What Is Xiaohongshu (XHS)? A 2026 Guide for Singapore Businesses
Updated: 9 hours ago
Short answer: XHS (小红书) stands for Xiaohongshu ("Little Red Book"), the Chinese lifestyle app Start Media specialises in, where people share reviews, photos and short videos, and search for advice before they buy. Outside China the app is listed as RedNote. In Singapore it is used mostly by Chinese-speaking residents, students, new immigrants and visitors to choose restaurants, shops, clinics, schools and services.
If you run a business in Singapore, you have probably heard customers, staff or competitors mention "XHS", "Xiaohongshu", "Little Red Book" or "RedNote". They all refer to the same platform, and for many Chinese-speaking consumers it has become the first place they look before choosing a restaurant, clinic, salon, tuition centre or shop.
Updated October 2026.
This guide explains what Xiaohongshu is, who uses it in Singapore, how it differs from Instagram and TikTok, what changed with the RedNote split in 2026, and how a Singapore business can start using it properly.
What Is Xiaohongshu (XHS)?
Xiaohongshu (小红书, literally "little red book") is a Chinese lifestyle and recommendation platform founded in Shanghai in 2013. It started as a shopping guide and grew into a mix of Instagram-style posts, short videos, product reviews and a search engine for everyday decisions.
Users publish "notes" (笔记): a set of photos or a short video with a detailed caption sharing a real experience, such as a café review, a skincare routine, a travel itinerary or an honest opinion on a dental clinic. Other users save, comment on and search these notes when they are deciding what to buy or where to go.
You will see several names used for the same app:
Xiaohongshu / 小红书: the original Chinese name.
XHS: the common abbreviation used by marketers.
Little Red Book / RED: the English translation and earlier international brand.
RedNote (rednote): the name used on the App Store and Google Play outside China since January 2025.
Why Xiaohongshu Matters: It Works Like a Search Engine
The single most important thing to understand about XHS is that people use it to search, not just to scroll.
Industry reports in 2026 put daily searches on the platform at around 800 million, and third-party estimates of monthly active users range from roughly 250 million to over 300 million. Most of those searches are about consumption: what to eat, where to stay, which product to buy and which service provider to trust.
For a Singapore business, this means a typical customer journey looks like this:
A Chinese-speaking customer types "新加坡 火锅" (Singapore hotpot) or "Tampines 美甲" (Tampines nails) into XHS.
They read several notes from real users and creators.
They save the places that look trustworthy and visit, book or buy.
If your business does not appear in those search results, you are invisible at the exact moment the customer is deciding. We explain this in more detail in Why XHS Marketing Fails in Singapore.
Who Uses Xiaohongshu in Singapore?
In Singapore, XHS is used mainly by Chinese-speaking residents, including:
New immigrants and PRs from mainland China
International students at local universities and private schools
Working professionals on employment passes
Parents researching schools, enrichment classes and family activities
Tourists from China planning trips to Singapore
A growing number of Singaporean and Malaysian Chinese who read Chinese and like the platform's honest-review style
For scale: Singapore had 5.33 million social media user identities in October 2025, equal to 90.6% of the population, according to DataReportal's Digital 2026 Singapore report. Mainland China was also Singapore's largest visitor market in 2025, with 3.1 million of the 16.9 million international arrivals, according to the Singapore Tourism Board.
Users skew young and female, and they are generally willing to spend on food, beauty, wellness, education and lifestyle. That is why F&B, aesthetics, beauty, tuition, property and retail businesses are usually the first to see results. See our practical guide on Xiaohongshu marketing for Singapore restaurants for an F&B example.
Xiaohongshu vs Instagram vs TikTok
Discovery
Instagram and TikTok mainly push content through a feed or followers. On XHS, a large share of views come from search and from the "recommended" feed based on interests, so a small account with well-written notes can still be found.
