By Jonathan Baker As Congress discusses and debates the fate of TikTok’s existence in the United States, other social media sites have been vying for attention. Along with the “usual suspects”—including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube—lifestyle specialty app Lemon8 is trying to get noticed. (Ironic, yes?) What’s so ironic? The controversy surrounding TikTok’s operation in the U.S. centers on its China-based manufacturer and owner, ByteDance. The arguments against allowing TikTok to operate concern potential risks to national security. The concession for TikTok to remain in this country would be if ByteDance were to sell the app to an approved American buyer. Now for the ironic point of all this: Lemon8 is also owned by ByteDance. If TikTok is considered a threat, wouldn’t Lemon8 fall into the same category of concern? Similarities TikTok has been defined as the “sister company” of Lemon8. A recent MediaPost article pointed out that both ByteDance-created apps use the same recommended algorithm. The not only strengthens the “technological family connection” but heightens the question about Lemon8 as a viable alternative to TikTok, should Congress decide to outlaw that app. Despite the similarities and questions, Lemon8 may (for now) make its mark, thanks to increased advertising. ByteDance brings on the promotions ByteDance has gone into overdrive in making Lemon8 visible. Between appearing in a large Apple Search Ads campaign and directly showing up in “sister app” TikTok’s “For You” feed, among other efforts, the widespread promotion of Lemon 8 has paid off. Review these these results, which are impressive: Lemon 8 is listed as among the most downloaded apps on Apple’s App Store. On Saturday, September 14, the app experienced a near-record number of downloads—upwards of 78,000. Globally, there have been 16 million downloads in 2024 (half from American users). Complementing—if not contributing—to these impressive stats was a unique collaboration between Lemon8 and content creators. Lemon8 and content creators Promoting brands with the help of content creators has become one of the most valued trends in marketing. Realizing and capitalizing on this, the powers that be at ByteDance initiated a “content accumulation” phase with creators. Through this initiative, content creators received tips and advice on how to attract followers. These same users would then add users to Lemon8-connected content. Here, both brand and creators earn wins. Whether the concerns about being a threat to national security are valid, ByteDance’s talent for promotion and advertising cannot be denied. Will TikTok be bought—and therefore saved—by an American buyer, thus allowing it to remain in the U.S.? Will Lemon8 emerge as the successor to TikTok? Those questions remain to be answered. Whatever the outcome, these current events are proof of the strength and impact of social media. The EGC Group continues to monitor the TikTok headlines as well as other late-breaking news in social media. Visit our website to learn more about our services—including social media. Contact us to find out how we can help your brand or business gain extra visibility.
