With the US government considering a TikTok ban or forced sale, ByteDance, the app’s Chinese parent company, is propelling its Instagram competitor, Lemon8, up the U.S. App Store charts, reports TechCrunch.
Describing itself as a “lifestyle community,” Lemon8 now ranks as the No. 9 top app in the U.S., excluding games.
This remarkable rise has been attributed to the company’s significant user acquisition push. Data from app intelligence firm data.ai provided to the publication shows that Lemon8 had never previously ranked in the U.S. Top 200 Overall Charts.
Though exact numbers of U.S. installs are unavailable, the app has garnered 16 million global downloads since its launch in March 2020, with Japan being its top market.
As of writing, Lemon8 is not available to download in Canada in the App Store yet. How to download Lemon8 in Canada? If you have a U.S. App Store account, you can download it here.
“Lemon8 is a content sharing platform with a youthful community. Here is where you can discover beautiful, authentic, and diverse content. It is THE destination for sharing and exploring,” is the description of the Lemon8 app.
Though ByteDance’s advertising strategy for Lemon8 is unclear, it appears that TikTok may be the driving force behind the app’s installations, says TechCrunch.
Numerous TikTok creators have recently been promoting Lemon8 with overly positive reviews, without disclosing whether they are sponsored content. ByteDance has been known to pay influencers to post content on Lemon8, seeding its initial U.S. presence.
While it is uncertain whether Lemon8 could serve as a backup plan if a TikTok ban is enforced, it is evident that ByteDance is leveraging its existing user base to promote the app. TikTok creators have expressed frustration with the proposed ban, further fueling discussions and interest in Lemon8, with the latter’s hashtag showing 2.3 billion views on TikTok.
The federal government in Canada has banned TikTok on government devices, while numerous provinces have followed suit, citing possible security loopholes in the app.
