Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) has evolved from a product review community into one of China’s most influential social e-commerce platforms, with over 300 million registered users predominantly from China’s Gen Z and millennial demographics. For international brands aiming to penetrate the lucrative Chinese market, Xiaohongshu offers an unparalleled advertising opportunity through its highly engaged community and sophisticated ad offerings.

As specialists in Xiaohongshu Marketing, we’ve guided numerous brands through the sometimes complex process of establishing and optimizing their advertising presence on this unique platform. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up Xiaohongshu ad campaigns, from account creation to performance measurement and optimization.

Whether you’re a brand making your first foray into Chinese social commerce or looking to refine your existing Xiaohongshu strategy, this guide combines technical instruction with strategic insights to help you achieve measurable growth through this powerful platform.

Understanding Xiaohongshu as an Advertising Platform

Before diving into campaign setup, it’s crucial to understand what makes Xiaohongshu unique as an advertising channel. Unlike conventional social media platforms, Xiaohongshu combines content discovery, social networking, and e-commerce in an ecosystem driven by authentic user-generated content.

The platform’s user base is predominantly female (approximately 80%), aged between 18-35 years, with significant purchasing power and brand consciousness. These users come to Xiaohongshu specifically to discover products through trusted reviews and lifestyle content, making the platform’s advertising particularly effective for beauty, fashion, luxury, lifestyle, and travel brands.

Xiaohongshu’s advertising system leverages this high-intent audience with advanced algorithms that match promotional content with users already demonstrating interest in related products or categories. This creates an advertising environment where relevance and authenticity are rewarded over traditional hard-selling approaches.

As an AI marketing agency, we’ve observed how Xiaohongshu’s recommendation engine evaluates both paid and organic content using similar quality metrics, which means your ads need to maintain the platform’s standards for valuable, engaging content.

Prerequisites for Running Xiaohongshu Ads

Before you can start creating ad campaigns on Xiaohongshu, certain requirements must be met:

Business Qualification

Xiaohongshu requires businesses to verify their identity and credentials before accessing advertising features. International companies need to provide:

• Business license or equivalent incorporation documents
• Trademark registration certificates (for protected brand terms)
• Authorization letter if working through an agency
• Other industry-specific certifications (particularly important for health, baby products, and food categories)

These documents typically need Chinese translations and may require notarization, depending on your business category and country of origin.

Budget Considerations

Xiaohongshu advertising requires a minimum investment threshold that varies by industry, but typically starts at approximately 10,000 RMB (approximately $1,500 USD) for initial campaigns. This covers both the platform’s minimum spending requirements and allows sufficient budget for effective testing and optimization.

Our experience as a performance-based AI marketing agency shows that successful Xiaohongshu campaigns typically require at least 20,000-50,000 RMB monthly to achieve meaningful reach and conversion volumes within the platform’s competitive advertising landscape.

Setting Up Your Xiaohongshu Business Account

Creating and verifying your business presence on Xiaohongshu involves several key steps:

1. Register a Xiaohongshu Enterprise Account

Start by visiting the Xiaohongshu Enterprise Platform (xiaohongshu.com/business) and selecting “Register Now.” You’ll need to provide basic business information, including:

• Company name (in both English and Chinese)
• Business type and category
• Contact information
• Business address

For international businesses, we recommend working with a partner like Hashmeta who maintains local Chinese operations to facilitate this process, as the platform interfaces are primarily in Chinese and may require local phone verification.

2. Complete Business Verification

After initial registration, you’ll enter the verification process where you’ll upload your business credentials as mentioned in the prerequisites section. Verification typically takes 5-7 business days, during which Xiaohongshu representatives may contact you for additional information or clarification.

Once verified, you’ll receive access to the Xiaohongshu Enterprise dashboard, which includes:

• Brand profile management
• Content publishing tools
• Basic analytics
• Customer service functions

3. Apply for Advertising Rights

Having a verified business account doesn’t automatically grant advertising privileges. You must specifically apply for advertising capabilities through your enterprise dashboard by selecting “Advertising Services” and completing the additional qualification process.

This step involves:

• Submitting additional brand documentation
• Selecting your industry vertical
• Setting up payment methods (typically requires a Chinese bank account or international payment arrangements)
• Accepting the platform’s advertising terms and conditions

Approval for advertising rights typically takes an additional 3-5 business days after submission.

Understanding Xiaohongshu Campaign Types

Xiaohongshu offers several distinct advertising formats, each designed for specific marketing objectives:

Xiaohongshu Search Ads

Similar to traditional search advertising, these ads appear when users search for specific keywords relevant to your products. Search ads on Xiaohongshu can be particularly effective as they capture high-intent users actively researching products.

Our SEO Agency approach to Xiaohongshu search ads involves comprehensive keyword research specific to Chinese consumer behavior and Xiaohongshu’s unique search patterns, which differ significantly from western platforms like Google.

