Lemon8 describes itself as a “way of life group” and capabilities like a mash-up of Pinterest and Instagram. It permits customers to publish, save and share pictures and textual content underneath totally different classes akin to vogue, meals, magnificence, wellness and journey. The pictures are introduced in a Pinterest-like twin feed in order that customers can eat a wide selection of content material on every scroll.
It launched in the US in February after beforehand gaining traction in Japan and Thailand. As is the case with any shopper product launch nowadays, Lemon8 has been paying content material creators to publish on the app to generate buzz and engagement.
The platform is a knockoff of Xiaohongshu, or Little Purple E-book, a Pinterest-like app that has grow to be an influencer-driven e-commerce powerhouse in China. Because the enterprise capitalist Turner Novak famous in his publication final month, “whereas TikTok continues pushing into present occasions, developments, and dwell streaming, Lemon8 heads in the other way: evergreen evaluations, way of life content material, textual content, and images begin consuming into the use circumstances of Reddit, Instagram, and Pinterest.”
Although the app has acquired sturdy media consideration, content material creators appear lower than enthused in regards to the prospect of getting to create content material for one more social media platform, particularly one which feels pressured down customers’ throats. Advertisements for Lemon8 have begun operating on social apps together with TikTok. “I’ve seen so many of those [Lemon8] movies again to again to again,” Alexandrea Brumfield, a TikTok creator, mentioned in a single video.
To this point, this burst of consideration has all of the indicators of a shopper app hype cycle, mentioned Brendan Gahan, chief innovation officer at Mekanism, a inventive company that works with content material creators. “It positively doesn’t appear to have an enormous person base. It’s been out since February, and it wasn’t within the prime 200 on the App retailer,” he mentioned.
A gradual stream of social apps have launched in recent times to a lot media hype solely to peter out and fade into irrelevance.
In Might 2021 the app Poparazzi, which allowed you to tag and publish images of buddies, was No. 1 within the app retailer, however did not retain its person base.
Then Dispo, YouTube star David Dobrik’s Instagram-like platform, broke into the App Retailer’s prime 10 in March 2021, resulting in a media frenzy. It didn’t final and the app has struggled since to compete.
Different social platforms like Clubhouse, Zynn and Vero have been all briefly No. 1 within the App Retailer after their launch solely to fall shortly into obscurity.
Even BeReal, the much-hyped social photo-sharing platform that launched in 2020, is struggling to retain its virality. Although it was capable of garner 53 million downloads in 2022, solely 9 % of customers are energetic daily, in response to Sensor Tower.
“Individuals are very fast to say, [Lemon8] is that this enormous factor that’s going to explode,” mentioned Gahan. “I believe individuals neglect how tough it’s to create lengthy lasting social apps. They disappear actually shortly.”
Lia Haberman, an adjunct teacher for social media and influencer advertising at UCLA, mentioned that media “worry of lacking out” typically creates these frenzies. “It’s a PR technique in itself nowadays,” she mentioned. “All it’s a must to do is launch an app and everyone seems to be so determined to look like they’re on prime of know-how developments that they’re going to cowl it only for worry of wanting like they’re out of contact in the event that they don’t cowl it.”
Haberman mentioned the actual check will come as soon as Lemon8 stops paying creators and depends on natural engagement. “It’s doable [creators] may discover Lemon8, however on the similar time you’ve obtained Pinterest, YouTube Reels, Instagram,” she mentioned. “If persons are being paid to publish on Lemon8 [it’s] nice for creators, however I discover it arduous to see how creators are going to embrace this.”
Rod Thill, a TikTok creator with 1.6 million followers, mentioned he heard about Lemon8 after seeing individuals speaking about it on TikTok, however is taking a wait-and-see method earlier than diving in. “As soon as I see sufficient individuals utilizing it and displaying the options, I’ll catch on,” he mentioned.
“Each social media app is competing with one another, which is making it actually tough for creators,” he added. “The considered having to make a person video on every platform is already creating burnout.”
If Lemon8 does find yourself gaining traction within the U.S. market, it may show to be one other headache for lawmakers looking for to crack down on China’s affect in our tech ecosystem. Banning particular person apps might find yourself being like enjoying whack-a-mole as extra foreign-owned platforms search to seize the U.S. market.
Although most shopper merchandise fail to dwell as much as the hype they generate at launch, Gahan mentioned that occasionally one catches on, making the technique worthwhile. “China has actually been a frontrunner in social commerce and apps normally,” he mentioned. “It is sensible that firms would attempt to replicate the success of confirmed apps and export them to the U.S.”