Content style
XHS rewards detailed, useful, honest notes: prices, locations, what to order, pros and cons. Polished advertising-style posts often perform worse than a genuine experience shared by a real person.
Shelf life
A TikTok video may peak within days. A well-optimised XHS note can keep appearing in search results for months, because people keep searching for the same things.
Language
Content is written in Simplified Chinese. Machine-translated or awkward copy is noticed quickly and reduces trust, so native writing matters.
What Changed in 2026: Xiaohongshu and RedNote
After a wave of new international users in early 2025, the company began separating users in mainland China from users elsewhere. Reports in March and April 2026 described international accounts being directed to rednote.com, with separate terms of service for users outside China. The exact rules for how users are grouped have not been fully published and may continue to change.
What does this mean for a Singapore business?
Your local audience still matters most. Customers who live in Singapore are the ones who will actually visit your shop, so content should target Singapore locations and Singapore search terms.
Reach into mainland China may behave differently. If you also want to reach tourists or buyers in China, test how your content appears for those audiences rather than assuming one account reaches everyone.
Watch for policy updates. Content rules, advertising options and account verification can differ between the Chinese and international versions, so work with someone who follows these changes closely.
How Singapore Businesses Use Xiaohongshu
Most successful businesses combine three activities.
1. A professional (business) account
A business or "professional" account (often called Blue V, 蓝V, once verified) gives your brand an official presence where you post your own notes, reply to comments and build credibility. Read our Blue V verification guide and what is involved in XHS account management costs.
2. KOC and influencer notes
KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers) are everyday creators with smaller but trusted audiences. Inviting several KOCs for a store visit (探店) creates a cluster of genuine notes that show up when people search for your area or category. Read KOC vs KOL marketing and our 2026 KOC cost guide to plan a budget.
3. Keyword-driven content
Every note should target what real customers type: the neighbourhood, the category, and the problem they want solved. Titles, captions, hashtags and even the text on cover images all help the note get found.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Posting English content translated by software
Copying Instagram posts without adapting them for search
Paying one big influencer instead of building many genuine reviews
Posting for two weeks and stopping when results are not immediate
Ignoring comments and private messages from potential customers
How to Get Started
Search your own category on XHS the way a customer would, and note which competitors appear.
Set up a professional account with a clear Chinese name, profile, location and contact details.
Plan 8 to 12 notes around the keywords customers use, written by native Chinese speakers.
Invite local KOCs to visit and share honest notes.
Review results monthly: saves, profile visits, messages and, most importantly, walk-ins or enquiries that mention XHS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does XHS stand for?
XHS stands for Xiaohongshu (小红书), which means "Little Red Book" in English. It is the same app as RED and RedNote.
Is Xiaohongshu the same as RedNote?
Yes. RedNote is the international app-store name for Xiaohongshu. In 2026 the company began separating Chinese and international users, but it is the same platform and brand.
Can I use Xiaohongshu in Singapore?
Yes. People in Singapore can download the app as RedNote or Xiaohongshu, and Singapore businesses can open a business account and apply for Blue V verification.
Do I need to speak Chinese to market on Xiaohongshu?
You do not need to speak it yourself, but your content should be written by native Chinese speakers who understand local Singapore context.
Is Xiaohongshu only useful for reaching tourists from China?
No. Many Singapore businesses get most of their XHS customers from Chinese-speaking people who already live, study or work in Singapore.
How long does it take to see results?
Most businesses see early signals such as saves and messages within the first one to two months, with stronger results after three months of consistent posting and KOC activity.
Work With a Local XHS Team
Start Media is a Singapore Xiaohongshu (小红书) marketing agency, founded in 2022 by Dawn, who has 8 years on XHS and has trained 1,000+ students. We help F&B, beauty, education and lifestyle businesses with XHS account management, native Chinese content, and KOC store visits with more than 100 local creators.
Explore our XHS marketing services and KOC store visits, compare Xiaohongshu agencies in Singapore, or contact us for a free XHS audit.
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