Alice Guo, a Chinese-born entrepreneur living in Toronto, captured the attention of thousands on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu when she shared tips for acing a job interview in 2021. Grounded in Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic after a series of job changes across the globe, Guo’s page, “Ali is Working Hard,” quickly amassed a following of 45,000 users drawn to her mix of professional advice and daily life updates.
Xiaohongshu, often dubbed as China’s answer to Instagram, has become a haven for Millennial and Gen-Z Chinese women since its inception in 2013. With 200 million monthly active users in 2022, the platform caters to a user base that is predominantly female and highly educated, both in China and overseas. Discussions on Xiaohongshu cover a wide range of topics, from work-life balance and fashion to more taboo subjects like divorce and societal pressures on women.
Despite Beijing’s strict internet censorship, Xiaohongshu allows for open dialogue on personal experiences, though certain topics like fertility treatments have been censored. The platform’s emphasis on a polished and aspirational lifestyle, known as “jinzhi,” appeals to its users, who appreciate its precise algorithm in curating content tailored to their interests and identities.
While Xiaohongshu struggled to monetize in its early days, recent success in influencer brand deals and livestream shopping has helped the platform turn a profit. With major investors like Alibaba and Tencent, Xiaohongshu’s efforts to diversify its user base beyond China’s major cities are paying off, with growing popularity in regions like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and North America. As Xiaohongshu continues to evolve, it remains a go-to platform for Chinese women seeking a space to connect, learn, and share their experiences.