Last Updated on December 20, 2024 
Jeffrey Hau
What is XiaoHongShu & Why Is It So Popular?
Founded in 2013, XiaoHongShu is a social media platform based in China, which has become a favorite among international Chinese users, especially young women.
XiaoHongShu’s platform is all about user-generated content (UGC), where users contribute their content (known as ‘Notes’) to the ecosystem. Most content on XiaoHongShu surrounds product recommendations, where users share their favorite products, restaurants, travel destinations, and much more!
XiaoHongShu users rely on these recommendations and word-of-mouth from other users to research their desired products. Oh, did we mention that XiaoHongShu has its own matured e-commerce function? This means that after doing their research, users can directly buy stuff without leaving the app.
XiaoHongShu’s popularity today is also brought by its powerful algorithm, which pushes the most relevant content for every user according to their interests. This feature keeps users engaged with their favorite content, encouraging them to return consistently. Did you know that the average user spends 55.3 minutes on XiaoHongShu every day?
How Does XiaoHongShu’s Algorithm Work?
The Sandbox Testing Phase
If you are a first-timer to posting on XiaoHongShu, the algorithm will put you under the ‘sandbox’ phase first. In this phase ranging from weeks to even months, the algorithm will observe and judge every note you post.
If your posts are original and high-quality, you align perfectly with the platform’s focus on authentic UGC—and in return, XiaoHongShu rewards you with more visibility and viewers!
On the other hand, if your content is detected as too promotional, your account will be kept away from other users.
Therefore, put more effort into planning your first few posts on XiaoHongShu, as this affects your account’s success in the future!
Rules and Regulations
XiaoHongShu’s algorithm is designed carefully to protect its users from false or harmful content. Each post must abide by the rules to enter the algorithm.
For instance, your post’s image, caption, and title cannot contain phrases such as ‘limited’, ‘best’, ‘Number 1’, and such, because these words are placed high on the platform’s watchlist – as many users abuse them for false advertising.
Besides, political and sensitive topics such as religion and politics are also a big no-no for XiaoHongShu.
Unlike other Western social media platforms, XiaoHongShu has stricter regulations on the modesty of posts. If you post a photo of an outfit that might be too revealing or actions that contain sexual innuendos, your post will be taken down.
This is particularly important if you’re in the fitness or fashion niche.
Also, if you are spamming posts in a short time period, the algorithm will detect your account as a bot, which also affects your overall account scoring.
If your content goes against any of the rules, the punishment can range from posts being taken down, or even your account being banned.
You can submit an appeal to the platform if you believe you are not guilty, but we would recommend you follow these rules to avoid any trouble.
Notes Algorithm Testing Phase
Once your content passes the basic sandbox test and follows the rules, it moves into the algorithm testing phase. Here, the algorithm analyses your content based on the attached image, title, hashtags, and captions.
Based on this information, your content is then pushed to a small, specific group of users to test its performance. At this stage, your content is introduced to a pool of around 200 to 500 users to observe their reactions to your content.
If your post becomes a hit among this small group (judged by engagement rates from these users), your post is qualified to enter the next level, meaning that it will reach a larger audience aside from the group!
However, if your post fails to resonate with the focus group, it also loses this advantage provided by the algorithm.
Think of this small group as the “jury” in a court trial: if they love your post, your content is free to reach a larger audience; if it doesn’t impress them, it will be sent to “jail,” where your post stays locked away from other users.
Tracking User Behavior
User behavior such as engagement rates plays a huge part in XiaoHongShu’s algorithm. The algorithm views these rates as indicators of the post’s quality.
XiaoHongShu’s engagement type consists mainly of: likes, comments, shares, bookmarks, and follows.
So, how are these engagement rates used to determine if a post is share-worthy or not? Let’s take a look at the Clickthrough Rate & Engagement Score (CES) formula used by XiaoHongShu’s algorithm.
A ‘like’ and ‘bookmark’ are counted as 1 point each, a comment and share are counted as 4 points each, and a follow is worth 8 points.
These points on every post are used to calculate the CES score, and a high score equals a good quality post that is favored by its audience. This is then noticed by the algorithm, and it will introduce the post to more users.
