In China’s dynamic social commerce landscape, Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) has emerged as a powerhouse platform where authentic user experiences drive purchasing decisions. At the intersection of social networking and e-commerce, Xiaohongshu’s 300+ million users aren’t just browsing—they’re actively creating content, sharing experiences, and influencing purchase behaviors.

For brands targeting the Chinese market, user-generated content (UGC) represents an untapped goldmine of marketing potential. When strategically repurposed into advertisements, this authentic content can deliver significantly higher engagement and conversion rates than traditional brand-created ads. The reason is simple: consumers trust other consumers more than they trust brands.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of identifying, obtaining rights to, and transforming Xiaohongshu UGC into high-performing advertisements. Whether you’re new to the platform or looking to optimize your existing Xiaohongshu strategy, you’ll discover actionable insights to harness the persuasive power of authentic user content in your advertising efforts.

Understanding Xiaohongshu and UGC: A Perfect Match

Xiaohongshu, often described as a blend between Instagram and Amazon, has created a unique ecosystem where content and commerce seamlessly integrate. Users—predominantly urban, young Chinese women—come to the platform to discover products through authentic reviews, lifestyle content, and detailed recommendations.

What makes Xiaohongshu particularly valuable for marketers is its content-first approach. Unlike traditional e-commerce platforms where products take center stage, Xiaohongshu prioritizes user stories, creating an environment where recommendations feel like advice from trusted friends rather than sales pitches. This authentic atmosphere makes user-generated content exceptionally valuable.

Types of UGC on Xiaohongshu

Xiaohongshu hosts various forms of user-generated content that can be repurposed for advertising:

• Product reviews: Detailed text and photo reviews showcasing real-world product experiences
• Tutorials: Step-by-step guides demonstrating product usage
• Before-and-after transformations: Visual evidence of product results
• Lifestyle integration: Products naturally featured within users’ daily lives
• Unboxing experiences: Authentic first impressions of products and packaging

Each of these content types offers unique marketing potential when thoughtfully integrated into your advertising strategy. The key is understanding which format best aligns with your specific campaign objectives and target audience preferences.

Benefits of Turning UGC into Xiaohongshu Ads

Leveraging user-generated content in your Xiaohongshu advertising strategy offers multiple advantages that traditional brand-created content simply cannot match:

Enhanced Credibility: According to studies, 92% of Chinese consumers trust UGC more than traditional advertising. When potential customers see real people using and enjoying your products, the authenticity creates immediate trust. This is particularly important in China, where skepticism toward brand claims runs high.

Higher Engagement Rates: Our AI marketing analysis shows that UGC-based ads on Xiaohongshu typically generate 4-6 times higher engagement rates than brand-created content. Users naturally respond more positively to content from peers than to obvious marketing material.

Cost Efficiency: Repurposing existing UGC is significantly more cost-effective than producing original ad creative. This allows brands to diversify their ad portfolio and test multiple approaches without massive production investments.

Cultural Relevance: User content naturally incorporates current trends, language patterns, and cultural references that resonate with local audiences. This cultural authenticity is difficult for brands (especially international ones) to replicate.

Expanded Reach: When users see their content featured in brand advertising, they often share this recognition with their own followers, effectively amplifying your message through their networks.

Finding and Identifying High-Quality UGC on Xiaohongshu

Locating premium user-generated content requires systematic searching and filtering. Here’s how to identify the most advertising-worthy UGC on Xiaohongshu:

Search Strategies for Discovering UGC

Monitor branded hashtags and keywords associated with your products. Beyond obvious brand and product names, search for common misspellings and phonetic variations that Chinese users might employ. Our AI SEO tools can help identify these variations.

Track product-related keywords where users might discuss your products without explicitly mentioning your brand name. For example, a skincare brand should monitor generic terms like “hydrating serum” or “anti-aging cream” in addition to branded terms.

Utilize Xiaohongshu’s robust search functions to filter content by engagement levels, helping you identify high-performing posts that already resonate with your target audience.

Evaluating Content Quality for Ad Potential

Not all UGC is created equal when it comes to advertising value. When assessing content for ad potential, consider:

• Visual quality: While authenticity is key, the content still needs to meet basic quality standards regarding lighting, composition, and clarity
• Storytelling element: The most effective UGC tells a compelling story about the product experience
• Alignment with brand values: Ensure the content reflects your brand positioning and messaging
• Unique perspective: Look for content that showcases your product from angles or in contexts your brand marketing hasn’t explored
• Engagement metrics: Content that has already generated significant organic engagement likely contains elements that resonate with your target audience

As a leading content marketing agency, we recommend creating a scoring system based on these factors to objectively evaluate which UGC pieces have the highest advertising potential.

