Last Updated on June 17, 2025 
Jeffrey Hau
How Western Brands Win on Xiaohongshu With Influencer Marketing
If you’re a Western brand looking to expand into China, you’ve probably heard about Xiaohongshu, often called “Little Red Book.” But what you might not realize is that Xiaohongshu is not just another social media platform. It’s a powerful engine for product discovery, peer trust, and purchase intent, especially when paired with influencer marketing.
With over 300 million monthly active users, mostly young, urban, and female, Xiaohongshu has evolved into China’s go-to platform for authentic product reviews, lifestyle inspiration, and everyday decision-making. Users open the app 6–7 times a day, not just to scroll, but to search for what to buy, where to go, and which brands to trust.
Here’s where it gets interesting for Western businesses: Xiaohongshu marketing thrives on credibility, not just visibility. Hard-sell ads are often ignored. What drives action is content that looks like it came from a trusted friend, and that’s where influencer marketing comes in.
Unlike platforms like Instagram where flashy aesthetics dominate, Xiaohongshu favors real-life storytelling. Whether it’s a mum reviewing baby formula or a beauty creator sharing a skincare routine, influencer posts are seen as peer advice, not advertising.
In this article, we’ll walk you through practical strategies that Western brands can use to win on Xiaohongshu, starting from defining your goals, to choosing the right influencers, to creating content that connects. All strategies are backed by real platform insights and what we’ve learned helping global brands succeed in the Chinese market.
Let’s begin with the first (and most overlooked) step: defining your Xiaohongshu marketing objective.
Step 1: Define Your Xiaohongshu Marketing Objective
Before you approach influencers or even open an account, it’s essential to ask:
What do you want Xiaohongshu to do for your brand?
Too often, brands jump straight into campaign execution, sending products to influencers or running paid collaborations, without a clear idea of what success actually looks like. But the truth is, influencer marketing without a defined goal is like sailing without a compass.
Your objective shapes everything: the influencers you choose, the kind of content they create, and how you measure success.
Common Goals for Xiaohongshu Marketing
Here are a few realistic goals that Western brands typically pursue on Xiaohongshu:
- Brand Awareness
Ideal for: New brands entering China
Your goal is to introduce your brand to Chinese consumers and create positive first impressions. You’ll want lifestyle influencers to share your brand story and showcase how it fits into everyday life.
Example scenario:
An eco-friendly skincare brand collaborates with 10 micro-KOLs to share their personal “morning routine” featuring the brand’s cleanser. The content focuses on texture, scent, and why they chose this over local options, not on pushing discounts.
- Product Education
Ideal for: Complex or technical products
Your goal is to explain how your product works, what makes it unique, and why it’s worth trying. Educational influencer content works well here, especially in verticals like supplements, gadgets, or niche fashion.
Example scenario:
A fitness supplement brand partners with sports KOCs to explain the benefits of each product ingredient and how it fits into their training plan.
- Lead Nurturing / Community Engagement
Ideal for: Brands already known but want deeper trust
Your goal is to build conversations and drive engagement. You’re not just selling a product, you’re building a community around your values.
Example scenario:
A maternity wear brand runs a “Real Mum Diaries” campaign where mothers share their postpartum experiences while wearing the product, encouraging comments and shared stories.
- Conversion (Sales-Driven Campaigns)
Ideal for: Brands with e-commerce or Tmall/WeChat stores
This goal focuses on driving action. The influencer content might include clear calls-to-action (like coupon codes, limited-time offers, or shoppable links).
Example scenario:
A snack brand runs a Xiaohongshu-exclusive launch. Influencers post “taste test” videos with a promo code, and content is timed with a flash sale.
Why This Step Matters
Each of these goals requires a different influencer profile, different content tone, and different KPIs. That’s why defining your objective first will save you time, budget, and headaches.
At Prizm Group NZ & AU, we work closely with our clients to first understand their goals, then reverse-engineer the influencer strategy, messaging framework, and campaign KPIs to match.
So before you start browsing for influencers or writing a brief, pause and ask:
Am I building awareness? Educating the market? Driving engagement? Or converting leads into buyers?
Once you have your answer, you’re ready for Step 2: Choosing the right influencers to make that goal happen.
Step 2: Choose the Right Type of Influencers (KOLs & KOCs)
Once your Xiaohongshu marketing goal is clear, the next step is choosing who will deliver your brand message. But not all influencers are the same, and picking the wrong type can lead to wasted budget, low engagement, or worse, a tone-deaf campaign.
In China’s influencer marketing world, you’ll often hear two key terms:
KOLs – Key Opinion Leaders
KOCs – Key Opinion Consumers
Both play important roles in Xiaohongshu marketing. The trick is knowing when and how to use each.
KOLs: High-Profile, High-Reach Influencers
KOLs are the more established content creators on Xiaohongshu. They often have tens or hundreds of thousands of followers, professionally produced content, and a polished image.
They’re ideal for:
- Launching a new brand
- Boosting brand credibility
- Reaching wide audiences quickly
Example scenario:
A Western beauty brand entering China partners with 3 top KOLs known for skincare reviews. Each influencer creates a “7-day skin transformation” diary using the brand’s serum, resulting in tens of thousands of saves and shares.
Pros:
- Large reach
- Professional-grade visuals
- Easier to gain traction if the brand is unknown
Cons:
- Higher cost per post
- Less perceived authenticity if overused
- Followers may engage passively (low comment rates)
Xiaohongshu tip: While KOLs can bring visibility, users on this platform often trust real user experiences more than perfect photos. That’s where KOCs come in.
