Rednote Marketing: How International Brands Succeed on Xiaohongshu
Accounts, content, Rednote search, creator collaborations and ads — how Rednote works as China's purchase-research platform, and how to be found there without fake notes or viral stunts.
By the Jademond Digital team. Jademond Digital manages Rednote accounts and campaigns for international brands. Platform rules change often; check Rednote's current terms before you plan.
The Short Answer
- Rednote is where Chinese consumers research purchases. Users search it for honest experiences, comparisons and recommendations before they buy — from skincare to study abroad.
- Treat it as a search engine with a feed. Notes with clear titles and useful, specific content keep being found through Rednote search long after they are posted.
- A verified, active brand account is the foundation. Regular informational notes make the account credible; viral content is not required.
- Creators and consumers carry most influence. Real experiences from KOCs and KOLs matter more than brand posts — and paid collaborations must go through Rednote's official platform.
- Fake notes are a risk, not a shortcut. Rednote removes undeclared advertising and fake reviews, and they damage trust when discovered.
What Rednote Is
Rednote (Xiaohongshu, 小红书, also called Little Red Book) is a Shanghai-based lifestyle and review platform founded in 2013. It combines image and video notes, search, creator content and e-commerce. According to our research, it had more than 350 million monthly active users as of August 2025.
Its users are young, urban and affluent: according to data compiled by Nanjing Marketing Group, about 72% are women and about 80% are between 18 and 34. Search is central to how they use it — Rednote reports that more than 70% of its users search on the platform.
Who Rednote Works For
Rednote by Industry
Based on Jademond's campaign experience.
- Beauty, fashion, food and consumer goods
- The classic Rednote categories: product research, reviews and comparisons drive purchases.
- Supplements and health products
- Strong demand for research and experiences — with strict rules on health claims.
- Education and study abroad
- Students and parents research universities, schools, housing and services on Rednote; a key platform for UK education providers and international schools.
- Travel and hospitality
- Destinations, hotels and itineraries are heavily researched and shared.
- B2B
- Limited as a lead channel for most industrial B2B, but useful for employer branding and for some professional services and B2B2C topics.
Setting Up a Brand Account
Account Types
- Personal account
- The default account. Not suitable for brands; limited promotion and no brand features.
- Professional account
- A verified account for individuals and businesses with limited brand features.
- Enterprise account
- The verified business account (blue checkmark) for brands. Required for Rednote's ad platform Juguang and its creator platform Pugongying.
Verification for International Brands
Details on ad account requirements and payment are in our paid social guide.
- Documents
- Business registration, trademark certificate and legal representative identification; authorisation letters if the account holder is not the trademark owner
- Fee
- Reported at RMB 600 for verification
- Timing
- Usually several business days; longer in regulated categories
- Consistent identity
- Use the same Chinese brand name and facts as on your website, Baidu, WeChat and marketplaces
Content That Works on Rednote
Rednote rewards content that helps users make a decision. The best-performing brand notes look less like ads and more like useful answers: how to choose, how to use, what to compare, what it costs, what others experienced. Users save notes they want to come back to — saves are one of the clearest signals of useful content.
Note Checklist
- Title
- Specific and searchable, using the words users actually search — often a question or a clear benefit
- Cover
- The cover image decides whether a note is opened in the feed and in search results
- Body
- Concrete, honest information in natural Simplified Chinese: details, comparisons, prices, steps
- Keywords and tags
- Relevant search terms in the text and a few precise topic tags
- Comments
- Answer questions quickly and honestly — comments are part of the content
- Rhythm
- A steady flow of informational notes keeps the account credible; ads and creator campaigns then lead to an account that looks alive
Check every note for absolute claims, health claims and sensitive content before posting — our sensitivity check tool helps — and have it reviewed by a native Chinese speaker.
Rednote Search: SEO for Notes
Because so many users search on Rednote, notes work like search results: a helpful note can bring views and saves for months. Rednote search ranks notes on relevance to the query and on how users engage with them.
Start with the terms users search for your category — product types, problems, comparisons, brand names — and create notes that answer them better than what is currently shown. Watch the search suggestions and related searches for your terms, and check which notes appear for your brand name: users who see your ad somewhere else often search Rednote next.
Rednote content also feeds AI answers: in consumer categories, social and user-generated content is a major source for Chinese AI assistants. See our Chinese GEO guide.
Creators: KOLs and KOCs
Working with Creators
Price ranges and fees are in our China marketing costs guide.
- KOCs
- Everyday users with small followings. Their experiences feel authentic and are affordable, so brands often work with many at once.
- KOLs
- Creators with larger audiences and more reach, at higher prices; best used selectively.
- Pugongying
- Rednote's official platform for paid creator collaborations. Paid collaborations outside it are prohibited; a platform service fee applies.
- Briefing
- Brief creators on facts and rules, not on scripts. Authentic notes perform better and are more credible.
- Amplification
- Well-performing creator notes can be boosted with ads to reach more users.
Rednote Ads
Rednote's ad platform Juguang offers feed ads that look like notes and search ads that appear in Rednote search. Ads work best when they amplify notes that already perform organically — and when they lead to an account full of useful content. Account requirements, first top-ups and review rules are covered in our paid social guide.
Rules and Restrictions
- Paid collaborations must be declared and go through Pugongying
- Fake reviews, ghost-written "experience" notes and bought engagement are removed and can lead to account penalties
- Absolute claims and unapproved health or efficacy claims are not allowed
- Rednote restricts external links and off-platform contact details in notes; use the official tools for leads and sales
- Content in regulated industries such as health, education and finance faces stricter review
Measuring Rednote Marketing
What to Track
- Search visibility
- Which notes appear for your key search terms and your brand name
- Saves and comments
- Saves show usefulness; comments show questions and objections
- Account growth
- Followers and profile visits, especially after campaigns
- Creator notes
- Performance of collaboration notes compared with brand notes
- Leads and sales
- Enquiries, store sales and brand searches on other platforms
Mistakes to Avoid
- Posting translated Western content or ads instead of native Rednote notes
- Letting the brand account go quiet between campaigns
- Buying followers, likes or fake reviews
- Paying creators outside Pugongying
- Scripting creators so tightly that notes sound like ads
- Ignoring what users already say about the brand in search results and comments
Choosing a Partner
If you work with an agency for Rednote, our neutral guide How to choose a Douyin and Rednote advertising agency lists the questions to ask and the red, yellow and green flags to look for.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Rednote (Xiaohongshu, also called Little Red Book) is a Chinese lifestyle and review platform founded in 2013 in Shanghai. Users share image and video notes, search for product experiences and buy products. It had more than 350 million monthly active users as of August 2025.
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Mostly young, urban users: about 72% are women and about 80% are between 18 and 34, according to data compiled by Nanjing Marketing Group.
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Yes. International brands can verify an enterprise account with business registration, trademark and legal representative documents. Verification is reported to cost RMB 600.
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In practice, yes. Rednote reports that more than 70% of its users search on the platform, and many use it to research purchases before buying.
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Through Pugongying, Rednote's official creator collaboration platform. Paid collaborations outside Pugongying are prohibited.
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No. Regular, useful notes that answer real user questions build a credible account and search visibility. Creator content and ads create additional reach.
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Rednote restricts external links and off-platform contact details in notes. Brands use Rednote's official tools for leads, stores and messages.
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For most industrial B2B, Rednote is not a main lead channel, but it can support employer branding and some professional services. Education, travel and consumer brands benefit most.