As TikTok’s future hangs within the steadiness, Xiaohonghshu, higher often called RedNote in English, is making an attempt to capitalize on its newfound recognition by partnering with US influencers who may also help promote the corporate and convey extra Individuals onto its platform. The Chinese language life-style and journey app, which has over 300 million largely month-to-month lively customers, surged to the highest of US app retailer charts final week because the TikTok ban approached.
In a marketing campaign transient obtained by WIRED, Solare International, a New York Metropolis-based advertising company, pitched creators on making sponsored posts for RedNote, that includes movies of themselves telling their followers concerning the Chinese language app’s sudden rise within the US. The transient requested creators to explain “how enjoyable and interesting the app is” and “emphasize its user-friendly design and worldwide attraction.” It additionally instructed them to share their very own RedNote accounts and encourage their followers to hitch them on the platform.
Xiaohongshu didn’t return a request for remark despatched to its official WeChat account. Solare International additionally didn’t reply to a request for remark asking what number of influencers they contacted or how a lot the corporate anticipated to pay per put up.
The transient seen by WIRED required creators to show their movies round on a 24-hour timeline to make sure they went up by January 17, the identical day the Supreme Court docket was going to resolve whether or not the TikTok ban would go into impact two days later. It additionally stipulated that influencers should depart their movies up for at least six months.
Xiaohongshu was based in 2013 and has lengthy largely targeted on courting home audiences in China, notably younger girls who reside in main cities. Like TikTok, it revolves round a central algorithm that recommends customers an infinite stream of posts primarily based on their pursuits and habits. However as an alternative of exhibiting individuals one video at a time, Xiaohongshu presents photograph slideshows, textual content posts, and movies in a grid format.
However maybe the largest distinction between the 2 apps is how they deal with content material moderation. As a result of it is accessible in China, Xiaohongshu is required to stick to strict censorship guidelines dictated by Beijing. (WIRED beforehand reported that Xiaohongshu was scrambling to rent English-speaking moderators to assist handle the flood of content material being posted by Individuals.) TikTok, alternatively, isn’t accessible in China. Its mum or dad firm, ByteDance, operates a separate video app there referred to as Douyin.
The inflow of Individuals on Xiaohongshu supplied a uncommon alternative for individuals within the US and China to attach on a shared social media platform. Some customers spent hours asking their new abroad pen buddies questions on their respective international locations and cultures, starting from what college lunch is like in Wisconsin to what a typical residence appears like in Chengdu. It now seems that Xiaohongshu is making an attempt to capitalize on these sentiments to advertise itself as a optimistic, international platform.
“The heat of regular individuals being sort and interested in each other is the core sentiment there in the meanwhile,” the influencer transient stated. “And we predict it’s an attractive factor.”
