RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu (小红书) in Mandarin Chinese,is a Chinese-run social media network, founded in 2013. It was meant to guide local Chinese tourists for local recommendations and shopping advice, but has since morphed into a “Visual Guide to Life” social network. In fact, it has recently become quite popular in the US with people who are seeking a replacement for TikTok as the latter is potentially banned. RedNote currently ranks number 1 on App Store as of January 17th in most downloaded free app.
Is RedNote Chinese TikTok?
If TikTok’s Chinese sibling Douyin (byteDance’s subsidiary) is the king of short-form video in China, RedNote does something very different. It’s a mix of social media, shopping, and style in one, creating an ecosystem that is more than video sharing. RedNote can be used to publish any content, from a small video, to a photo, to a lengthy text post. Lifestyle pharmacy databasecontent — Travel, Beauty, Fashion, Shopping — dominates. You can also build community using various community building tools including live chat, product tagging to make direct purchase in the app as well, which is more versatile than TikTok’s solely video format.
screenshot of Rednote Trends
Tech-wise, the app is a breeze to use. The interface is a pretty minimal design with just a couple of main tabs. The For You page (think of Pinterest instead of TikTok) is two columns of static thumbnails you can sort by interest, accessible through a top navigation bar. This is the Trending page, with the same vertical video infinity scroll. Additionally, Messages and Profile tabs are as they are in other social media apps. You can also, as many people do, customize your feed to show only the feeds of your followers (bottom of screen).
Key Features and Platform Dynamics
RedNote distinguishes itself through three core elements:
Content Sharing: The platform supports diverse content types, enabling users to share their daily lives and interests through multiple formats.
E-commerce Integration: Perhaps its most distinctive feature is the seamless integration of shopping within the social experience, allowing users to tag and purchase products directly through posts.
Community Focus: The platform excels at fostering niche communities around specific interests and lifestyles, creating deeper connections among users with shared passions.
It’s noteworthy that, while Meta also offers competitors (i.e., Instagram and Threads), TikTok users are moving mostly to RedNote. That pattern indicates rising discontent with the content moderation and algorithmic power of U.S. platforms. While RedNote may not match Douyin’s algorithmic sophistication, it outperforms many U.S. apps in delivering highly targeted, personalized content that feels more intuitive and engaging to users.