Lemon8 looks like a hybrid between Instagram and Pinterest. It’s a social media platform where users can upload photos with captions but not text-based posts. Designed with creatives in mind.
Lemon8 was designed with creatives in mind. Just like Threads claims. However, Lemon8 was around before Threads was even mentioned, yet, less know about it. Why is that? Could it be because of marketing? Or, perhaps it comes down to the concept of the platform. Do we need Lemon8, or is it just adding another social media platform to the huge pool of them?
What is Lemon8?
Lemon8 is a social media platform where users share photos and videos. There isn’t an option for vertical video like TikTok or Reels offer. Instead, it’s almost like stepping back in time on Instagram, when only square videos were possible. The idea of Lemon8 is quite simple – creators can share their work, or users can share their interests.
This isn’t a platform for conversation. Instead, it adopts more of a Pinterest style outlook. Users can like each other’s posts, but there is no conversing or chatting about content. Its aim is to cater to interests such as food, photography, beauty, fashion and travel. Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, creators of TikTok.
Influencers who take to the app can tag items, as well as their cost. This allows them to share the companies name and price point for anything they share a photo of. The idea is it’s a great place for businesses to collaborate with influencers as people are more likely to buy items if they’re endorsed by their favourite creative.
Lemon8 was launched in 2020
The platform isn’t new. In fact, it has been around since May 2020. However, it is new in US and UK markets. It only hit stores in these regions in February 2023, but despite this, it still isn’t something many are talking about. Not as a majority anyway. You will find creators on TikTok promoting it, but you have to wonder, are they being paid to do so?
ByteDance are so eager to push their social platform now that Threads has appeared. Before then, they weren’t as quick to advertise. Now it seems with the potential new threat of competition, Lemon8 is being promoted more than it ever has been. It has seen a great deal of interest recently, but is it enough to compete with Meta giants?
It can be found on both Android and iOS app stores. Just like Pinterest, when you sign up to Lemon8, you’re asked to input or select your interests. This will help the platform tailor your newsfeed to what you might like to see. Lemon8 has found itself at top spot on the lifestyle app list, but, is this down to curiosity? Can it stand out as its own idea?
