Last Updated on December 17, 2024 
Jeffrey Hau
In this article, we will be looking into the differences and similarities between two emerging social platforms, XiaoHongShu and Lemon8.
Whether you are looking for a suitable platform to raise your brand awareness, or just a user curious about Lemon8 which is new to the universe of social media; keep reading to find out more!
What is Lemon8?
Lemon8 (pronounced ‘Lemonade’) is a social media platform powered by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok and Douyin. Launched in 2020 under the name ‘Sharee’, the app targeted Japan as its initial market.
After achieving steady growth in September 2021, it was then rebranded to its current name, ‘Lemon8’. Today, it has become a rising star, gaining popularity in countries such as Japan, Thailand, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Surprisingly, Thailand stands out as its most successful market, accounting for over half of the platform’s total traffic!
Often confused with TikTok Notes which is also under ByteDance, Lemon8 is a stand-alone application with a larger ecosystem, while TikTok Notes is just an extra feature on the TikTok platform.
On Lemon8, posts are more emphasized on visual content such as photos and videos. Content on Lemon8 is mainly focused on lifestyle content, covering topics such as food and drink, fashion, and fitness. The aesthetic appeal of posts also plays a big part on the platform, therefore Lemon8 is often known as the combination of Pinterest and Instagram.
What is XiaoHongShu?
XiaoHongShu (Little Red Book) is a Chinese social media platform that has become a hit among international Chinese users, especially young women, since its launch in 2010.
With its content known as ‘Notes’ focused on product recommendations, XiaoHongShu has created a unique space for users to connect over shared interests.
Another key success factor of XiaoHongShu is its integration of e-commerce into its platform, transforming traditional online shopping for its users. From discovering products, and researching products to purchasing them, XiaoHongShu creates a seamless shopping experience for its users.
With features and content resembling XiaoHongShu’s current ecosystem, Lemon8 is considered one of XiaoHongShu’s most significant direct competitors.
Differences Between Lemon8 & XiaoHongShu
Target Demographic
XiaoHongShu’s primary audience among its 300 million monthly active users is young Chinese women. These women are mostly urban white-collar workers in the higher income range, which aligns with the platform’s focus on product recommendations and e-commerce.
Most of XiaoHongShu’s content is also in Mandarin, making it an attractive platform for Chinese-speaking users worldwide, especially those who are ready to spend on trending products to keep up with the latest trends among other users on XiaoHongShu.
For Lemon8, its user demographics also share similarities with XiaoHongShu. With over half of its 56.1 million users being female, its platform’s ecosystem is heavily influenced by female users, similar to XiaoHongShu.
However, what sets Lemon8 apart is its more diverse user base. With users from several countries posting content in different languages, Lemon8’s users are not just limited to specific users like XiaoHongShu’s Chinese-centric environment.
Besides, Lemon8’s content is more oriented toward guides, such as recipes or makeup tutorials, rather than product recommendations as seen on XiaoHongShu.
Let’s break it down this way: XiaoHongShu users are looking for products to purchase, while Lemon8’s users are there to learn lifestyle tips and get advice.
Content-Type
Often compared to each other, both XiaoHongShu and Lemon8’s emphasis on content covering various lifestyle topics makes them quite similar. As both platforms’ primary audience are female users, the topics covered are also more feminine, such as fashion and beauty.
From our general observation, XiaoHongShu offers more options for content form compared to Lemon8.
For example, Notes on XiaoHongShu are available in images, videos, and text, and its most unique feature is live streaming.
Users can select the type of notes to post based on their content’s nature. Selecting the most suitable type of notes can help convey your message better.
Lemon8’s options on the other hand are quite limited, with the platform only supporting image and video-based notes. Both, content on both XiaoHongShu and Lemon8 is mainly UGC (User Generated Content), meaning that users are contributing content to keep the environment vibrant.
Due to its close ties to e-commerce, XiaoHongShu’s content is designed to be more practical, giving users the most authentic product recommendations to induce purchases.
Lemon8 focuses on providing lifestyle guides to users, its content emphasizes visual appeal, similar to Pinterest. However, posts on both platforms rely a lot on their cover images to attract people to click on them! Therefore, designing the best cover images is important for your posts.
Marketing ROI for Brands
Not sure which platform your brand should invest in? Let’s break it down by looking at who uses each one.