In-Feed Ads

These native advertisements appear seamlessly within users’ content discovery feeds, blending with organic posts. In-feed ads can be either image or video-based and are particularly effective for brand awareness and consideration objectives.

The key to successful in-feed advertising on Xiaohongshu is creating content that matches the authentic, review-based style that dominates the platform. Our Content Marketing specialists focus on creating in-feed ads that don’t disrupt the user experience but enhance it with valuable information.

KOL Marketing Solutions

Xiaohongshu offers brand-KOL (Key Opinion Leader) collaboration tools that facilitate sponsored content with the platform’s influencers. This semi-automated system helps brands identify suitable influencers and manage campaign implementation.

As an Influencer Marketing Agency with deep experience in Asian markets, we’ve found that Xiaohongshu’s KOL solutions offer exceptional transparency and performance tracking compared to manual influencer collaborations.

Brand CPS Program

The Cost-Per-Sale program allows brands to create commission-based affiliate marketing within the Xiaohongshu ecosystem. This performance-based model is particularly suitable for direct-to-consumer brands with established Xiaohongshu stores.

Our approach to CPS campaigns leverages AEO (App Event Optimization) strategies to maximize conversion efficiency throughout the user journey.

Creating Your First Xiaohongshu Ad Campaign

Once your advertising account is approved, you can begin creating campaigns through the Xiaohongshu Enterprise dashboard:

1. Access the Ad Management System

Navigate to the “Advertising Center” section of your enterprise dashboard and select “Create New Campaign.” You’ll be presented with the campaign hierarchy structure, which follows a three-tier model:

• Campaign: Defines your overall advertising objective
• Ad Group: Contains targeting parameters and budget allocation
• Ad Creative: The actual content users will see

2. Select Campaign Objective

Xiaohongshu offers several campaign objectives:

• Exposure: Maximize ad visibility across the platform
• Traffic: Drive users to specific destinations (profile, notes, or external links for qualified advertisers)
• Engagement: Optimize for interactions like comments, saves, and shares
• Video Views: Prioritize complete video viewership
• Conversions: Focus on specific actions like app downloads or product purchases

Your selection will influence how the platform’s algorithm optimizes delivery and measures success. Our GEO (Growth Engine Optimization) approach recommends aligning campaign objectives with your current marketing funnel priorities rather than trying to achieve multiple goals within a single campaign structure.

3. Name Your Campaign

Create a systematic naming convention that includes:

• Objective
• Product category
• Target audience
• Date or campaign period

For example: “Traffic_SkinCare_FemaleAge25-34_Jun2023”

Proper naming becomes increasingly important as your advertising portfolio expands across multiple products and audiences.

Targeting Options and Audience Selection

Xiaohongshu offers sophisticated targeting capabilities that leverage the platform’s rich user behavior and interest data:

Demographic Targeting

Basic demographic parameters include:

• Age groups (granular selections within 18-40+ ranges)
• Gender
• Location (down to city level in China)
• Education level
• Life stage indicators (students, new parents, etc.)

Interest-Based Targeting

Xiaohongshu categorizes users based on their engagement patterns:

• Content categories they frequently engage with
• Product categories they research
• Brands they follow or mention
• Shopping behavior and price sensitivity

Our AI SEO approach includes analyzing Xiaohongshu search trends to identify emerging interest patterns that may not yet be reflected in the platform’s predefined categories.

Custom Audience Creation

Advanced targeting options include:

• Lookalike Audiences: Target users similar to your existing followers or customers
• Retargeting: Reach users who have previously interacted with your brand content
• Excluding Audiences: Prevent ad display to certain groups (e.g., existing customers)

For optimal performance, our Local SEO specialists recommend combining geographic targeting with behavior-based parameters rather than relying solely on demographic targeting, as Chinese consumer behavior often transcends traditional demographic categorization.

Ad Creative Requirements and Best Practices

Creating effective ad content for Xiaohongshu requires understanding both technical specifications and platform-specific content conventions:

Technical Specifications

For image ads:

• Recommended resolution: 1080 x 1440 pixels (3:4 ratio)
• Maximum file size: 10MB
• Supported formats: JPG, PNG
• Text overlay: Limited to 20% of image area

For video ads:

• Resolution: 720p minimum (1080p recommended)
• Duration: 15-60 seconds (optimal performance typically at 15-30 seconds)
• Maximum file size: 200MB
• Supported formats: MP4
• Cover image required (follows image specifications)

Content Style Guidelines

Xiaohongshu users expect authentic, informative content that maintains the platform’s social discovery essence:

• Use a first-person narrative style that mimics authentic user reviews
• Incorporate before/after elements for product demonstrations
• Include close-up details of product features or usage
• Balance aspirational imagery with practical application
• Keep text concise and focused on key benefits

Our AI Influencer Discovery tools help identify current content trends and performance patterns that can inform your creative strategy beyond basic platform guidelines.

