TikTok Users Flock to New Platforms: Little Red Book and Lemon8 in the Spotlight

In a surprising turn of events, as users migrate from TikTok, Little Red Book(known as RedNote in English) has surged to the top of the free apps chart in the US Apple Store, surpassing ByteDance’s Lemon8 and the wildfire-awareness app Wildfire Maps, which gained popularity due to the California fires. Notably, four of the top ten apps in the US are now owned by Chinese companies. In addition to Xiaohongshu and Lemon8, ReelShort (ranked 6th), a short drama app by Chinese Online, and Temu (ranked 9th), a shopping app by Pinduoduo, also feature prominently on the list. This shift highlights the growing influence of Chinese tech companies in the US market, as they capture significant user attention and market share.

RedNote’s Surge in the US: A Consequence of TikTok’s Potential Dismantling.

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The sudden popularity of RedNote in the United States may be attributed to the impending ban of TikTok due to a divestiture order. Reports indicate that last Friday’s oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court have concluded, with the justices signaling a likely support for the divestiture law. This implies that TikTok may not receive an extension. If ByteDance does not sell TikTok, the law is set to prohibit TikTok’s operations in the U.S. starting January 19th.

The majority of the justices have stated that U.S. national security concerns outweigh the free speech interests of the company and a group of content creators. Several justices have opined that the focus of the law is not on speech but on ByteDance itself.

ByteDance has made it clear that it will not sell TikTok, meaning that TikTok will have to officially cease operations in the U.S. on January 19th, in accordance with the law.

This situation has led to a mass exodus of creators from TikTok to RedNote.

RedNote Rise: Navigating Success and Challenges in the US Market.

RedNote combines the visual presentation of Instagram with the community interaction features of Reddit, positioning itself as a lifestyle sharing platform. Unlike Instagram’s polished and glamorous aesthetic, RedNote focuses more on practical, everyday advice, such as personal transformation, travel planning, and enhancing the quality of life. This emphasis on relatable content may be a key factor in Xiaohongshu’s popularity.

For RedNote, the influx of users from the US market due to the TikTok ban presents an opportunity to expand its overseas user base and significantly enhance its international brand influence, potentially unlocking greater commercial potential for the platform.

However, the continuous arrival of US users also poses more severe challenges for RedNote. Firstly, the large volume of content from foreign users may increase the platform’s review and compliance pressures, requiring a balance between diverse cultural expressions and regulatory requirements. Secondly, the scrutiny faced by TikTok from US regulators could extend to RedNote, such as concerns over user data security and avoiding the “gray areas” of US national security, which are issues Xiaohongshu cannot afford to ignore.

Ideally, RedNote could adopt a dual-version operation model similar to that of Douyin and TikTok, providing separate product architectures for domestic and international markets. This would not only help mitigate regulatory risks but also allow for more flexible adaptation to the needs of different markets, further solidifying the sustainability of its international development.

On the other hand, the longevity of Xiaohongshu’s popularity remains uncertain. In fact, in the US market, RedNote faces a strong competitor—ByteDance’s lifestyle social platform, Lemon8. There is a certain overlap in positioning and user demographics between the two, which could lead to intensified market competition.

Especially now, as an alternative to the banned TikTok, ByteDance’s investment in Lemon8 has been relentless. In fact, before Xiaohongshu’s recent surge in popularity, Lemon8 had already dominated the lifestyle category in the US app market for several weeks.

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