XiaoHongShu (Little Red Book) is a great choice if you’re targeting a large group of users who are actively looking to buy products. Most of its users have higher incomes, so they’re potential high-value customers for your brand.
If your product appeals to them, you could unlock a big source of revenue. Plus, XiaoHongShu has built-in e-commerce features that make it easy for users to make purchases, boosting your chances of converting them into buyers.
Just remember, you’ll need to create content in Chinese to really engage with this audience!
Lemon8 is a much newer platform with fewer brands on it right now, which means there’s a real opportunity to get in early and become a pioneer.
It also tailors content to each user’s location, so if you want to connect with people in your home country, Lemon8 could be the way to go.
Both platforms work well for visually appealing products like cosmetics or fashion. The choice comes down to which audience you want to reach—XiaoHongShu’s high-income shoppers or Lemon8’s localized, engaged users!
Ease of Use & Features
While XiaoHongShu offers great returns, it has stricter rules for content, which can make it a bit tricky for creators to navigate.
If your posts come across as inauthentic or too promotional, the platform’s algorithm may limit their visibility. Plus, since XiaoHongShu is constantly updating its algorithm, staying on top of changes requires a lot more extra effort and research.
Lemon8 has more relaxed content regulations, making it easier to post freely without worrying about heavy restrictions.
Both platforms have helpful tools for content creation, like image editing and hashtag recommendations, to boost the performance of your posts.
They also have unique features to enhance the user experience. For example, Lemon8 has a quiz that helps users figure out their body shape, offering personalized style advice based on the results.
XiaoHongShu, meanwhile, has a trending search feature that highlights the latest popular topics, encouraging creators to join the conversation.
Also, XiaoHongShu has more e-commerce features that Lemon8 lacks, making it more appealing to brands focused on sales.
E-Commerce Capabilities
If e-commerce is a key focus for your brand, XiaoHongShu is the way to go. As a “social commerce” platform, it has developed a robust e-commerce system that combines shopping with social media.
With features like its own “Shop” section and its proprietary RED Express delivery system, XiaoHongShu allows users to browse, research, order, and pay all without leaving the platform.
Lemon8’s e-commerce features are more limited. It has recently added a function for content creators to tag product links in their posts, directing users to brand websites, but that’s about it.
Unlike XiaoHongShu, where brands can set up their own stores, Lemon8 relies on creators to showcase products. On XiaoHongShu, users can buy directly from brands, while on Lemon8, they can only find purchase details shared by creators, like where to buy the products.
Are There Any Similarities Between Lemon8 & XiaoHongShu?
Lemon8 and XiaoHongShu do have a lot in common, with some even viewing Lemon8 as an international version of XiaoHongShu.
Both platforms rely heavily on user-generated content (UGC). On XiaoHongShu, users share their experiences with products, while on Lemon8, users offer tutorials and expertise to help others.
The content on both platforms is very much visually driven, to catch users’ attention and encourage them to click on posts. The cover image of a post plays a key role in its success, meaning content creators on both platforms need to focus on strong design to improve their performance.
Another similarity is the influencer culture. Since users turn to these platforms for product recommendations and expert advice, having good-quality content is essential.
Both platforms have developed a strong community of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs), who provide valuable insights based on real experiences.
However, we’ve noticed that XiaoHongShu has more influencers who specialize in niche topics, while on Lemon8, influencers are mainly focused on beauty and fashion.
Is Lemon8 Safe to Use?
As a Chinese-based company, the company behind Lemon8, ByteDance is bound by Chinese law. A representative of the Chinese government has a seat on ByteDance’s company board.
According to Chinese state surveillance laws, Chinese authorities have access to ByteDance’s databases located in China for state security and intelligence purposes.
In 2022, there was a case of China-based ByteDance employees accessing the personal information of American journalists without consent through one of the platforms owned by the company, TikTok.
However, as a regular everyday user, you don’t need to worry too much about this when using Lemon8. The platform’s obligation to comply with Chinese law is primarily a concern for individuals in sensitive roles, such as public-sector employees.
As for Lemon8’s child safety features, Lemon8 currently does not support any parental control functions, so parents will need to keep an eye on their children using the app, unlike XiaoHongShu which has a ‘youth mode’.
Lemon8’s algorithm is also less complex compared to XiaoHongShu. It recommends content based on two factors: the previous posts the user has interacted with, and also the posts the user scrolls past and ignores. Lemon8’s algorithm studies users’ behavior to understand their preferences to show relevant content.
