Lemon8: The Newest Social Media App. Is It Worth It?

In the constantly evolving world of social media, new platforms are emerging every day. The latest addition to the scene is Lemon8, a social media app that is gaining rapid popularity. Lemon8 combines the layout of Pinterest with the content of Instagram and TikTok, making it a unique platform. With a big library of curated posts filled with wellness tips, FOMO-worthy travel guides, and style hauls that would make any shopaholic drool, Lemon8 appears to cater to the feminine-focused influencer crowd. It follows TikTok’s algorithm by analyzing what you engage with on the app, then curating your feed to fit your specific tastes. 

The app's creators, ByteDance, the internet technology company based in Beijing, launched Lemon8 in 2020. The app did not start to create buzz until March 2023 and is only increasing in popularity. Similar to Tiktok (which started as Music.ly), which came onto the scene in 2014 but didn’t reach its peak popularity until 2020. Could Lemon8 blow up in a similar way in the coming years?

Due to its relation to TikTok, people are left wondering if Lemon8 will stick around long-term. TikTok has been under heavy political scrutiny, with the potential of a forever ban looming over its head. With politicians worrying about data leaks and other issues, this could become an issue with Lemon8 in the near future. Despite this, Lemon8 offers unique features that make it stand out, and people are taking notice.

How Does Lemon8 Work? 

One of the key draws of Lemon8 is its unique approach to content creation. The app allows users to create and share short, snappy videos and aesthetically pleasing photo carousels that showcase their talents, interests, and personalities. With its intuitive interface and powerful editing tools, Lemon8 makes it easy for anyone to create professional-looking content that will captivate their audience. Their wide variety of filters and font overlays make it rival Instagram’s in-app editing tools. While the app has a very curated feel, the content appears more in the moment and genuine compared to an app like Instagram. 

One of its biggest differentiators is its feed categories. When a Lemon8 user scrolls through their “For You” feed, they have the option to look through a beauty, food, wellness, travel, or home-curated feed. In a day and age of content overload, users will enjoy a more focused feed for their times of aimless scrolling. This also gives niche creators an advantage for their content getting noticed by people who will actually engage with it. 

The app's focus on user-generated content and community building offers a unique opportunity for brands to connect with their target audience more personally and authentically (for now, at least). Currently, Lemon8 is not filled with ads, making the user experience feel like a well-deserved break from the content we see on Instagram and TikTok. Eventually, the app will have to jump on the social ad bandwagon if they want to stay alive financially, but we see no signs of that yet.

With its Pinterest-like feed, Lemon8 feels less addictive than an app like Tiktok or Instagram, giving social media users something refreshing to get creative with. The user has way more creative freedom with their posts due to the library of tools that the app already has. Whether you're a budding artist, a fitness enthusiast, or someone who loves sharing their experiences, Lemon8 offers a platform to connect with others who share your passions.

Benefits For Businesses and Influencers

Lemon8's marketing potential is not limited to businesses. Influencers can benefit from the app as well. Lemon8 offers a unique platform for influencers to showcase their talent and connect with their followers more personally. When examining the app, it took a moment before we saw where the post likes were because they do not appear as prominent, only being seen in the corner of the post on the feed view. When you click on the posts, you can only see the comments. Whether this is intentional or not, it makes the user experience feel like it's more about engaging with one another, not just trying to make posts go viral.

The app's creators were smart to reach out to prominent TikTok and Instagram influencers to start using Lemon8 and then cross-promote it on their other platforms. They drop hints in their TikTok videos, informing their followers about other exclusive content they posted on Lemon8. This is a simple way to get dedicated (and nosey) followers to finish their TikTok scroll and download the new app to see what exclusive content they were missing.

One of the biggest selling points of Lemon8 is its potential for digital marketing on the brand side of things. With its focus on user-generated content and community building, the app offers a unique opportunity for brands to connect with their target audience more personally and authentically. While the app is gaining popularity, it is still in its early stages; brands should be building connections through Lemon8 now while it is not overly saturated with content. It’s much easier to reach target audiences without competing for social reach and engagement. 

To Download Or Not To Download?

With all this to say, Lemon8 has an exciting prospect on the roster of social media applications. Its target market may be niche, but if it continues to grow, it has the potential to last a while. If brands have the bandwidth to try a learning phase with this app, the time is now! Hashtags have lower densities, so your chances of getting noticed are much higher. Crossing our fingers that this will not meet the same potential fate as TikTok. Will you be trying this app?