So, who are some of the people on Xiaohongshu and what do they use it for? Let’s dive into the reasons behind Xiaohongshu’s widespread appeal by sharing perspectives from a Chinese-speaking teen from Beijing City International School and an English-speaking adult from the US, both highlighting how this platform has become an indispensable part of their daily lives.
Our 14-year-old summer intern Margaret Yang from Beijing City International School shares why she loves Xiaohongshu.
Other than WeChat channels, the sole other entertainment platform I use is Xiaohongshu. For me, I mainly use it as a way to relax and entertain myself with content I like, which mainly involves food and recipes, video clips, characters from Inside Out 2, and Taylor Swift memes and pictures. I love using it to kill time.
As a Gen Z, I witnessed the entire process of Xiaohongshu’s rise – from an app that has small fame and usage to something that every single one of my friends and peers scroll through every day. If I were to explain what Xiaohongshu is to a person who hasn’t ever heard of it before, it is essentially a Chinese Instagram, with similar functions, such as an “Explore” page of posts and content tailored according to your data,
a “Follow” page of posts that content creators that you have followed have posted,
and also a little chat box for you to chat or call privately with other accounts.
I love how the app allows a wide range of content to be posted and shared with you and allows you to be easily exposed to the content you like. With a few searches and clicks on the content you like, the “Explore” page will be full of similar content that it thinks will also pique your interest.
People around me have been using this app not only for scrolling for content but also to search for recommendations for restaurants, places to go, and hotels – similar to how they would previously use Dianping. There is also a feature for finding places to go near you called “Nearby,” which is something that I rarely use.
Personally, as for recommendations for places to go, I use Dianping, as I feel that that is a more trustworthy platform with actual vendors’ verified accounts.
So teens use Xiaohongshu as a source of information and entertainment. But what about adults, especially those who aren’t as proficient in Chinese as Margaret? Well, as for myself, an American mom in my mid-30s, Xiaohongshu has become my go-to app in recent months for everything from travel recommendations when visiting a new city, to fitness and healthy recipes, to education.
Restaurant recommendations have never really made it on my top searches on Xiaohongshu for the very specific reason that, well, quality video content of restaurants tends to be made by food bloggers and since their job is literally to promote restaurants, their perfectly edited videos tend to only show what the restaurants want you to see. Travel tips, on the other hand, tend to be more realistic. People love posting photos of their vacations whether they’re bloggers or not. These tend to be more reliable, especially when there’s a large volume of content for every city you can think of on the platform. And to make it even easier, Chinese cities tend to not have translated English names so a quick search with the city’s name in pinyin will give you everything you need.
When it comes to education, Xiaohongshu not only has content from Chinese educators but also plenty of videos from overseas educators sharing their parenting philosophy, tips, and tricks on teaching tools and games, which have come in handy for me countless times.
While most content is posted in Chinese or a combination of Chinese and English, the app’s interface offers a fully English option, which makes online shopping super convenient. Buying clothes and gadgets from influencers you’ve come to know and trust over time tends to have a more comforting feeling than buying from a faceless store on Taobao.
And finally, my recent favorite reason for using Xiaohongshu is fitness. It’s a safe assumption that most of us have our phones with us all day long, and the rise of popular home fitness influencers like Pamela Reif and growingannanas has resulted in a ton of equipment-free routines that vary between 10 and 60 minutes long that are great for those who can’t make it to the gym on a daily basis.
Whether you’re seeking beauty tips, fashion inspiration, travel guides, or simply a vibrant community to engage with, this platform has something for everyone. Download the app and explore its vast array of content. Join the millions who have already discovered the magic of Xiaohongshu, and see how it can add value to your daily life. Happy exploring!
Images: Mina Yan, Margaret Yang, Pexels