This introduction might come in several forms, such as the post being ranked higher in the related search results, or simply just appearing on more users’ home page.
Content Quality & Clickthrough Rate (CTR)
As we mentioned, user engagement heavily influences your success with XiaoHongShu’s algorithm. So, making your content attractive to users is incredibly important.
XiaoHongShu’s content focuses on visual appeal, this is the first thing users see on their homepage. Therefore, attention-grabbing cover images can make more users click on your notes, improving your clickthrough rate (CTR).
The captions attached with your notes are also important for users using the ‘search’ function on XiaoHongShu. As they usually search for specific keywords, we recommend you include relevant hashtags in your caption to improve your content’s visibility.
A strategic combination of a visually attractive cover image and a detailed caption can optimize your post’s performance in XiaoHongShu’s algorithm.
The cover image can attract users to click on it when it appears on the recommended page, and the detailed caption can reach users searching for specific posts. In this way, you are using the XiaoHongShu algorithm to your advantage.
Paid Promotion
Just as the name suggests, you can pay XiaoHongShu to leverage its algorithm for your own benefit.
XiaoHongShu offers its own paid promotion feature ‘Shu Guang Promotion Plan’. In this plan, you can pay for XiaoHongShu’s algorithm to push your content to the target audience you want to reach. The pricing is around 50 RMB per 5000 views.
However, this feature is only available when your account has over 500 followers. Besides, you can only promote notes posted within 90 days. This is a great option for brands or influencers starting out on the platform, and looking to gain recognition on the platform quickly.
Keep in mind that you still need to produce attractive content although you are paying for this service, as this only guarantees you views, but not engagement rates!
How is the XiaoHongShu Algorithm So Good?
What makes XiaoHongShu’s algorithm so good is its ability to deeply understand users’ interests and activities – down to a science. By analyzing search history, engagement, and behavior, the platform delivers personalized content and experiences tailored to each user.
The algorithm’s emphasis on UGC also ensures that users only access honest recommendations on the platform, instead of promotional official brand content. The UGC-centred platform also encourages community building, where users with the same interests gather and share their experiences.
As we’ve mentioned before, XiaoHongShu’s algorithm promotes high-quality content to users, while strictly keeping them away from harmful content. This improves users’ safety on the platform and also creates an amazing usage experience for users.
All of these algorithm’s features create a triple-win scenario for users, businesses, and XiaoHongShu’s platform itself: users enjoy good content; businesses can reach their target audience; and XiaoHongShu retains its reputation as a leading lifestyle social commerce platform.
For example, if a user searches for ‘skincare products for sensitive skin’, they can access authentic recommendations from others; skincare brands offering the right products can reach this user; and XiaoHongShu remains a reliable information source for users.
Recommended vs Search (XiaoHongShu Algorithm)
XiaoHongShu’s algorithm works in two ways: recommended content shown on the ‘Explore’ page, and also the search results after users use the ‘search’ function.
The recommended content on the ‘Explore’ page differs for each user. The algorithm pushes a combination of personalized content based on the user’s interest, and also content about trending topics to further direct traffic to these viral posts.
To utilize the algorithm for this page, you should identify your target audience and create content that resonates with their specific interests. This helps your posts consistently reach users who are most likely to engage with them. Next, keep an eye on trending topics to create related content, which can benefit from the algorithm’s boost!
To rank higher in search results on XiaoHongShu, the key lies in using the right keywords. XiaoHongShu users are searching specific terms to find what they need, therefore incorporating relevant keywords into your posts—such as in your title, captions, and hashtags, can significantly boost your visibility.
How PRIZM Can Help You in XiaoHongShu Marketing
Still confused about XiaoHongShu’s algorithm? Don’t worry! At PRIZM, we’ve got you covered. With our recorded experience of the platform, our team knows exactly how XiaoHongShu’s algorithm works!
Our professional team based in Guangzhou is dedicated to helping brands climb to the top of their XiaoHongShu game. Ready to make your brand shine on XiaoHongShu? Contact us now for a consultation!
