealRhythm could be a viable, friction-reducing solution for keeping BeReal relevant as its core users mature.