
17 Jan RedNote vs TikTok: A Side-by-Side Analysis of Content and Community
Summary
What Is RedNote?
RedNote, known as Xiaohongshu or “Little Red Book” (RedNote) in China, is a rapidly growing social media platform that has recently gained significant attention in the United States. Founded in 2013, RedNote offers a unique blend of lifestyle content, short-form videos, and integrated e-commerce features, positioning itself as a comprehensive platform for users seeking both entertainment and shopping experiences. With over 300 million monthly active users, predominantly women, RedNote has become a go-to source for fashion, beauty, travel, and food inspiration.
The Search For the Best TikTok Alternative
With the looming U.S. TikTok ban effective January 19th, the platform’s 170 million active users based in the U.S. are looking for the next big platform to migrate to. ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, has recently run several ads promoting its lifestyle photo-focused app Lemon8. Other social platforms and tools like LinkTree, Triller, and Neptune have taken the opportunity to invite creators to their platforms with promises of monetization opportunities, data safety, and more curated communities. RedNote is the latest platform to make headlines as the next great alternative to TikTok, following the wave of American creators joining Clapper in hopes of freedom of speech and more creative liberties.
Who Owns RedNote?
RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshuor 小红书, launched back in 2013 and was originally titled “Hong Kong Shopping Guide,” according to a report from NPR. Miranda Qu, current President of RedNote, and Charlwin Mao, CEO of RedNote, co-founded the viral platform 12 years ago to create the ultimate lifestyle platform to assist Chinese tourists traveling abroad.
“The trendy lifestyle of young people, from fashion tips on how to wear trendy shoes to easy-to-follow food tutorials, share the beautiful life anytime, anywhere! Xiaohongshu is a lifestyle platform that inspires people to discover and connect with a range of diverse lifestyles, where over 300 million users every month share their life experiences.”– RedNote aka Xiaohongshu.
According to a recent report from Reuters, RedNote is backed by major investors, including Alibaba, Tencent, and Temasek, and is considered a strong candidate for an IPO. The Financial Times shared a report valuing RedNote at approximately USD 17 billion and detailing noteworthy investments.
Key RedNote U.S. Statistics
According to a recent report from TechCrunch, Appfigures’ data from January 2017 onward revealed that RedNote was downloaded approximately 3.2 million times in the United States. On January 13th, PopBasereported that RedNote was officially the #1 app in the U.S. Apple App Store, surpassing other platforms including Lemon8, ChatGPT, and Threads. RedNote is currently the U.S. Apple App Store’s #1 app on both the Free Apps and Social Networking charts. Sensor Tower also reported RedNote’s success on the Google Play Store, noting to NPR that RedNote is the top-ranked social app as of January 15th. According to Reuters, RedNote gained 700,000 new users in just two days during the week of January 13th. This resulted in a 200% year-over-year increase in downloads for the week, following an astonishing 194% surge the previous week.
Key RedNote User Demographics
According to Xiaohongshu Business News, RedNote collectively has over 300 million monthly active users. The Egg also reports that over 140,000 brands utilize RedNote for brand management and content creation. The following are some key RedNote user demographics as reported by The Egg:
- RedNote has a primarily young user base with a male-female ratio of 3:7
- 50%of RedNote users are born after 1995
- 35%of RedNote users are born after 2000
- Over 17% of RedNote users are Gen Z
- More than 10%of RedNote users are blue-collar workers
- More than 9% of RedNote users are white-collar workers
- Top RedNote content categories or niches include makeup lovers, foodies, mothers, home lovers, working-class, health lovers, and artistic youth
RedNote Features
Interesting Lifestyles
Discover lifestyle trends, unique interests, and niche hobbies popular among youth. Explore recent trends like stove-boiled tea, camping in the wild, frisbee, and other exciting outdoor activities, as well as fun hobbies such as experimenting with different fashion styles, cooking new recipes, reading, painting, sports, and fitness. Unlock new interests and connect with like-minded users on RedNote.
Sincere and Useful Livestreams
Livestreams are valued channels for users to connect with content creators and KOLs, Key Opinion Leaders, to learn about new products and services. Join RedNote to kickstart your livestreaming journey following the footsteps of talented hosts including Dong Jie, Teresa Cheung, and Jingchu Zhang. Tune into the many engaging live streams on RedNote to learn more about unique fashion pieces, the best beauty and skincare finds, must-have aesthetic home decor, healthy snacks, and more. As RedNote shares, “Even if you don’t buy anything, you will still learn something.”
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The Lesser-Known Side of Celebrities
Discover the “lesser-known” side of your favorite celebrities like actor Li Xian, snowboarder Angelababy, and musician Lang Lang. U.S. celebrities like Selena Gomez have joined RedNote to strengthen their relationship with international fans and share more fun, personal content. Catch a glimpse of celebrities’ “real life” off-screen through daily lifestyle and behind-the-scenes content on RedNote.
