"Congrats on the New CN-US Friendship!" As TikTok Refugees Flock to Xiaohongshu
If you've spent some time in China (and we're guessing many of our followers have), you've probably heard of Xiaohongshu, or "Little Red Book"/"Red Note." You might've used it, or not, but now there's a good reason to check it out!
In case you're unfamiliar, Xiaohongshu is a social media platform that blends Instagram-like photo and video sharing with a powerful search engine. Users post everything from personal life updates to recommendations for food, travel, and even international news. It's a bit like Pinterest, Instagram, and Google all rolled into one. Many Chinese people use it even as a search engine.
You might be wondering, "But, isn't everything in Chinese? How do non-Chinese-speaking people even use it?" Well, here's the twist—Xiaohongshu is rapidly gaining popularity among foreigners, and they're even giving themselves a quirky nickname: "TikTok refugees."
Yes, you read that right. With the looming ban of TikTok in the U.S., many Americans have started migrating to Chinese apps like Xiaohongshu, seeking refuge and a platform to continue creating and connecting.
Why Xiaohongshu and not something like Instagram or Twitter? Well, a lot of it has to do with TikTok's potential ban in the U.S. come January 19. One post from an American user explains, "Americans are protesting by moving over to all Chinese-based apps. Our government says they want to ban TikTok because it's Chinese-owned, but it's not! It has 73% American ownership and most of its employees are American. For many of us, TikTok is our income source."
As you can imagine, the idea of losing access to TikTok, especially for those who depend on it for income or community, is a big deal. So, Americans are turning to Xiaohongshu in droves. And while they can't use Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok, which requires a Chinese phone number), Xiaohongshu is a friendly alternative.
Now, when these TikTok refugees first land on Xiaohongshu, many are understandably worried that they won't be welcomed. But the truth is, the Chinese users have been overwhelmingly warm.
lol
Don't worry. As of mid-2024, Xiaohongshu's monthly active users have reached 320 million. We'll get you!
Yeaaah memes save the world! BTW would you be interested if we put together a meme collection? Let us know!
Now we have a new way of greeting
As they get more familiar with Xiaohongshu, the TikTok refugees are starting to understand Chinese humor. For example, one user posted an adorable video of their cat, and another netizen commented, as follows:
One American user wrote, "As you see an increase of us on your platforms, please don't be alarmed." In the comments section, many Chinese users responded with kindness, with one even saying, "Congrats on the new China-U.S. netizen friendship!"
And that's also kind of "Chinese humour", kinda
If you've ever tried Xiaohongshu yourself, you know how powerful its algorithm is. It's like a magnet for content that fits your interests. If you feed it more tags in English, you'll probably quickly notice your homepage filled with English-speaking content (if you want to). It's a great way to build your own niche community, whether you're posting in English or Mandarin.
Chinese users are already wondering if Xiaohongshu might roll out a translation feature for the comments section. Some have tagged the official account asking, "Any plans for a translation function soon?" (Given the speed at which Chinese tech companies tend to roll out features, it doesn't seem impossible.)
So, would you give Xiaohongshu a try and say hi to those U.S. TikTok refugees? With TikTok's uncertain future, it might just be the next big platform to explore. Who knows, maybe soon you'll find yourself helping Chinese students with their foreign-language homework (maybe not) or chatting with users across the globe! Or, let us know in the comments—have you used Xiaohongshu before? What's been your experience?
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