TikTok’s BeReal clone, ‘TikTok Now’, is now available in regions outside the US, with people now able to download the app and get daily prompts to post a ‘Now’ clip, showing what they’re up to at a random time. As per the Google Play store description of the app:
“TikTok Now is the new social platform from TikTok. Share your most authentic moments with the people who matter the most. TikTok Now lets you post a daily video or photo at the exact same time as your friends. You’ll receive a random daily notification at the same time as your friends, giving you a 3-minute window to take a 10-second video or real-time photo using both the front and back cameras.”
Moves Like…
Of course, this is exactly like BeReal, with TikTok blatantly copying the BeReal model as it seeks to tap into the rising trend. Social Media savant Matt Navarra shared some extra screenshots of what TikTok Now currently looks like. In the US, TikTok Now has been launched as a feature within the main TikTok app – which is an interesting approach, trying out variable approaches in different markets to measure interest in the option.
It would really be highly beneficial for TikTok to keep the functionality in the app, as that would then get more people using TikTok more often, where it can then monetize them via ads and help boost its market presence. The separate TikTok Now app seems like an odd tactic in this respect, but then again, the cross-promotional value may help TikTok boost its presence and connect to a wider audience, helping expand its overall presence.
Worth noting too is that the vast majority of BeReal users are actually in the US, so launching a separate app in markets where BeReal has yet to gain a foothold could be a dilution tactic by TikTok, giving it ‘first mover’ advantage, despite the extreme replication.
Either way, it’s not great news for BeReal, which has seen meteoric growth throughout the year. Barely reaching 10,000 users a year back, BeReal now has more than 10 million daily actives. The app itself has been downloaded over 43 million times. BeReal’s growth has overtaken that of Clubhouse, which is an interesting comparison, not just in terms of raw numbers, but in terms of likely outcome, with Clubhouse losing much of its appeal as its core features were replicated by other apps. BeReal looks to follow a similar path, with the app looking to build in add-on subscription elements to avoid ads to convert its popularity into an actual business.
The Wrap
Yes, while it might seem a little cheap and outright scummy to steal ideas from other apps, as other platforms have noted, all the key functionalities in social platforms have been replicated over time. The News Feed, Stories, reactions – all of these catch on and have become a habitual user trend, which eventually makes sense as an addition to other platforms. Such is the great Social Media Circle of Life. It’s not yet sure if BeReal is going to make it through this gauntlet, with TikTok set to be the bigger challenger in markets outside the US.
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