Popular Picks
Self-described as “the best of Xiaohongshu content,” popular picks are RedNote’s most trending topics and communities for users to connect with others and get inspired. Learn about the latest trends across niches and pop culture including current affairs through daily updates.
A Guide to Local Life
Calling back to RedNote’s founding purpose, this platform is a key resource where locals actively share their day-to-day experiences. According to RedNote’s App Store description, “Xiaohongshu offers timely, friendly, and practical information on topics such as apartment-hunting, job-searching, wedding planning, and things to do on the weekend.” Check out RedNote for the best-informed tips, tricks, and reviews from education to travel, all written by knowledgeable locals.
High-Quality Post Templates
RedNote’s countless content templates are essential tools for new and experienced creators. RedNote shares that its high-quality post templates are, “the perfect way to create hit posts” or create content that resembles your favorite influencers’. Post templates are available for both photos and videos. Additionally, templates are generated when creating Image Text posts depending on the context of your post such as if you marked it as a Write Idea, Ask Everyone, or a Doodle.
Getting Started on RedNote
How to Download RedNote
- Go to your preferred app store: Access the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
- Search using proper keywords: Search for the app using “RedNote,” “Xiaohongshu,” or even the characters “小红书” which are also on the app’s logo.
- Download the app to your device: After identifying the correct app, download RedNote to your device for free.
How to Set Up Your RedNote Account
- Enter your mobile phone number: To create an account on RedNote, you must enter a valid mobile phone number. Make sure to choose a phone number that is readily available for verification. Additionally, make sure you have the correct country code selected for your phone number, or else you will not be able to register for RedNote properly (i.e. use +1 for a United States phone number).
- Verify your phone number: After entering your phone number, RedNote will message you with a unique verification code to confirm your identity and account.
- Customize your content preferences: Upon creating your account, RedNote will prompt you to select interests to customize your feed. Available topics include fashion, makeup, beauty, travel, and other niches that align with trending content. You will also be able to look at filtered feeds by niche via the Explore tab.
How to Customize Your Profile on RedNote
- Customize your RedNote ID: RedNote users by default have a user ID consisting of various digits and characters. Users may customizetheir IDto be a unique username but RedNote shares an in-app disclaimer that user IDs can only be changed once.
- Edit your profile appearance: In addition to editing your name and user ID, RedNote users may also edit their profile appearance. Users can do so by selecting “Edit Profile”and changing their profile photo, cover image, bio, and optional demographic details like their birthday or gender.
- How to update your language to English on RedNote: Access the “Settings” option located next to “Edit Profile” and then select “General Settings.” Navigate to “Languages” under the “Display” category and select “English” as your primary language. Note that although this changes the language of your navigation bar, settings, and other items in-app, not all content or features will be completely in English. For instance, many pop-up notifications and shopping features may not be translated.
How to Monetize on RedNote
RedNote Monetization Overview
Although RedNote has built-in programs like its Dandelion platform, a majority of monetization opportunities for creators come from external resources. Brand partnerships, e-commerce, influencer-founded brands, event hosting, and other opportunities are commonly leveraged by RedNote creators to establish several revenue streams.
Top RedNote Monetization Opportunity: Brand Partnerships
The most common RedNote monetization opportunity for content creators is traditional brand partnerships. Brands may reach out to individual creators via email or direct messaging on RedNote to negotiate the terms of a potential ambassadorship, long-term brand partnership, or typical brand deals. RedNote influencers and KOLs participating in brand deals post branded content with various payment methods depending on the scope of work. Some common brand partnership frameworks are as follows:
- Paid Collabs: Creators promote a brand’s product or service in exchange for both the product and a flat fee, which varies based on their follower count and engagement rate. The more followers and higher engagement a creator has, the more they can charge.
- Gifted Collabs: Creators promote a brand’s product or service in exchange for the product alone, with no additional fee. Gifted collaborations are most common among micro-influencers as they build their media kits and establish relationships with brands.
Social Commerce & Affiliate Marketing
RedNote aka Xiaohongshu is the ultimate hub for social commerce and a trendsetter in the rapidly growing industry. Creators can earn money from tagging and selling products on RedNote using the following methods:
- Product Linking in Notes: Love a product you found on RedNote? Creators are welcome to link their favorite products in their Notes aka posts to earn a commissionfrom sales. Users highly trust product recommendations on RedNote, so product linking in notes is a simple and intuitive method for creators to tap into social commerce in a way that is most authentic to their personal brand and audience’s preferences.
- Affiliate Partnerships: An elevated method of product linking in Notes is taking part in affiliate partnerships. With affiliate partnerships, brands will invite selected creators to take part in a social commerce campaign in exchange for a free product to review and a sales commission. Some affiliate partnerships may also include a flat fee payment for participation in addition to a free product and a predetermined commission rate, but payment methods vary from brand to brand and between industries.