KOCs: Everyday Users, Trusted Voices
KOCs are micro-influencers or power users who might only have 1,000–10,000 followers, but their content feels raw, honest, and relatable. Think of them as the digital version of a friend’s recommendation.
They’re ideal for:
- Building grassroots trust
- Product seeding strategies
- Generating authentic peer reviews
Example scenario:
A fitness snack brand sends free samples to 50 KOCs with active Xiaohongshu accounts. Each creates a casual review post, showing how they incorporate the snack into their gym bag or office desk. No polished production, just real use, in real life.
Pros:
- High engagement rates (sometimes 10–20% of followers)
- Affordable or even free (some accept products only)
- Content feels trustworthy and personal
Cons:
- Limited individual reach
- Requires coordination at scale
- Less control over message tone
Important Note: On Xiaohongshu, user trust comes first. The platform’s algorithm favors saves, shares, and comments over just likes. KOCs, with their honest tone and day-in-the-life style, often trigger more of these trust signals, even with fewer followers.
Step 3: Build Localized Story-First Content, Not Ads
Now that you’ve defined your goal and chosen the right influencers, here’s where many Western brands go wrong:
✘ They treat Xiaohongshu like Instagram.
✘ They translate their ad copy directly into Mandarin.
✘ They focus on polished images, product shots, and call-to-action buttons.
This doesn’t work on Xiaohongshu.
To succeed, your influencer marketing campaign needs to feel native, like it was created by a real user for their real-life followers. That’s where localized storytelling comes in.
Why Storytelling Matters on Xiaohongshu
Xiaohongshu users don’t come for ads. They come for peer-driven advice, authentic product experiences, and everyday inspiration. That’s why user-generated content, especially from micro-influencers (KOCs), drives far more trust than sponsored-looking visuals.
Instead of pushing products, influencers on Xiaohongshu talk about:
- Why they chose this brand
- How it fits into their lifestyle
- What their honest experience was like
And they do it in a way that feels real: longer captions, natural tone, unfiltered photos, and storytelling that resonates.
This format aligns perfectly with China’s evolving consumer behavior, where authenticity and relatability matter more than high production value.
How to Build Story-First Content That Works
Here’s a basic content structure many successful Xiaohongshu campaigns use, especially for lifestyle content in China:
1. Scene Setup (生活场景设定)
Set the tone with a relatable moment:
“After a long day of client meetings in Shanghai’s humid weather…”
This hooks the audience into a lifestyle they recognize.
2. Problem or Need
Introduce the issue the influencer faced:
“My skin always feels sticky and dull after commuting, especially during summer.”
This builds emotional connection and frames the need.
3. Discovery of the Product
Share how they stumbled across your product:
“I found this Australian brand while browsing skincare notes on Xiaohongshu…”
This makes it feel like an organic discovery, not a pitch.
4. Experience & Usage
Show how they used it, with honest commentary:
“The texture is light and absorbs quickly. I’ve been using it for a week now…”
This provides practical insight, not just hype.
5. Outcome or Feeling
Wrap it up with the result or how it improved their life:
“Now I feel more confident walking into meetings, even without foundation.”
This is where trust is built. It makes the product relevant and emotionally impactful.
Example Scenario: A Western Haircare Brand
Let’s say you’re promoting a sulfate-free shampoo.
A good Xiaohongshu influencer post might go like this:
“After moving to Beijing, my hair started falling out like crazy. At first, I blamed the water. But then I realized my shampoo wasn’t helping either. I came across [Brand] on Xiaohongshu, and what caught my eye was that it’s sulfate-free, something Chinese shampoos rarely highlight. After 3 weeks, my scalp feels calmer and hair fall has reduced. It’s now a part of my weekly haircare routine.”
Notice how the post:
- Begins with a personal story
- Offers a relatable problem
- Introduces the product naturally
- Ends with a lifestyle shift
This format makes influencer marketing on Xiaohongshu feel like a trusted friend’s recommendation, not a brand commercial.
Localize More Than Just Language
One major mistake brands make is assuming translation = localization. But true localized content marketing goes beyond just converting English to Mandarin.
It includes:
- Understanding cultural references (e.g., 11.11 shopping festival, hot pot nights, train commutes)
- Using familiar slang or emojis
- Referencing current trends on Xiaohongshu (e.g., “OOTD” notes, “empty bottle reviews,” “girl boss routines”)
Tip: Work with influencers who already know how to talk to their audience, and brief them with flexibility. The best content is when the creator’s voice blends naturally with your brand story.
What NOT to Do (Common Mistakes)
✘ Posting studio product shots with “Buy Now” captions
✘ Using stock photos that don’t match real user environments
✘ Asking influencers to follow a rigid brand script
✘ Ignoring comment sections or community replies
These break the authenticity flow and can actually hurt your brand’s perception in Xiaohongshu’s tight-knit community.
Conclusion: Build Influence the Xiaohongshu Way
Xiaohongshu is not just another platform to add to your China marketing checklist, it’s a trust-based ecosystem where influencer marketing doesn’t just work; it thrives.
But here’s the truth: Xiaohongshu marketing isn’t about going viral overnight. It’s about building credibility, relevance, and emotional connection through consistent, localized storytelling, powered by the right voices.
Ready to Launch Your Xiaohongshu Campaign?
At Prizm Group NZ & AU, we help Western brands enter China with confidence.
Our team handles the entire influencer marketing journey, from strategy and KOL selection to content planning, compliance, campaign execution, and real-time reporting.
Whether you’re launching a niche lifestyle product, scaling a skincare brand, or exploring your first entry into the Chinese market, we make Xiaohongshu marketing clear, achievable, and ROI-driven.
