Seoul, South Korea - Naver Band, a group communication app created by South Korean company Naver Corp with a community feature, surpassed 5 million monthly active users in the United States in October 2022.
Why it matters:
Naver Band's achievement of 5 million monthly active users in the U.S. demonstrates the app's emerging status as a global social media player beyond South Korea.
It also shows how Naver has tailored the platform to gain traction in America's competitive tech environment.
The Key Points
- Naver Band surpassed 5 million U.S. monthly active users (MAU) in October 2022, doubling its user base since 2020.
- Naver entered the U.S. market in 2014 and reached the 5 million milestone in less than ten years, despite competition from established apps like Facebook.
- Band's U.S. growth has been driven by demand for group management features from users who organize after-school activities, school administrators, and various industries.
- Naver has adapted Band to the needs and culture of US users with features for scheduling, RSVP tracking, and parent monitoring.
What they say:
"Band's expansion into global markets builds on the experience Naver has accumulated from operating large-scale online community platforms in South Korea for over 20 years, including blogs, cafes, and Knowledge iN,"
said Jookwan Kim, CEO of Naver Community CIC.
"Leveraging this expertise, Band aims to gain international users by carefully researching each market's needs and tailoring features to optimize the platform for local cultural preferences."
What Comes Next:
With solid traction in the U.S., analysts expect Naver to continue to improve Band's capabilities for international users by leveraging its decades of experience operating online communities in South Korea.