- Open a Shop: RedNote creators and Xiaohongshu KOLs with a devoted fan base can take their monetization to the next level by kickstarting a brand and selling products via the Shop page. Creators with their own shops can also tag products for their fans to purchase via product linking in Notes and other posts.
Creator Monetization Via Livestreaming
Livestreaming is a key feature for both user engagement and creator monetization on RedNote. Similar to linking their favorite products in Notes, creators may host fun live shopping events to showcase the latest and greatest products on RedNote plus exclusive deals. From these livestreams, creators may earn a commission from product sales similar to RedNote’s general affiliate creator program. RedNote influencers have the liberty to go live independently to promote their favorite products, host a branded live event in exchange for free products and other payment methods, or host a chatty live and receive gifts from fans.
Exclusive Creator Memberships
Exclusive content and paid subscription tiers are common creator monetization methods for both Eastern and Western social media or SNS platforms. On RedNote, creators have access to a membership system where they can organize subscription tiers to share high-quality content with paying users. By providing special membership programs, creators can successfully cultivate stronger relationships with their fans and explore new avenues of their niche, resulting in better audience retention and content quality.
RedNote’s Dandelion Platform
Creators looking to take their monetization to the next level on RedNote can tap into its Dandelion Platform. According to the Xiaohongshu Creative Academy, Dandelion is RedNote’s official platform for commercial collaborations between brands and creators. Creators have access to monetization resources including references for payment rates or structure, data guides, Dandelion classroom, and high-quality collaboration case studies through the monetization platform. According to RedNote, influencers’ follower count, Note reading volume, Note engagement volume, and quotations are all key elements that determine whether or not they will be selected by brands for paid collaborations. To learn more about how to get started with Dandelion on RedNote, check out this informational video and other guides within the Monetization tab on the Xiaohongshu Creative Academy.
RedNote Reviews
Here From the TikTok Ban, @Cosette228
“Here from the U.S. TikTok ban! I feel like this app is going to be an incredible opportunity for upcoming creators. I downloaded it today, already posted several videos, and got 20 followers already! I’ve also seen a few familiar influencers from TikTok too, so it seems like pretty much everyone is migrating over to this app. I am personally not a fan of the meta algorithms and at this point I wouldn’t even feel comfortable supporting a U.S. owned app as an alternative to the TikTok they took from us. I would definitely appreciate if there were more options to translate to English, but l’ve heard that they are already working overtime to update the app and make it more user friendly for Americans. I’m really excited to see the evolution of this app and how successful it becomes!”
Enjoying the App So Far, @Claaudiaa1993
“A fresh new app. Everyone seems welcoming.”
Better Than TikTok?? @let me in the app pls
“honestly it’s amazing…When i got in it immediately changed the language to english so it’s easy to scroll. But it’s also like pinterest and instagram all in one? i haven’t been over on red book for over 12 hours and yet everything i watched on tiktok is what i’m watching on red book, so the algorithm is amazing! Everyone who’s native to the app has been kind and helpful! definitely am going to tell others to get this app!”
American Refugee From TikTok, @visa01
“This is a great app, a TikTok look alike with friendly people. Thumbs up a go!! I like it here :)”
It’s Like Pinterest and Instagram But Better, @LovelyofZ
“This app is the best thing. It’s like if Instagram and Pinterest had a baby together but it also like TikTok but with in addition of Twitch…With all drama with Instagram, X/Twitter and fact that TikTok is being banned in USA this feels like only site left where I can look at pretty art and not be bothered with the ADs! It also a great place for me as artist it inspired me to get better at art and cooking!”
Since the TikTok Ban, Best Replacement, @dgyukskstyksryk
“So many features similar or better than tiktok, some are missing like the favorite audios but i can find ways to make my own (like the redbook version of fav collections, sorry i dont remember what it was called) If tiktok gets banned, use redbook/rednote.”
Love the App!!! @DarkPhoenix_Reviews
“I’m an American user coming here be of the upcoming tiktok ban!!! So far I absolutely love the app and it’s setup and the people on it are really nice and accepting, I love seeing people of different cultures coming together like this I heard there was some type of english translation feature underway so l’m excited for that!!!”
Infinitely Better Than Meta Apps, @Sparklerbash
“I’m really enjoying this app a lot. Upon a bunch of English speakers joining, they immediately updated the app to be more English-friendly. The users are really nice and l’m enjoying the interface a lot!”
Bye Bye TikTok, @Wildflowers vs wildfires
“Looks great so far! Really welcoming and goofy in a great way. Looking forward to learning new things and connecting with people from a different country! Translating isn’t hard at all with screenshots and the new picture-search tech. :)”
So Good! @JennaArmy7
“I really like how this app is like TikTok and IG combined. Plus you can reply with photos. All the girlies are moving over here!”