Legal Considerations for Using UGC in Advertisements

Before repurposing user-generated content for your advertising campaigns, it’s crucial to navigate the legal landscape correctly. Failure to secure proper permissions can result in reputation damage and potential legal consequences.

Obtaining Usage Rights

Always secure explicit permission before using someone’s content in paid advertising. A simple comment or direct message is not sufficient for legal protection. Instead, follow these best practices:

Develop a standardized permission request template that clearly outlines how you intend to use the content, where it will appear, and for how long. Ensure this template has been reviewed by legal counsel familiar with Chinese digital marketing regulations.

Consider offering incentives for permission, such as product samples, discount codes, or even monetary compensation for particularly valuable content. However, be transparent about any compensation to maintain compliance with Chinese advertising laws.

Maintain a detailed database of all permission requests, approvals, and associated content to ensure proper tracking and compliance documentation.

Xiaohongshu-Specific Compliance

Xiaohongshu has its own platform-specific rules regarding UGC repurposing that brands must follow:

Always maintain the original creator’s watermark or username when repurposing content, giving proper credit within your advertisements. Be aware that Xiaohongshu’s terms of service include specific provisions about content ownership and usage rights.

Familiarize yourself with Xiaohongshu’s advertising policies, which include restrictions on claims, visuals, and industries that can advertise on the platform. As our consulting team advises clients, these policies are frequently updated, so regular review is necessary.

Repurposing UGC for Different Ad Formats on Xiaohongshu

Once you’ve identified valuable UGC and secured proper permissions, the next step is effectively adapting it for various ad formats available on Xiaohongshu.

Optimizing UGC for Feed Ads

Xiaohongshu feed ads appear in users’ main content streams and must be optimized to capture attention quickly:

Enhance visual appeal by subtly adjusting brightness, contrast, and color balance while maintaining the authentic look of the original content. Crop images to the optimal 1:1 or 3:4 ratio for maximum feed visibility, ensuring the product remains clearly visible.

Consider adding minimal branded elements such as a small logo watermark or branded frame, but keep these subtle to preserve the authentic feel. The most effective feed ads maintain the natural, non-promotional aesthetic that Xiaohongshu users prefer.

Adapting UGC for Search Result Ads

Search result ads on Xiaohongshu appear when users search for relevant keywords:

Extract compelling quotes or review highlights from UGC to create attention-grabbing headlines for these ad units. Pair textual UGC with high-quality product images to create a balanced ad that showcases both authentic opinions and clear product visualization.

Our Xiaohongshu Marketing specialists recommend emphasizing specific product benefits mentioned in the UGC that align with common search queries on the platform.

Creating Video Ads from UGC

Video content performs exceptionally well on Xiaohongshu, and UGC videos can be effectively repurposed for advertising:

Edit longer UGC videos down to the most impactful 15-30 seconds, focusing on the most compelling product moments. Add subtle branded elements such as opening/closing frames or text overlays that highlight key points without overwhelming the authentic content.

Consider combining multiple UGC video clips into a single compelling narrative that shows various users enjoying your product in different contexts. This approach provides a broader perspective while maintaining authenticity.

Best Practices for UGC-Based Advertising Campaigns

To maximize the effectiveness of your UGC-based advertising on Xiaohongshu, follow these industry-proven best practices:

Maintaining Authenticity

Authenticity is the core value of UGC—preserve it carefully:

Resist the temptation to over-edit or heavily polish user content. The authentic, relatable nature of UGC is its greatest strength. Minor adjustments for clarity and branding are acceptable, but extensive editing undermines credibility.

Showcase diverse user perspectives and experiences to demonstrate that your product appeals to a wide range of real customers. As our influencer marketing agency team emphasizes, authenticity builds trust, and trust drives conversions.

Strategic Content Selection

Be selective and strategic about which UGC to feature:

Prioritize content that addresses common customer questions or objections, effectively using real users to overcome potential purchase barriers. Select UGC that visually demonstrates your product’s key value propositions and differentiators.

Our AI Influencer Discovery tools can help identify the most effective content creators whose UGC consistently generates high engagement when featured in advertisements.

Testing and Optimization

Apply rigorous testing to identify the most effective UGC for your advertising:

Test various UGC formats (photos vs. videos, reviews vs. tutorials) to determine which generates the strongest response from your target audience. Compare different user demographics in your UGC to identify which customer profiles create the most compelling social proof for your products.

Use A/B testing with subtle variations in how you present UGC (e.g., with or without text overlays, different crops or edits) to optimize performance. Our marketing technology solutions can automate much of this testing process.

