TikTok parent company ByteDance has been promoting the new app: Lemon8. its unexpected rapid popularity has some wondering whether the hype is genuine or is it a marketing stunt? possibly an attempt to distract from TikTok’s recent conflict with Congress?
what is Lemon8?
Lemon8, ByteDance’s new social media platform, definitely fired up conversations online, becoming the most downloaded free lifestyle app in the Apple App Store. it focuses on lifestyle photo sharing for inspiration and recommendations. Videos may be posted, but they are featured far less prominently.
The app was released in the United States and the United Kingdom in February, following its first release in Japan in 2020 and in other countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.
Currently, Lemon8 categorizes content by these themes: fashion, beauty, food, wellness, travel, and home. On these topics, popular content includes nail inspiration, outfits of the day, product reviews, and “aesthetic” content. It’s common for users to post in a variety of lifestyle niches — not just one.
and just like most social media platforms, Lemon8 appears to target Gen-Z and Millenial women who enjoy fashion, beauty, and other aesthetically pleasing content.
The New York Times released a report confirming that influencers are being paid by Lemon8 to post on the app as long as they follow post guidelines, like making 10 posts in a month with captions of at least 150 words and a carousel of between three and 10 photos.
we see Lemon8 as a fresh start, you know? feels authentic and community-driven, not everything needs to look “perfect” to be interesting, kinda feels like a return to the “original” days of social media.
on the other hand tho, since it has the same parent company as TikTok, there are similar privacy concerns, and some influencers have been paid to post on it, making it feel a bit less authentic. Some content is also reposted from other social media apps. Either way, it’s too soon to tell whether interest in the app may grow or wane.
TikTok’s #lemon8 hashtag has over 2.4 billion views, with thousands of creator videos characterizing the app as a combination between Pinterest and TikTok.
However, not all TikTok creators are on board with lemon8, as TikToker Andrea Brumfield recently asked in a video if it’s a “conspiracy” since she’s seen so many TikToks promoting lemon8 in the midst of the “TikTok ban being in the news right now.” what do you think?
Often described as a mix of Pinterest and Instagram, Lemon8 does share some of the best features of both platforms, while also (currently) avoiding the worst features.
We see a lot of potential in its future, but personally, would you download it, or stick with old-fashioned Pinterest and Instagram?