RedNote vs. TikTok: Expanding Your Content Strategy
Feature | RedNote | TikTok |
Launch Year | 2013 | 2016 |
Ownership | Chinese owners (Miranda Qu and Charlwin Mao) | Chinese company ByteDance |
Content Focus | Emphasizes informative and inspirational content with a focus on lifestyle and product/travel recommendations | Encourages creative, visually engaging content with extensive filters and effects |
User Demographics | RedNote has a primarily young user base with a male-female ratio of 3:7 | Predominantly Generation Z; diverse global user base |
Monetization | Offers monetization through brand partnerships, live shopping/gifting, and affiliate marketing | Offers monetization through brand partnerships, live gifts, and the TikTok Creativity Program |
Advertisements | No ads in the feed but creators may share promotional content for brand deals | Contains ads integrated into the user feed |
Content Moderation | RedNote’s Community Rules emphasize respect, transparency, and facts. | Enforces community guidelines with content moderation to prevent misinformation and harmful content |
RedNote FAQ’s
What is RedNote?
RedNote is a rapidly growing social media platform that allows users to share and discover short-form content, live streams, and social commerce. It emphasizes authentic content rooted in honest recommendations and creativity and is dedicated to creating space for inspirational dialogue and online community.
What are RedNote’s monetization features for creators?
RedNote offers several monetization avenues:
- Brand Partnerships: Participate in paid or gifted collaborations with brands.
- Social Commerce & Affiliate Marketing: Tag products in Notes to earn sales commissions, negotiate affiliate marketing deals with brands, and sell products via the RedNote Shop.
- Livestreaming: Receive virtual gifts which can be converted into earnings or host live shopping events to earn commission.
- Exclusive Creator Memberships: Create subscription tiers for followers to access exclusive content.
- RedNote’s Dandelion Platform: Access monetization resources and exclusive campaigns for approved creators.
How does RedNote’s algorithm work?
According to The Wrap, RedNote’s algorithm emphasizes audience interest when recommending content rather than promoting notes and videos from creators they follow. This in turn promotes more diverse content on the platform and empowers users to interact with new creators within their desired niche. Additionally, RedNote’s algorithm may be leveraged by small or up-and-coming creators to grow their following since their content is more accessible to new users.
Is RedNote available in my country?
RedNote is accessible in numerous countries, including the United States, China, Canada, Australia, and other nations. For a comprehensive list, refer to RedNote’s official resources.
What are the main differences between RedNote and TikTok?
Clapper and TikTok are both short-form video platforms, but they differ in several ways:
- Content Focus: Rednote emphasizes authentic content rooted in honest recommendations and creativity. On the other hand, TikTok emphasizes entertaining content that involves thoughtful production and quality editing.
- User Base: RedNote has a primarily young, predominantly female user base with a growing international audience while TikTok has been globally adopted and predominantly supported by Gen Z users.
- Algorithm: RedNote’s algorithm laces an emphasis on audience interests while TikTok prioritizes user engagement when recommending content.
How do the algorithms of RedNote and TikTok differ?
RedNote’s algorithm emphasizes audience interests when recommending content rather than promoting Notes and videos from creators they follow. Hey Tony noted in a past article that TikTok’s algorithm is known for its personalized content recommendations based on user interactions, which can sometimes favor more popular creators.
Can creators monetize their content on RedNote and TikTok?
Yes, both platforms offer monetization opportunities:
- RedNote: Creators can earn income through brand partnerships, social commerce, affiliate marketing, livestreaming, paid memberships, and the Dandelion Platform.
- TikTok: Monetization is available through the TikTok Creativity Program, brand partnerships, and live stream gifts.
What are the community guidelines like on RedNote compared to TikTok?
Like TikTok, RedNote has some rigid Community Rules to protect its users, promote unique creative content, and prevent misinformation. As reported by Distractify, TikTok enforces community guidelines to ensure content is appropriate for all ages, resulting in closer content moderation similar to RedNote.
Is RedNote a suitable alternative to TikTok?
RedNote can be a viable alternative for users seeking a platform with high-quality, informational, creative content similar to what is shared on TikTok. However, it’s important to consider the differences in community culture, content moderation, and user demographics when choosing between the two platforms. Additionally, RedNote has yet to update its platform to be more user-friendly for international creators, particularly those who speak English and cannot efficiently translate all their content or platform features. Many U.S. creators have already begun their transition to posting content on RedNote which may ultimately result in more updates or features to support a global user base.
Can an account be set up without a phone number on RedNote?
No, you must use a phone number, it doesn’t support other registration methods.
Can you change your ID name once it’s been created on RedNote?
You cannot change your ID once you made it.
How do you add a note/post to a collection? Also, how do you make a collection?
You can do this by clicking on the pentagram symbol.
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