Last updated on September 24th, 2024 at 03:54 pm
Xiaohongshu, also known as Little Red Book, or RED, is a popular Chinese social media platform that seamlessly integrates social networking with an e-commerce platform. Launched in 2013, it currently has more than 190 million active users as of June 2023, and its main audience is made up of mainly young and affluent Chinese consumers, especially millennials and Generation Z who are interested in lifestyle inspiration, fashion trends, beauty tips, and travel recommendations.
Lately, many businesses trying to reach Chinese consumers whether in China or abroad, have started using Xiaohongshu. But there’s a hitch I’ve observed: even though they have an official business profile on Xiaohongshu, not many people visit, and followers don’t grow quickly. Based on my experience managing clients’ accounts, here are some suggestions to boost traffic and get more followers on Xiaohongshu, and hence more awareness for your business.
(1) Optimise Your Business Profile
Make sure your profile is complete and current. Use keywords that the Chinese consumers would use to look for a business like yours on the platform, making it easier for them to discover your account.
(2) Optimise Your Notes
There’s no one formula for writing great copy on Xiaohongshu notes, but there are a few general tips that can help you get started.
(a) Use Strong Visuals and Compelling Words — This is especially true for the cover photo because when users are scrolling through their feed, a great image or video with a compelling copy can really make your note stand out and make users click on it.
(b) Use Short Sentences—As users are mainly scrolling through their feed, using short sentences can ensure that your copy is easy to understand for your prospective customers.
(c) Be Personal—As much as possible, write your note as if you are having a conversation with a friend or a family member. It’s good for you to share your own experiences and thoughts about using a product or service.
(d) Be Helpful and Responsive — Provide useful and relevant information for your target audience. This may mean tips that your readers can use or short videos of simple hacks.
(e) Research and Emulate — As you scroll through your own Xiaohongshu, take note of the kind of posts that you yourself click on. What is so attractive about that note that you just clicked on? You can then follow the same format and try to create the same kind of notes, but tailored to your own business.
By following these tips, you can help ensure that your Xiaohongshu notes stand out and are engaging for users. For example, here are 3 types of content that you can develop on the platform to attract and convert customers.
(a) Real-life Content — This can involve customer testimonials or brief snapshots of daily events at your retail shop. Using some of such popular content fosters resonance and relatability among customers, making it easier for them to envision what it would be like to have your product. You can also share user-generated content from your loyal customers or run a contest to choose the best user-generated content in a campaign.
(b) Useful Content — This involves sharing useful tips that your customers would appreciate, like “How to Make Your Eyes Look Bigger with Makeup” or “Improving Your Lips’ Appearance with This New Lipstick.” Sprinkle in keywords like “most underrated,” “best of the best,” “little known,” and “most effective hack” to enhance your brand and attract more followers.
(c) Showcasing Social Proof — Sharing behind-the-scenes footage, before-and-after comparisons, celebrity endorsements, and customer testimonials or video interviews can boost confidence in your company and its products/services, ultimately leading to increased sales.
(3) Use Hashtags
Hashtags are valuable on Xiaohongshu. Including relevant hashtags in your notes can improve their chances of being found by users searching for those hashtags.
(4) Engage With Other Users
Engaging with fellow users on Xiaohongshu is a smart way to boost your business account’s visibility. Leave thoughtful comments on others’ notes, respond to comments on your notes, and follow other users to increase the likelihood of them following you back and engaging with your content.
(5) Use Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is a significant part of Xiaohongshu. Partnering with influencers can help you push your brand to a much larger audience, whether it’s the Chinese market or reaching the Chinese in other parts of the world. You can use Xiaohongshu Pugongying (小红书蒲公英) to manage your influencers.
(6) Paid Promotion Tools
You may explore Xiaohongshu’s wide range of paid promotion tools to broaden the reach of your content. These tools enable you to target specific users or demographics, significantly boosting your chances of increasing traffic and followers.
You can also promote your Xiaohongshu account on other platforms such as Weibo, WeChat, or even the other channels such as Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest, your own website and e-newsletters.
Xiaohongshu provides a fantastic opportunity to engage with a target audience who is actively searching for new brands, especially foreign brands or overseas products. Although its user base may not be as vast as WeChat or Weibo, its distinctive, purpose-driven user community is steadily growing, alongside brands effectively using its platform. As social commerce thrives, Xiaohongshu could be the platform you need to enhance your return on investment.
I hope you’ve learnt something from this Xiaohongshu guide. If you’re keen to find out more about Xiaohongshu, Chinese social media or the Chinese market, here are more information:
Mastering the Xiaohongshu App: A Comprehensive User Guide
Top 20 Social Media Platforms In China [Infographic]
Get Started Here!
If you’re having trouble navigating the China market or Chinese social media, I can assist! With over 5 years of experience on Xiaohongshu, I can help you solve your challenges. Contact me at +65-9622-8824 or bei@beithoven.com, and let’s discuss how to create a successful Chinese content marketing strategy for your business.
Bei, a bilingual (English/Chinese) Singapore content strategist, has over 20 years of experience in marketing for small businesses. She mostly writes about visual storytelling, AI art, SEO, social media and China marketing.