A Brand New Social Media Platform? Let’s Talk Lemon8!

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by sarah elrod

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Lemon8 is the brand new social media platform that is taking over the world! As well as consuming literally all of my time… yep… I’m guilty!

This app is created by TikTok’s parent company “ByteDance” and it’s basically a combination of Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok. My first impression of the app so far has been really great. I love the layout and the whole idea behind it.

But not everyone has jump on board yet. There is expected to be a lot of scrutiny towards Lemon8 that is similar to that of TikTok. For obvious reasons considering the whole TikTok banning situation. Being that this app is so new, there isn’t a ton of information out yet, mostly just articles speculating things. But I do plan to track how this app plays out and I will of course keep you updated.

On that note, this episode is going to take you through what we know about Lemon8 so far. I dive into whether or not you need to get on the app, and we also talk about some growth strategies should you choose to give it a try.

What is Lemon8?

Lemon8 has a very similar interface to TikTok. You have your main feed that features a “following” section that lets you look at content from creators you follow, as well as a “For You” section that recommends other posts based on your interests, and accounts you have previously engaged with.

This new platform also segments posts under different categories, like fashion, beauty and food, and allows its users to explore content in other ways.

How Does Lemon8 Work?

The content I have seen the most is very photo heavy and very much giving off Pinterest vibes. There is a lot of “how to” content as well as hauls, “my favorite ___” type of posts, and in general just a lot of value giving content.

This app is very open ended right now. Meaning, a lot of people are dropping the idea of having a niche and just focusing on posting creatively with no boundaries on keeping things aesthetic.

Lemon8 is super visual. Lots of color, text on photos and graphics seem to be going a long way right now. If I had to guess, I would say that Lemon8 is going to roll out a lot more features similar to what Canva has to offer. That they can keep all the editing inside their app and not have people use 3rd party apps.

It also seems to have a Blog-like feel to it. People are back to sharing longer captions, and just the overall content styles themselves have a blog feel to them. In other words, this is not a fast paced, quickly scroll on by app. Users are spending more time actually reading through long captions and scrolling the carousels.

The Algorithm

The Lemon8 algorithm is a chronological feed. It’s giving very much a 2013 Instagram era kinda feeling. Meaning you can actually see in real time what your friends and people you follow are sharing. And since the app is so new, and like any new app they want you to spend time on it, people are sharing more often and more freely, without having to worry about being penalized for multiple posts in one day.

There is a “for you” page on the app that is similar to that of TikTok, but with a heavier focus on photos than videos. This is going to be where most people tend to hangout, especially in these beginning developmental stages of the app. We are all trying to find people to follow and see how other people are going to be posting on the app.

Should You Have A Niche On Lemon8?

One of the first things I have seen over and over again since joining Lemon8 is the on going argument on whether or not you need to Niche down on this app.

If you are a business or a creator that hopes to use this platform to market your products and services or get brand deals, then YES I do believe it is important to have a niche. But if you are just here for fun to post about your life and you have no desire to every make money from it, then feel free to post about whatever the heck you want.

Niches get a bad rep because most people associate the idea as a way of limiting what you can post about. You think if something is outside of your Niche, then you can’t post it. But that is not true.

A good rule of thumb is having a niche, and then having content pillars that support that niche.

Let’s say your niche is “western wedding photographer”. That is what you are known for, or want to be known for. But there is more to you than just that. Hence: content pillars that include; wedding planning tips & tricks, rural day to day lifestyle, and mom content.

The goal is to create content within your content pillars to attract people to follow you, and then your niche, is the driver of your income or what you mainly want to be known for.

Should You Get On Lemon8?

I think Lemon8 could be risky considering the TikTok ban. There is a chance this one goes down the same trail as TikTok. But even if it only has it’s 15 minutes of fame, look at how life changing TikTok was for so many people.

Creators were able to get in early into the app and set the trajectory. And now they are full time content creators or their businesses blew up. So yes, I do think that if you get on the app and start pumping out content, your chances are better in these early days before it really catches on.

That is not to say this is a must. Obviously if you are thriving on other apps or do not have the bandwidth to add on another social media platform, do not try to take this on. Plenty of people never jumped on the TikTok train and they still made a killing on Instagram alone.

Let this just serve as a reminder, all social media is fleeting. We have seen it with Instagram, we are seeing it with TikTok and we all know Lemon8 is a fad that will not be around forever.

What is not a fad and what has truly stood the test of time is email marketing. And no I am not going to go on a big thing about it, I have other episodes on email marketing. But if you are looking for a platform to try, I always recommend Flodesk.

How To Grow On Lemon8?

Honestly, one of the fastest ways I have seen growth for myself as well as other creators on Lemon8 is through “how to grow on Lemon8 posts. But does that mean I think you should go out and make a bunch of these kinds of posts? Not really. Unless of course, you are in the industry of helping others grow on social media.

If your niche is western fashion and you have no desire to teach others growth tips on social media platforms, then don’t go out and create a bunch of “Lemon8 growth hacks” just for the sake of growing yourself.

Also with that being said, even though that might be a way to grow, it’s not the ONLY way to grow.

Focus on consistently posting the kind of content you are actually interested in making, and I promise it will pay off. Also do not forget to engage with others. Engagement seems to have a huge impact on growth right now. So interact with new people, and make sure to interact back with the people who engage with your content.

Here are the exact steps I would recommend taking if you create a Lemon8 account today:

  1. Create an introduction post. Share about who you are through fun pictures, (don’t forget to add text to the images) and ALSO use key words to describe yourself in the caption so that people can find you.
  2. Immediately after posting your introduction, make another 2-3 posts. Yes, post back to back. This is going to help give people a feel for your content when they land on your profile, making it easier to decided whether or not to follow you. Instead of basing their decision off of one introduction post.
  3. Use hashtags! Unlike Instagram who had a limit of 30 hashtags, Lemon8 limits you to only 10 hashtags per post, which is kinda a relief if you ask me. Hashtags are a huge way people are going to find your content on this app, so make sure to use them wisely. I always try to avoid too small or too large of hashtags
  4. Photo are in right now! They seem to be way more popular than videos, but don’t toss video out all together. I think a good 80/20 blend is a good place to start. And yes, you can repurpose photos and videos from other platforms but make sure to remove the watermark!
  5. Get Creative! This app is super visual and fun! There is also way less pressure to be aesthetic so try new things, experiment with your content, and get back to actually enjoying social media again!

So what do you think? Is Lemon8 going to be the next big thing? Or do we think it’s just a fluke and will die off soon?


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I'm Sarah Elrod

The Podcast

Rural Lifestyle

Personal

Business

I'm a Cowgirl turned serial entrepreneur.
I'm a horse trainer, western wedding photographer, business coach and ranch wife.
I help women in the western industry grow thriving businesses from rural America.
When I am not strategizing new marketing tactics, you will find me riding my horses, cuddling my cattle dog, or kissing my hot husband.
There is also a good chance I am buying way too many outfits from western boutiques.

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