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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] NAVER announced on the 20th that its community platform BAND has surpassed 7.1 million monthly active users (MAU) in North America. Initially known as an after-school communication tool for middle and high school students, BAND has rapidly expanded into adult groups—including workplace teams, university clubs, religious organizations, and local communities—establishing itself as a practical, real-life community platform.
BAND’s North American MAU reached 7.1 million last month, steadily growing from 5 million in October 2023 and 6.04 million in October 2024—an annual increase of roughly one million users.
Launched in North America in 2014, BAND has held its ground against global social media platforms such as Facebook by offering a complete suite of group-communication features and quickly rolling out functions tailored to local needs. The platform is recognized for its convenience and high level of completeness.
Going beyond a simple social app, BAND strengthened its identity as a group-management tool by incorporating task-focused features such as announcements, scheduling, and file sharing.
With a strong foothold in schools, BAND has recently expanded into adult communities such as workplace collaboration, university organizations, religious groups, and local networks. This evolution has transformed BAND into an essential communication tool for both daily life and business.
In Louisiana, a McDonald’s operations team adopted BAND to eliminate inefficient paper-based communication, improving shift notices, surveys, and inventory coordination. The team described BAND as “the glue that holds our organization together.” Similarly, the marching band at Jackson State University highlighted that BAND enables more efficient organizational management.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
