ByteDance’s New App - Lemon8: What You Need To Know
To rival Instagram, ByteDance is promoting a lifestyle app in the US. Here is all the information you require. The parent firm of TikTok, ByteDance, has been promoting its Instagram-like app to social media users in the United States during the past month.
A new app named Lemon8 has been introduced by the Chinese parent company of TikTok, at a time when lawmakers are debating a nationwide ban of the latter. However, similar to TikTok, Lemon8 is expected to undergo scrutiny due to concerns over the Chinese government's potential access to U.S. user data or the spread of misinformation on the platform.
Lemon8 is a social media site where users may upload videos and photos and share content related to food, beauty, wellness, and travel. Learn more about this new app in this article.
What is Lemon8?
Lemon8 is a social media app for sharing videos and photos. It doesn't support vertical video scrolling, and the app's content is frequently focused on a single subject.
Fashion, beauty, food, wellness, and travel are the most popular trending topics on the app. Suggestions, recommendations, get-ready-with-me type videos, and expertly curated, aesthetically beautiful content are provided under each topic.
Lemon8 combines elements of Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, featuring videos and categories like fashion, beauty, and food. Social marketing experts also see similarities to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media and e-commerce giant.
Like TikTok, Lemon8 includes a "following" section for users to view content from creators they follow, as well as a "For You" section with recommended posts. It collects user data, such as IP address and browsing history, like other social media sites.
Lemon8 is owned by Heliophilia Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company that shares an address with ByteDance and TikTok, according to both the Apple and Google Play app stores.
According to data.ai, a company specializing in app analytics, Lemon8 was first launched in Asian markets in 2020 and has gained traction in countries such as Thailand and Japan, with approximately 7.4 million and 5 million downloads, respectively.
In February of this year, the app was introduced in the United States, initially without much attention. However, after media outlets started covering it and some TikTok influencers began promoting it, the app gained popularity.
Data.ai reports that as of Sunday, the app had been downloaded 290,000 times in the U.S., with the vast majority of those downloads taking place in late March. It is also currently listed as one of the most popular apps on Apple's app store.
ByteDance, the parent company of Lemon8, reached out to the Influencer Marketing Factory in late February, offering a lengthy presentation on the app and how influencers can use it, according to Nicla Bartoli, the company's vice president of sales. While the agency is recommending that influencers try out the app, it is not doing the same with brands since Lemon8's user base is still relatively small. However, it remains to be seen whether the app will take off organically or flop.
Combatting US legislation
The Chinese parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, has released Lemon8 to compete with the declining popularity of U.S.-based Instagram. ByteDance hopes that Lemon8, supported by its connection to the most popular app in the U.S., TikTok, will prompt users to migrate from Instagram. However, Lemon8 may face similar risks as TikTok if it gains popularity in the U.S. Lemon8's success could either influence creators to lobby against proposed legislation banning TikTok and Lemon8 or expedite the government's decision-making process.
Recently, the U.S. government proposed legislation to ban Chinese social media sites in the U.S. due to national security concerns. U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated earlier this week that the House will proceed with legislation to ban foreign-owned apps.
Recently, Lemon8's popularity has surged as its parent company, ByteDance, faces increasing regulatory challenges in the West. Several governments, including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Commission, have banned TikTok from official devices due to concerns over foreign access and improper use of users' data. In the US, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, faced a congressional committee but failed to convince legislators of the company's innocence.
To address these concerns, ByteDance established a $1.5 billion Project Texas to improve data security by relocating US users' data to the US and hiring Oracle as a third-party monitor. Additionally, as part of Project Clover, TikTok announced new measures to protect the data of its 150 million monthly European users, including creating a second data center in Dublin to store user data within the continent.
Lemon8 vs TikTok
Both TikTok and Lemon8 offer content creation for different audiences, though it's rare for someone to be successful across all social media platforms without being a celebrity. While TikTok is more content-focused, Lemon8 leans towards influencer marketing, where influencers are paid to promote products or wear specific clothes to appeal to a particular aesthetic or lifestyle.
TikTok creators often have a niche, such as cooking, dancing, comedy, or education, and they engage their audience with their content. Unlike Lemon8, TikTok creators typically earn money based on the number of views their videos or live streams receive, with some also receiving payments for promoting products or lifestyles. However, TikTok influencers can make their content appear more natural because it's in a video format.
Lemon8 and TikTok offer distinct opportunities for content creation and influencer marketing. Lemon8 leans more towards influencer marketing, with brands paying influencers to showcase their products or promote a specific lifestyle to their followers.
In contrast, TikTok emphasizes content creation and offers a variety of niches for creators to engage their audience. Both apps target different audiences, and Lemon8 has adopted a marketing strategy of paying micro-influencers to post and promote the app in a bid to compete with Instagram, which is based in the United States.
How can Royex Technologies help?
Royex Technologies, a leading Mobile App Development company based in Dubai can help you make an application like Lemon8 at a very affordable price based on your requirements. Royex Technologies has been in the business since 2013 and has competent team members who have been developing projects for more than 300 clients to date, all over the world.
We have some unique offerings that make us stand out among our competitors:
Dedicated support team in Dubai: Our support team in Dubai will provide round-the-clock trackable support to our clients.
Post-delivery maintenance: We offer post-delivery maintenance to ensure that the app functions correctly, is secure, and provides a good user experience.
Annual Maintenance Contract: Our (AMC) outlines the terms of ongoing maintenance and support for the app. This contract is usually signed after the initial development of the app is complete and the app is launched.
Additional value that you will get from Royex to make your app a success:
Investors Club: Royex Investors Club provides a platform for investors to connect, and create investment propositions with emerging and prospective tech startups.
Apps Marketing: Our marketing agency can help you get the required engagement and reach for your mobile app.
Business Strategies: We will provide support to collab with 3rd party companies to provide business strategies that will support your app’s growth and success.
Intellectual property & patent services: Intellectual property (IP) and patents are essential for protecting the rights of creators and inventors. IP rights provide legal protection for various forms of creative and innovative works, including inventions, designs, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, and images used in commerce. We can help with acquiring IPs for your app.
Attractive discounts: We are actively collaborating with several delivery companies, payment gateways, and hosting services. So you can avail discounts for these services when working with us.
Contact us via email at info@royex.net or call us at +971566027916 with your requirements, only then we can tell you the development cost precisely.