Why I’m Hooked on Xiao Hong Shu, or “Red”
this might be even better than TikTok and Instagram
As someone who prides herself on being fairly bilingual (in the sense of being able to read Chinese novels without googling too much), I’ve always been fascinated by Chinese social media. Like most Singaporeans my age, I’m a regular user of various social platforms- Instagram, of course. TikTok is probably a close second, followed by Reddit, Twitter, etc. However, given that English is my first language, content on these English-medium platforms are definitely dominated by Western users. Some days, I just want to look for Asian-centric content- what in the world is boba?!
Enter, Chinese platforms. These days, there’s an equivalent for pretty much everything. I’m on Weibo (Chinese Twitter) fairly regularly just to read Chinese entertainment tea. I was on Lofter (Chinese Tumblr) for Chinese fanfiction and fanart, and I’ve been told that WeChat is like Instagram + Facebook + Paynow all-in-one. As a fervent member of the Taobao cult, I honestly use it more often than Shopee/Lazada.
I actually don’t remember what compelled me to download Xiao Hong Shu (aka Red) again, as I tried it once last year and couldn’t get used to the interface. I tried it again this year on a whim- and immediately got hooked. I honestly feel like it might just overtake TikTok in terms of my screentime, which is a fairly difficult feat these days.
What is Xiao Hong Shu?
So, think of Pinterest in terms of its wealth of lifestyle/beauty/fashion content. Take the social aspect of Instagram (Stories + comments), then add in a dash of the devious TikTok algorithm that makes you unable to put down your phone even though it’s 3am and your eyes hurt like hell, and you get Xiao Hong Shu. It literally translates to “Little Red Book”, which kind of gives you flashbacks to a certain era in China…but anyway, I digress.
Xiao Hong Shu’s value lies in a couple of things- 1) its massive userbase that’s predominantly working women in their 20s-30s, with higher purchasing power, 2) the insane amount of user-generated content that promotes higher trust, and 3) a strong focus on all things beauty and fashion, as opposed to Pinterest’s lifestyle spin.
Why Xiao Hong Shu?
As someone who lives and breathes social media (it’s literally my job to stay updated on trends and creators), we all know that these days brands are fighting over the tempting slice of pie that is millennials and Gen Zs, and especially on Instagram. Unfortunately, it’s no secret that consumers are increasingly sceptical of ads, and Instagram is rife with those. As a consumer, I have to take a long hard look at everything I’m being sold these days.
But Xiao Hong Shu feels different. I don’t doubt, of course, that there are paid ads, and there are definitely 博主 (creators) who make their money off this platform. However, the nature of the platform just feels more organic, in the sense that many creators feel and look like perfectly ordinary people who just happened to gain a following on the platform. As someone who fits into the app’s demographic, many creators there feel like a friend who’s just recommending me what works for them- that feeling of authenticity (manufactured or not) is quite like TikTok in that sense.
Additionally, something that’s familiar is the “Explore” and “Following” pages, similar to TikTok/Douyin’s For You Page. I personally stay on my FYP for TikTok (instead of sticking to people I follow), and I do the same on Xiao Hong Shu. It’s also much easier to search for things on Xiao Hong Shu than on TikTok, personally- it is afterall an ecommerce platform of sorts, so it does resemble Taobao in terms of searchability. The algorithm also makes it really easy for me to find content that I like, unlike Instagram.
Should you use it?
I don’t doubt that Xiao Hong Shu has a relatively higher barrier to entry than say, Instagram. Regardless of whether you’re a brand, creator, or consumer (in Singapore), the most basic thing is being fluent in Chinese. Even if you are fluent, if you’re not native Chinese from China, you’re going to struggle with the abundance of lingo that flourishes on the app. 种草, which literally translates to planting grass, is one of the most common terms- it means recommending something to someone and getting them to want to buy it.
In my experience, there aren’t that many Singaporean creators on Xiao Hong Shu yet. Most of them are either food bloggers, or native Chinese living in Singapore who use the app as a blog of sorts. This is something that’s nice, by the way- videos don’t have a limit of 3 minutes like TikTok, and you get to post pictures and words like on Instagram. Singaporean brands/creators looking at Xiao Hong Shu will have to consider if they’re looking to target a predominantly native Chinese audience.
Personally…
As someone who uses Taobao quite a bit, I will say that using Xiao Hong Shu will really upgrade your shopping game. In Singapore, I think we’re accustomed to seeing beauty and fashion trends being led by Korea- it’s a trickle down from Kdramas/Kpop/K-entertainment to our shores. With Xiao Hong Shu though, I’m learning about Chinese beauty and fashion trends, and many creators recommend products that can be easily found on Taobao. If you’re accustomed to using Chinese platforms and have a decent grasp of Chinese, I do think that Xiao Hong Shu will be another jewel in your crown (and especially if you’re part of their target demographic like me).
If you’re a brand/creator, Xiao Hong Shu is still a fairly untapped market in Singapore for your consideration. If you’re a consumer, be warned- it’s dangerously addictive, and also pretty bad for your wallet (if you’re a huge online shopper like me).