Measuring the Performance of UGC Ads

Effective measurement is essential to understand and optimize the performance of your UGC-based advertising campaigns on Xiaohongshu.

Key Performance Indicators

Monitor these critical metrics to evaluate UGC ad effectiveness:

Engagement rate: Compare likes, comments, saves, and shares between UGC-based ads and traditional brand-created content to quantify the authenticity advantage. While engagement is important, also track conversion metrics such as click-through rates, product page visits, and actual purchases resulting from UGC ads.

Cost metrics: Analyze cost per engagement, cost per click, and cost per acquisition to determine the efficiency of your UGC-based advertising compared to other approaches. Our marketing services team recommends creating a comprehensive dashboard that compares these metrics across different ad types.

Attribution Considerations

Accurate attribution presents challenges with UGC-based advertising:

Implement UTM parameters and custom tracking links to properly attribute conversions to specific UGC ad units. Consider the longer consideration cycles often associated with UGC exposure—implement longer attribution windows to capture the full impact of these authentic messages.

At Hashmeta, our SEO Agency experts recommend integrating Xiaohongshu tracking with your broader analytics ecosystem to understand how UGC ads interact with other marketing channels in the customer journey.

Case Studies: Successful UGC Ad Campaigns on Xiaohongshu

Beauty Brand Success: From UGC to 300% ROI

A premium skincare brand facing challenges establishing credibility in the competitive Chinese market implemented a UGC-focused advertising strategy on Xiaohongshu:

They identified and licensed 25 high-quality before-and-after transformation posts from real users, then repurposed this content into a series of feed and search ads. The campaign highlighted genuine results from everyday users rather than professional models or influencers.

The result was remarkable: 3x higher engagement than their previous brand-created content, a 47% increase in click-through rate, and ultimately a 300% return on ad spend. The authentic social proof provided by real user results overcame skepticism and drove conversion.

Food Brand Visibility: Leveraging User Creativity

A foreign snack brand struggling to gain traction in China used a creative UGC approach:

They noticed users posting creative serving suggestions and recipe integrations using their products. After securing permissions, they compiled these creative uses into carousel ad formats that showcased the product’s versatility through authentic user applications.

This campaign resulted in a 215% increase in brand mentions on Xiaohongshu within one month, a 64% lift in average order value as consumers purchased multiple items to try the user-suggested recipes, and significant improvement in brand perception metrics.

As our AI marketing analysis showed, the content succeeded because it addressed a key purchase barrier—uncertainty about how to use a foreign product in Chinese cuisine—through authentic peer examples rather than brand instruction.

Fashion Retailer Case: Seasonal UGC Strategy

A mid-sized fashion retailer implemented a seasonal UGC strategy:

They created a dedicated hashtag campaign encouraging users to share their styling of the brand’s seasonal collection. The most creative and high-quality submissions were then repurposed into a multi-format advertising campaign across Xiaohongshu.

The campaign generated a 74% higher engagement rate than professional model content, with many users expressing appreciation for seeing the clothing on diverse, real body types. The UGC-based ads also produced a 28% lower cost-per-acquisition than the brand’s traditional advertising approach.

Our SEO consultant team helped optimize the campaign hashtags for maximum discoverability, further amplifying the organic reach alongside the paid promotion.

Conclusion: Building a Sustainable UGC Advertising Ecosystem

Transforming user-generated content into effective Xiaohongshu advertisements represents one of the most powerful strategies available to brands targeting the Chinese market. The authentic voice of real users cuts through advertising skepticism, creating connections that branded content alone cannot achieve.

The most successful brands on Xiaohongshu don’t view UGC as merely a content source to be harvested—they cultivate an ecosystem that continuously generates high-quality user content. This requires a holistic approach that includes:

Building a UGC-friendly product experience that naturally encourages sharing and documentation

Creating branded hashtags and challenges that make content creation both easy and rewarding for users

Establishing a seamless process for identifying, requesting rights, and repurposing UGC

Implementing robust measurement systems to continuously optimize UGC selection and presentation

As China’s digital landscape continues to evolve, the authentic connections created through strategic UGC advertising will become increasingly valuable. Brands that master this approach not only achieve higher return on ad spend but build communities of advocates who amplify their message far beyond paid media reach.

By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you can transform your Xiaohongshu marketing from traditional advertising to authentic conversations—and drive measurable business results in the process.

Ready to transform your Xiaohongshu marketing strategy with expert guidance? Contact Hashmeta today for a personalized consultation on leveraging user-generated content in your advertising campaigns. Our specialists combine deep platform knowledge with data-driven strategies to maximize your brand’s impact on Xiaohongshu.