Little Red Book Marketing: What's new in 2024 and how brands leverage it? (1/2)

As we enter the year of the Dragon, Little Red Book reveals exciting new avenues and promising business opportunities. This comprehensive guide will explore the latest trends and provide expert tips to help your brand thrive on Little Red Book in 2024.

1. 2024: Re-introduction of Little Red Book

Little Red Book, also known as “Xiaohongshu” (小红书) or “RED,” was launched in 2013. In 2019, we introduced it as a “social e-commerce app” with more than 30 million MAU. Now it has become mainland China’s most prominent and fastest-growing social media platform, with over 270 million users in mainland China.

And since 2023, more new trends are coming up:

Live Streaming as a Standalone Division: 2023 has seen success in Live Streaming, with top KOLs like Donjie (董洁) and Zhang Xiaohui (章小蕙) who differentiate Little Red Book Live Streaming from other platforms. Recognising the power of live interaction, Little Red Book has elevated live streaming to its business unit, driving real-time content development.
Diverse Lifestyle Content: Little Red Book is originally famous for its Beauty & Skincare content. With the expansion of user interests these years, Little Red Book flourishes with content across multiple life domains like food, fashion, beauty, mom & kids, education, automotive, etc., becoming a hub for lifestyle curation.
Note-Based Selling: Little Red Book has unlocked new potential in social commerce by fully embracing “Note-Based Selling,” enabling brands to seamlessly link their products within user posts. This feature streamlines the shopping experience within the app’s social framework.
Planting Grass Value or TrustInterest (种草值): A new metric from Little Red Book’s official insight platform was introduced in 2023 to gauge the effectiveness and reach of product endorsements, aiming to optimise promotional strategies for higher conversion rates.

2. Know Better About Little Red Book and Its Users:

Monthly Active Users: 260 million as of 2023; in comparison, Douyin is 750 million strong. (Statistic.com)
Demographics: Predominantly female (70%) and young (over 70% post-90s generation), with half residing in Tier 1 and 2 cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc.
User Portraits: Include Gen-Zs, White-Collar Professionals, Urban Hipsters, High-Net-Worth Individuals, Mothers, and YOLO Enthusiasts, indicating diverse content interests.

Now, Little Red Book has developed some overseas Chinese communities. The latest data from our XHS internal contact, as of January 2024, reveals Xiaohongshu’s expanding global reach. Mainland China leads with an impressive 270 million MAU, followed by significant engagement in overseas markets.

Little Red Book users love to share their daily lives on Little Red Book. They actively share their life experiences and recommendations, creating a strong word-of-mouth effect and panning various content domains, including Beauty & Skincare, Fragrance, Food & Beverage, Lifestyle, Fashion, Personal Care, Mom & Baby, and Fitness & Wellness. Today, it is one of the essential channels for users to obtain product or service information and discoveries.

3. Understand Little Red Book and where its traffic flow comes from

First of all, in the feed section, users can choose to see content from “Friends” or “Nearby” or to “Explore” accounts that fit their interests. It serves as a diversion station based on different interests or demands.

*Newly added “Map” feature in the “Nearby” section if you update the APP to the CNY version. (Users can now easily access an interactive map showcasing notes, group chats, and livestreams related to food, drink, and entertainment in their local area.)

Additionally, users have the option to “Search” and directly pinpoint the content they’re interested in. For instance, searching for “Hermes” not only brings up the official account of Hermes at the top but also displays related posts from both KOLs and everyday users, enriching the discovery experience. Our upcoming article will explore the SEO mechanisms influencing the ranking within Little Red Book’s Search feature, offering deeper insights into optimising visibility on this dynamic platform.

4. Content Types

Across all four traffic sources on the platform, you’ll encounter three main types of content: Notes, Videos, and Live Streamings, each offering a unique way to engage with the community.

Notes

With logic similar to Instagram static posts, Little Red Book’s Notes feature enables users to share their experiences, emotions, or opinions on specific products using straightforward images and text. What sets it apart is its Quora-like feature. Users can ask for daily life advice, from outfit ideas to career tips.

Videos

Creating videos on Little Red Book may not offer the same ease as posting Notes, which rely solely on images and text, but it opens up opportunities for creators and brands to deliver content that is valuable and informative. It can be tutorials and detailed reviews by KOLs/KOCs or imaginative brand stories. Such videos resonate, emphasise authenticity, and deliver real value, distinguishing them from the more generic offerings on other platforms.

Live Streaming

In 2023, live streaming on Little Red Book has been a trending topic, especially with the rise of exclusive live streaming that targets high-tier audiences. Contrasted with the faster-paced and hard-selling live streaming on platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou, the “quite selling” live streaming on Little Red Book provides a more immersive experience and is more aligned with the demand of its target audiences on this platform.

In our next article, we will continue to discuss the Little Red Book and how it has risen in recent years among young generations in the Chinese community, so stay tuned for more insights and success stories from this dynamic platform!