Little Red Book : THE key tool in the beauty market in 2024

The Kicking Ass APP in China for beauty brands is called Little red Book or Xiaohongshu, it is the instagram of China. This article is done by Social Media expert in China, (not robots or AI 😉 ) we work on daily campaign on RED

Why Red book is the Key app for beauty brand in China?

1. Huge female User Base: RED (Xiaohongshu) has millions of active users, predominantly young, urban, and highly interested in beauty and fashion, making it an ideal platform for beauty brands.
2. Authentic Content: Known for genuine user-generated content, RED fosters an environment of trust and authenticity, crucial for beauty brands to build credibility.
3. Targeted Marketing: Its user base mainly comprises females aged 18-35, a key demographic for beauty brands looking to engage with an audience interested in beauty products.
4. Influencers & KOL : The platform is teeming with influencers and KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) who have significant sway over consumer purchasing decisions in the beauty sector.
5. E-Commerce options: RED seamlessly integrates social media with e-commerce, allowing users to purchase beauty products directly through the app, simplifying the path from discovery to purchase.
6. Visual Appeal: As a visually focused platform, RED is perfect for showcasing beauty products through high-quality images and videos, enhancing product appeal.
7. Product Reviews and testimonials: Users regularly post product reviews and tutorials, which act as a powerful form of word-of-mouth marketing, influencing others’ purchasing decisions.
8. Community Power: RED fosters a strong sense of community, with users actively discussing and recommending products, which can significantly amplify a brand’s presence.
9. Storytelling: The platform allows for creative storytelling, enabling beauty brands to craft compelling narratives around their products, enhancing brand identity and user engagement.
10. Insights: RED provides valuable data insights on consumer behavior and preferences, helping beauty brands to tailor their marketing strategies and product offerings effectively.

The little red book: What is it?

The application is Chinese and thus totally unknown in Europe or America. However, with its 200 million users it is worth being known.

• Especially if you want to bring your company to the Chinese market.
• Also known as RED or XIAOHONGSHU, the Chinese social media app was created in 2013 by Miranda Qu and Charlwin Mao.
• The original goal was to allow Chinese women to share their entire lives.
• This ranged from their photos to posts, to videos.
• In its early days, the little red book was exclusively filled with content rather based on beauty, products, makeup, beauty tips. Over time the content began to diversify.
• Users only shared posts about beauty. Soon they started talking about their daily life more globally and going further other subjects.

It was only some time later that a new idea was born in Charlwin and Miranda’s head. People liked the application so much that they came up with the idea of turning it into an e-commerce platform.

Then was born in 2014, Red mall. This feature has enabled many brands to do so. The application gives them huge visibility forging their brand image through the comments and opinions of the users of The Little Red Book.

Who uses Xiaohongshu aka RED?

The target audience is very clear. It is young women between 20 and 35 who are targeted. They are :

• active
• connected

Active user

That means they’re money. So they can spend on Red Mall. They will also share all the activities of their active life.

Red User are Connected

The so-called “connected” people are the first users of the applications. These connected women will be the driving force behind The Little Red by filling the site with posts, videos, and photos. Above all this profile is useful because it is this kind of user who will not hesitate to comment and give their opinion on the publications, or the different products sold. They are the ones who will shape your walking image.

A key tool on the beauty sector

XIAOHONGSHU is an application that you must imperatively use in order to adopt a digital marketing strategy that adapts to the Chinese population.
The application has several notable advantages that we will share here.

Fast purchase process

The Chinese are suspicious of scams. Before buying a product in a shop, they often have the reflex to first find out about it online. This allows them to be certain of the quality of the product, its origin, its characteristics, etc…

So when it comes to shopping online, they are even more rigorous, and demand to be certain of the quality of the product. The purchasing process is often very long. But the application has solved this problem. By sharing their daily life through the application, the Chinese have learned to know it and live with it. So they no longer have any fear of buying products on the site. The buying process is much faster because of trust reigns.

KOL : Marketing asset

KOL or Key Opinion Leaders are persons who have a great power of influence. On the application, it is often women who will try out products and rate them (you know the same as Instagram or youtube). Brands give them their products as a gift to test them. Sometimes it is even the application itself that pays them in compensation for their good contribution to the platform.

They are paid to test products, but not only! They have to make comments and give their opinion on the product, it is called the shopping note. In this way, the followers can get an idea about the product, get to know it and talk about it among themselves.

How to use RED effectively for brands?

1. Create Authentic Content: Focus on generating authentic and relatable content that resonates with the RED community. High-quality images, engaging videos, and genuine narratives about your products or services are crucial.
2. Benchmark: Observe your competitors . It is by observing that you will learn! Indeed, in order to learn how to master the application do not hesitate to take a look at the competition. You will be able to compare the techniques used and make them your own.
3. Leverage KOLs and Influencers: Collaborate with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and influencers who align with your brand values. They can effectively promote your products to their followers, creating trust and interest. Your products will be put forward and thus visible to your potential customers, but you have to make sure that the marketing campaign is followed up. The post of an influencer will have an important impact. Many comments will also appear in the publication, and this time it will be up to you. You will have to bring answers to the questions raised, take care of customer service.
4. Engage with the Community: Actively participate in the RED community. Respond to comments, engage in conversations, and create content that encourages user interaction and feedback.
5. Utilize Visual Storytelling: Take advantage of RED’s visual platform by using compelling visuals to tell your brand story. This includes using high-quality photos, creative videos, and visually appealing infographics.
6. Provide Value-Added Content: Share tips, tutorials, and insights related to your industry. This positions your brand as knowledgeable and helpful, building credibility and authority.
7. Incorporate User-Generated Content: Encourage and share user-generated content. Positive reviews, testimonials, and shared experiences from users can significantly boost your brand’s credibility and appeal.
8. Run Targeted Campaigns: Utilize RED’s advertising tools to run targeted campaigns. Tailor your ads to reach your specific audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
9. Offer Exclusive Deals: Attract users with exclusive offers, discounts, or early access to new products. This can increase user engagement and sales.
10. Monitor Trends and Insights: Stay updated with trending topics, popular hashtags, and consumer insights on RED. Use this information to align your content strategy with current interests and trends.

You will have understood that entering the Chinese market is complex but presents a golden opportunity. The tools, strategies, and customers are different, everything is new. It then takes time to tame, learn and master. This is why it is essential that you get help from experts who will have experience in using the Little Red Book. They will know how to adapt to your digital marketing strategy.

More info about RED marketing here

5 Tips to Maximize social media Results on Little Red Book

Gentlemen Marketing Agency is a company of 50experts who will know how to guide you in 2024. They know the tool and, above all, they will help you establish yourself in the Chinese market over the long term. Give yourself every chance to succeed, contact us.