To Lemon8 or Not To Lemon8 - That is the Question ??

Lemon8's users are rising. The platform has currently seen 6.3 million downloads worldwide in the last six months. - Apptopia

Lemon8 is becoming the No.1 most downloaded free lifestyle app in the Apple App Store. - Forbes

In this newsletter, we'll discuss:

1. The history of Lemon8.
2. What Lemon8 is and how it is used.
3. The reason why it is growing in popularity.

**Additionally, I will provide my thoughts on Lemon8.

History:

Lemon8 is a lifestyle community app and was officially launched in March 2020, but it was first introduced to Asian markets around April 2020. The platform is currently owned by Heliophilia Private Limited, which is based in Singapore and is also known as Heliophilia PTE. The company also shares the same address as ByteDance and TikTok, suggesting a possible connection between the companies. (Unfortunately, additional background information about the app is unclear.)

What Lemon8 is and how it is used:

"If Instagram and Pinterest had a baby."

"It is THE destination for sharing and exploring."

Lemon8 is a social media app that specializes in video and photo-sharing. It is marketed as a content-sharing platform with a youthful community and serves as a platform where users can discover beautiful, authentic, and diverse content. The app's content usually revolves around a specific topic, with suggestions, recommendations, GRWM-style videos, and other perfectly curated, aesthetically pleasing content under each topic. Lemon8 also allows users to post videos that can be up to 60 seconds long. However, it seems that most users repost TikToks on the app.

To use the app, users are required to enter their information and choose a username. They are then prompted to select their interests, which include beauty, fashion, travel, wellness, and pets. Once the selection process is complete, users will see a "following" and "for you" page that is similar to those on other social media platforms.

The reason why it is growing in popularity:

Lemon8 provides an added benefit to its users by allowing them to link their TikTok and Instagram accounts. This feature helps to broaden their social media reach and potentially attract new followers to their accounts. Many users appreciate this added functionality, as it enables them to leverage their existing followers and reach a wider audience. Moreover, Lemon8's aesthetic appeal is also driving more users to the platform. The app's interface is visually pleasing, with a clean and modern design that is easy to navigate.

Fun Fact: There are no popular influencers on the app right now, but there is a rise in micro-influencers.

My thoughts:

Currently, Lemon8 has caught the attention of numerous marketers, but the foremost priority is to ensure its scalability before committing significant resources to it. Additionally, marketers need to know more about the momentum behind the app. That being said, the advertisers on the platform are in exploratory mode and there has been minimal action from brands.

Here's my advice to anyone that wants to market on Lemon8:

1. It is too early to heavily invest in the app.
2. The ownership of the platform is unclear.
3. The future is too uncertain, especially with growing national security concerns around ByteDance's China ties.

Overall Facts

• Caters to a GenZ audience
• Japan is Lemon8's biggest market
• Includes a customized "For You" feed
• The aesthetic is more artsy, colorful, and aspirational
• Installed 650,000 times in the past week and a half in the US
• Features a mix of TikTik-like videos and Instagram-like photos