Fill your social media cup with the new app everyone’s talking about: Lemon8.
Described as a refreshing cross between Instagram and Pinterest, it’s a video and photo-sharing social media platform that caters to audiences interested in six lifestyle topics: fashion, beauty, food, wellness, travel, and home.
The Lemon8 app—brought to you by ByteDance, the creators of TikTok—has already been downloaded by over 17 million users across the globe. As its popularity continues to rise thanks to carefully-curated content with an emphasis on aesthetics, many are already looking at it as a platform that could soon become Instagram’s rival.
So what is Lemon8 exactly? Who created it, and what features does it offer? Keep reading because we’re spilling the tea lemonade.
What is Lemon8 All About?
The app launched in March 2020 and saw huge success early on in Japan. By March 2022, it hit a milestone of one million downloads.
In the U.S. over 650,000 downloads were recorded in the first few days of April 2023 alone, and currently, it ranks number two in the Apple App Store’s lifestyle category. On Playstore, it’s described as a “content-sharing platform with a youthful community” and a place where you can “discover beautiful, authentic, and diverse content.” It’s mainly a space where young creatives can share content about fashion, makeup, food, travel, homeware, pets, and “anything else you can imagine.”
To turn creation into an easy-peasy process, you’ll also find a variety of templates, stickers, filters, and fonts for your photos and videos.
The Interface
When you’re on the app, you’ll see seven separate tabs across the top of the screen: fashion, beauty, food, wellness, travel, home, and “all.” Tapping on each of these tabs will lead you to recommended posts.
Just like most apps, it also features a “following” and “followers” system. What sets it apart is that the number of likes and saves is visible on the profile, alongside the amount of followers and people you are following.
The Culture
When scrolling, you’re bound to come across a bunch of influencer ads and product recommendations. At this point, it looks a lot like lifestyle, aesthetics, and shopping are the main pillars of the app for now. So, no, it’s not quite a haven for memes or comedy content just yet (in case that’s what you’re looking for). That type of content is definitely available, it just isn’t the kind that thrives in this space at the moment.
Comparing Lemon8 To Other Apps
When browsing through the app, it’s easy to understand why users see an uncanny resemblance with TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram. So, what is Lemon8 doing that’s unique and which of its elements have we seen before?
Similarities with TikTok
Both apps have a “For You” feature that shows tailored recommendations. Also, videos play full screen on both platforms. Other than that, they’re quite different from each other.
Similarities with Pinterest
Its focus on “aesthetics” is one of the biggest reasons why it’s being compared to Pinterest. You’ll find that it has a Pinterest board-style format rather than the vertical-scrolling layout of TikTok. On top of that, you’ll see plenty of posts that guide users on how to achieve certain aesthetic goals—very Pinterest-esque indeed.
Similarities with Instagram
The interface enables you to upload still photos and swipeable photo collections—a subtle nod to Instagram and the features that made it popular when it first launched.
Another similarity you’ll find is that post captions on the platform are quite detailed. On TikTok, you often just let the video do all the talking. The app even offers templates for your posts to help you quickly format everything and help generate caption ideas. You’ll find templates for fashion, shopping finds, beauty, food, and travel.
Take A Sip of Lemon8
With the refreshing features that the Lemon8 app has to offer, it’s no surprise that it’s quickly gained the attention of audiences around the world. Amidst Instagram’s slight decline in popularity, this new platform is being positioned as a potential rival—but only time will tell.
If you’re looking for a platform less crowded than TikTok and Instagram, then it might just be what you’re looking for. However, if you want to stay in the loop in terms of trending content that spans diverse topics beyond lifestyle and aesthetics, you probably shouldn’t delete those two quite yet.
Stay Ahead of the Trends with The Influence Agency
So, what is Lemon8? Well, with the help of The Influence Agency, it could be the perfect place to make your mark. As this new social media app ramps up and slowly gains recognition, you’re going to want your brand front and centre.
As an award-winning digital marketing agency in North America, we know what it takes to help brands—start-ups and globally-recognized ones—win the attention of their target audiences through thoughtful, creative, trend-setting content across multiple apps and platforms.
Contact us now to expand your social media presence with expert strategies!