Tiktok's owner, ByteDance, strikes back! There's a new app in town, and it's taking the U.S. by storm. Lemon8 is a food, beauty, wellness, and travel platform. Here’s what you need to know:
Lemon8 isn't entirely new, but it's just starting to break into the U.S. market. It’s climbing to the #1 spot in the App Store for lifestyle apps and has influencers raving in every corner of the internet - calling it "Instagram and Pinterest's baby."
What is Lemon8?
It's a photo and video-sharing platform focused on fashion, beauty, food, wellness, and travel niches. Unlike TikTok, it doesn't support vertical video scrolling. The content published on the platform is curated and aesthetically pleasing, perfect for those seeking inspiration.
Lemon8’s features for influencers
Fashion influencers can "tag" clothing and accessory sources on Lemon8 - making it an interesting platform for UGC marketing. Similar to Instagram, it's all about influencing users to buy into a particular lifestyle, but it's free of Instagrams, "contrived spontaneity", driving some influencers some away with the difficulty to keep up with algorithms, rules and new features.
Owned by ByteDance (TikTok's parent company), Lemon8 is aiming to compete with Instagram. With TikTok's massive popularity in the U.S., ByteDance hopes to entice users to make the switch.
Lemon8 provided some do’s and don’ts on the App to help you get started.
Lemon8 in the U.S.
With all this being said, Lemon8 could face the same difficulties as TikTok in the U.S. market - as the U.S. government has raised questions about the security of user data on TikTok and the potential for censorship, the same issues could be raised about Lemon8. Additionally, Lemon8 could face difficulty in gaining traction in the U.S. market due to the already established presence of TikTok and other social media platforms.
Lemon8's growth can be compared to Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) in China. Popular in Japan and Thailand, it's now making waves in the West. With "Lemon8 partner" posts popping up, it's clear they're investing in influencers to boost their presence.
What is the difference between Lemon8 and TikTok?
Lemon8 vs. TikTok: Lemon8 leans towards influencer marketing, while TikTok is all about content creation. Both apps cater to different audiences & content niches, but Lemon8 influencers might be more focused on promoting products & lifestyle aesthetics.
TikTok made social media history and changed the face of marketing and the social media economy - will Lemon8 do the same?
Our thoughts on the new app
So far, we can see the benefits of Lemon8 include the ability to create, share, and discover content with friends, family, and other users. Additionally, Lemon8 offers users the ability to customize their profile and content with various features such as photos, videos, and live streaming. Finally, Lemon8 has built-in translation tools, enabling users to communicate with others in different languages.
So should you give it a try? It is important not to rely on one single social platform for making income as this could lead to financial risk. If the platform were to experience an unexpected drop in user engagement or a technical issue (looking specifically at the TikTok drama in recent weeks), you could find yourself in a position where your platform is compromised. Additionally, relying on one platform could limit your potential for growth, as you may not be able to reach a wider audience or explore other opportunities.
Social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives. But have you ever thought about switching it up and exploring a new platform? If you’re looking for something fresh and exciting, why not give Lemon8 a try and see how it can enhance your community and passive income strategy.
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