Xiaohongshu - Rednote in English - is the platform Singapore marketers most often ask about and least often understand. It is not Chinese Instagram. It is closer to a search engine with a social feed on top, and that changes how you should use it.
What Xiaohongshu is, in one paragraph
Xiaohongshu is where Chinese-speaking consumers go to research before buying: skincare, restaurants, schools, travel, home products. Users search for a product or a problem and read "notes" - image or video posts with detailed captions - from people who have tried it. Notes rank inside the app's search for months, so a good note keeps working long after posting. In Singapore and Malaysia it skews female, 20 to 40, educated and higher-income, and it is the primary platform for many Chinese-speaking consumers who barely use Instagram.
Which Singapore brands should be on it
- Beauty and skincare. The core category. Aveeno's Malaysia campaign used 4 Xiaohongshu creators alongside 3 macro TikTok voices to reach Chinese-speaking Malaysians; the combined campaign did 1.73M views.
- Education. Parents and working adults research schools and courses here. Camford International College ran TikTok and Rednote in English and Chinese - 480K views from 6 creators; one 1,360-follower creator did 305,677 views.
- F&B, especially heritage and festive. Kee Wah Bakery (est. 1938) for Mid-Autumn; SMH Food's dim sum for CNY. Gifting and festive purchases are researched on Xiaohongshu.
- Premium retail, jewellery, travel, aesthetics clinics. Anything where a Chinese-speaking buyer asks a friend for a recommendation before spending.
If your customers are under 25, English-first and male, Xiaohongshu is not your platform. TikTok is.
How it differs from TikTok and Instagram
| Xiaohongshu | TikTok / Instagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Search-led; notes rank for keywords for months | Feed-led; posts peak in 48–72 hours |
| Content | Detailed, useful, often text-heavy; before/after, price, where to buy | Short, hook-first, entertainment-led |
| Language | Chinese, sometimes bilingual | English, Singlish |
| Creator size | Small creators with detailed notes outperform big ones | Algorithm can amplify anyone |
| Measurement | Reads, saves, search impressions, comments asking where to buy | Views, shares, engagement rate |
How we run a Xiaohongshu campaign
- Keyword research inside the app. What do people search when they have the problem you solve? The note is written to rank for those terms.
- Bilingual creator casting. Chinese-speaking creators based in Singapore or Malaysia, with an audience that matches yours. Follower count matters less than note quality.
- Briefs written in Chinese. Cover frame, title, keyword placement, price and where to buy - the note is structured for search, not just for the feed. You receive English summaries for approval.
- Combined casts where it fits. Xiaohongshu for the Chinese-speaking segment, TikTok for reach. Aveeno and Camford both ran this way.
- Reporting on reads, saves and search-driven traffic, tracked over 60 to 90 days because notes keep working.
Details on the Xiaohongshu marketing service page.
Common mistakes
- Translating an Instagram caption into Chinese and calling it a note. The format is different; the audience can tell.
- Casting by follower count. Small creators with useful, honest notes rank better and convert better.
- Measuring at day 7. Notes peak later and keep working; judge at day 60.
- Skipping price and where-to-buy. Xiaohongshu readers want the practical details that Instagram creators leave out.
- Ignoring Malaysia. The Chinese-speaking Malaysian audience is larger than Singapore's and shares the same app.
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Take the 2-minute quizFrequently asked questions
What is Xiaohongshu used for in Singapore?
Researching purchases. Chinese-speaking Singaporeans and Malaysians search Xiaohongshu (Rednote) for reviews of skincare, restaurants, schools, travel and home products before buying. Notes rank in the app's search for months.
Which brands should market on Xiaohongshu?
Beauty, skincare, aesthetics, F&B (especially festive and gifting), education, premium retail, jewellery and travel - anything a Chinese-speaking buyer would ask a friend about before spending. Not English-first, under-25, male audiences.
Do I need Chinese-language content for Xiaohongshu?
Yes. Notes should be written in Chinese, structured for in-app search with keywords, title and cover frame. We write briefs in Chinese and give clients English summaries for approval.
How long does a Xiaohongshu campaign take to show results?
Longer than TikTok or Instagram. Notes build search visibility over weeks and keep converting for 60–90 days. Judge results at day 60, not day 7.