Budget Setting and Bidding Strategies

Effective budget management on Xiaohongshu requires understanding the platform’s unique auction dynamics and pricing models:

Budget Allocation

Xiaohongshu allows both campaign-level and ad group-level budget settings:

• Daily Budget: Sets maximum daily spend (minimum 100 RMB per ad group)
• Lifetime Budget: Allocates total campaign spend across its duration

For new advertisers, we recommend starting with daily budgets and at least 7-10 days of runway to allow the platform’s algorithm to optimize delivery effectively.

Bidding Models

Xiaohongshu offers several bidding strategies based on your campaign objective:

• CPM (Cost Per Mille): Pay per thousand impressions
• CPC (Cost Per Click): Pay when users click your ad
• CPV (Cost Per View): Pay when users watch a significant portion of your video
• CPA (Cost Per Action): Available for conversion-focused campaigns

As an SEO Consultant with experience in Chinese platforms, we typically recommend starting with CPM bidding to build initial data, then transitioning to objective-specific bidding models once baseline performance is established.

Competitive Bidding Insights

Bid requirements vary significantly by industry, targeting parameters, and seasonal factors. As a general guideline:

• Beauty and luxury sectors typically see higher CPMs (80-120 RMB)
• Fashion and lifestyle categories average medium-range CPMs (50-80 RMB)
• FMCG and mass-market products can achieve lower CPMs (30-60 RMB)

The platform provides a bid suggestion range during campaign setup that reflects current auction conditions for your selected targeting parameters.

Performance Measurement and Analytics

Xiaohongshu provides comprehensive analytics through its Advertising Management Platform:

Key Performance Metrics

Monitor these essential metrics to evaluate campaign performance:

• Impression Share: Percentage of eligible impressions your ads received
• Engagement Rate: Combined likes, comments, saves, and shares
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Percentage of users who clicked after seeing your ad
• Cost Per Result: Efficiency metric based on your campaign objective
• Follower Growth: New profile followers attributed to the campaign

Our SEO Service approach includes supplementing platform metrics with custom attribution modeling to understand Xiaohongshu’s role in the broader customer journey.

Custom Reporting

The platform allows you to create tailored reports with:

• Custom date ranges
• Metric combinations
• Demographic breakdowns
• Comparative analysis between campaigns
• Export functionality for external analysis

For enterprise-level analytics, use the platform’s API connections to integrate Xiaohongshu data with your broader marketing analytics stack.

Attribution Windows

Xiaohongshu uses a default 1-day view and 7-day click attribution window, which can be adjusted for conversion campaigns. However, the platform’s closed ecosystem makes cross-channel attribution challenging without additional tracking implementation.

Our AI Local Business Discovery approach includes establishing correlation models between Xiaohongshu engagement spikes and website traffic or conversion patterns to better understand the platform’s indirect impact.

Optimization Tips for Xiaohongshu Ads

Based on our experience managing numerous Xiaohongshu campaigns, here are key optimization strategies:

Creative Rotation and Testing

Xiaohongshu users quickly experience creative fatigue due to the platform’s highly personalized content ecosystem. Implement a structured creative rotation schedule:

• Prepare at least 4-6 creative variations for each campaign
• Update creatives every 7-10 days for high-frequency audiences
• Test different content styles (tutorial-based, lifestyle, product close-ups)
• Analyze engagement patterns by content type to refine your approach

Audience Refinement

Regularly analyze performance data to refine targeting:

• Create segment-specific ad groups rather than trying to reach everyone with the same content
• Implement progressive targeting that moves from broad to specific as you gather performance data
• Utilize the platform’s audience insights tool to discover unexpected high-performance segments

Seasonal Optimization

Chinese shopping behavior is heavily influenced by seasonal events and shopping festivals. Plan campaign adjustments for:

• Major shopping events (618, Singles Day, Golden Week)
• Seasonal transitions (particularly important for fashion and beauty)
• Chinese traditional holidays (with appropriate cultural messaging)

Bid adjustments of 20-30% are typically necessary during peak periods to maintain competitive visibility.

Running successful advertising campaigns on Xiaohongshu requires understanding the platform’s unique ecosystem, user expectations, and technical requirements. By following the step-by-step process outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-positioned to leverage this powerful platform to reach China’s digitally-savvy consumers.

The most successful Xiaohongshu advertisers approach the platform as a specialized environment that demands platform-specific strategies rather than repurposed content from Western social media channels. Your campaigns should reflect the authentic, detailed content style that Xiaohongshu users expect, while leveraging the platform’s sophisticated targeting and measurement capabilities.

Remember that Xiaohongshu marketing is most effective as part of an integrated approach that combines paid advertising with organic content development and community engagement. This comprehensive strategy allows brands to build sustainable presence and influence within the Xiaohongshu ecosystem.

As China’s digital landscape continues to evolve rapidly, staying current with Xiaohongshu’s feature updates and best practices is essential for maintaining advertising effectiveness. Consider partnering with specialists who maintain direct relationships with the platform and understand the nuances of Chinese consumer behavior to maximize your return on investment.