Xiaohongshu Ads: The Complete Guide to Paid Advertising on XHS
Date Published
Table Of Contents
1. What Is Xiaohongshu Paid Advertising?
2. Why Advertise on Xiaohongshu?
3. XHS Advertising Tools: Which Platform Is Right for You?
• Shutiao (薯条) — Entry-Level Content Amplification
• Juguang Lite (聚光Lite) — Self-Serve In-App Advertising
• Juguang (聚光) — Enterprise-Level Advertising Platform
• Chengfeng (乘风) — E-Commerce Performance Advertising
1. XHS Ad Formats: Feed Ads vs. Search Ads
• Feed Ads (信息流广告) — The Discovery Stage
• Search Ads (搜索广告) — The Purchase Stage
1. The KFS Model: How XHS Ads Fit Into a Full-Funnel Strategy
2. Can Foreign Brands Run Ads on Xiaohongshu?
3. How to Set Up Xiaohongshu Ads: Step-by-Step
4. XHS Advertising Compliance: What You Must Know
5. Best Practices for Xiaohongshu Ads
Xiaohongshu (小红书), also known as XHS, RedNote, or Little Red Book, has evolved far beyond its origins as a lifestyle sharing app. Today it is China's most commercially influential social platform, operating simultaneously as a search engine, product discovery engine, and social commerce marketplace — all with over 300 million monthly active users. For international brands targeting Chinese consumers, understanding how paid advertising works on Xiaohongshu is no longer optional. It is a foundational requirement for competing in one of the world's most discerning and digitally sophisticated consumer markets.
But Xiaohongshu advertising is genuinely different from anything you'll encounter on Meta, Google, or even other Chinese platforms. The ecosystem has its own set of tools, naming conventions, strategic frameworks, and legal requirements — and the gap between knowing that advertising exists and knowing how to use it effectively is wide enough to make or break a campaign.
This guide covers everything international brands need to know about paid advertising on Xiaohongshu: the available advertising tools, the two core ad formats, the KFS strategic framework that ties them together, how foreign companies can access the platform, the compliance requirements you cannot ignore, and the best practices that separate high-performing campaigns from wasted budget.
What Is Xiaohongshu Paid Advertising? {#what-is-xiaohongshu-paid-advertising}
Xiaohongshu paid advertising refers to any sponsored placement that brands pay for to reach users on the platform. Unlike traditional social media advertising, XHS ads are designed not to interrupt the user experience but to integrate with it. The platform's native content format — the "note" (笔记), a short-form post combining images, video, and text — is the foundation for nearly every ad format on the platform. This means the most effective ads on Xiaohongshu look and feel like the organic content users are already engaging with.
Paid advertising on XHS is managed through a suite of official commercial tools, each suited to different brand maturity levels, budget ranges, and campaign objectives. At the enterprise level, the primary platform is Juguang (聚光), Xiaohongshu's official advertising and data analytics platform. But Juguang is not the only option. Brands at earlier stages of their XHS journey, or those with more modest budgets, can access paid promotion through Shutiao (薯条), Juguang Lite (聚光Lite), and Chengfeng (乘风), each of which serves a distinct function in the XHS commercial ecosystem.
All paid advertising on Xiaohongshu sits within the context of the platform's official KFS Marketing Model — a framework combining KOL/KOC content, Feed Ads, and Search Ads to guide users from initial discovery through to purchase. Understanding how these tools and frameworks interact is the starting point for any effective XHS advertising strategy.
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Why Advertise on Xiaohongshu? {#why-advertise-on-xiaohongshu}
The case for advertising on Xiaohongshu rests on two things: the quality of its audience and the unique role the platform plays in Chinese consumer decision-making. Xiaohongshu's user base skews toward young, urban, and high-income Chinese consumers. Approximately 72% belong to the post-1990s generation (aged 18–35), around 70–79% are female, and 50% reside in first and second-tier cities where disposable income is highest. These are the consumers who drive purchasing trends in beauty, fashion, food and beverage, travel, wellness, and premium lifestyle goods.
What makes Xiaohongshu commercially exceptional is not its size alone — it is the platform's function. Xiaohongshu operates as much as a search engine as it does a social network. The platform recorded close to 600 million daily search queries in Q4 2024, with over 40% of users actively searching for product reviews before making a purchase. Research consistently shows that XHS users are not passive scrollers. They arrive on the platform with intent: to discover, research, and validate purchases.
This behavior makes Xiaohongshu a particularly high-value advertising environment. A user who searches for "moisturiser for oily skin" or "best running shoes 2025" on Xiaohongshu is demonstrably closer to a purchase decision than the same user scrolling a general-interest social feed. For brands, this means advertising budget can be directed at audiences who are actively looking for products like theirs — a fundamentally different dynamic from interruptive advertising.
Xiaohongshu's influence also extends beyond the platform itself. Users frequently discover products on XHS, then complete purchases on Tmall, JD.com, or through the XHS in-app store. This makes Xiaohongshu an essential top-of-funnel channel even for brands whose primary sales channel sits elsewhere.
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XHS Advertising Tools: Which Platform Is Right for You? {#xhs-advertising-tools}
One of the most common points of confusion for international brands is the array of paid advertising tools Xiaohongshu offers. Each tool serves a different function, targets a different type of advertiser, and requires a different level of budget and expertise. Choosing the right tool starts with understanding what each one does.
Shutiao (薯条) — Entry-Level Content Amplification {#shutiao}
Shutiao (literally "French fries") is Xiaohongshu's native in-app post-boosting tool, accessible directly from the Creator Center within the XHS app. Think of it as the equivalent of "boosting a post" on Instagram. Brands or creators can promote individual notes to increase views, follower counts, engagement, or product page visits, setting their own goals and budgets through a simple self-service interface.
Shutiao requires no minimum budget and is available to any verified account. It is well-suited for:
• Early-stage brands finding their content voice and testing what resonates
• Organic posts that have already performed well and deserve a wider audience
• Lightweight A/B tests comparing different cover images or content hooks before a larger campaign push
The trade-off is limited targeting precision. Shutiao distributes content based on note-content matching, not advanced audience segmentation. For brands that need demographic, interest-based, or behavioural targeting, Shutiao is a starting point, not a long-term solution.
Juguang Lite (聚光Lite) — Self-Serve In-App Advertising {#juguang-lite}
Juguang Lite is a simplified, app-based version of the full Juguang platform, designed for verified business accounts that want more targeting capability than Shutiao offers but are not yet ready for enterprise-level campaign management. It supports light-touch lead generation and content amplification, with a more accessible entry cost than the full Juguang platform.
Juguang Lite is best suited for brands that want to explore paid advertising with some audience targeting but prefer a lower-commitment, self-managed approach before scaling.
Juguang (聚光) — Enterprise-Level Advertising Platform {#juguang}
Juguang is Xiaohongshu's flagship, enterprise-grade advertising platform — accessible at ad.xiaohongshu.com — and the primary tool for brands running serious, scalable campaigns. Internally, the Xiaohongshu team refers to it as "Aurora."
Juguang provides advertisers with advanced targeting capabilities, comprehensive data analytics, and the full range of ad formats available on XHS. It integrates search and browsing behaviour to allow brands to reach users with a high degree of precision — going beyond basic demographics to include interests, life-stage targeting, look-alike audiences, and even competitor account audiences. Juguang also includes a private messaging feature that connects users directly with the brand through XHS's messaging system, making it easier to nurture leads and drive conversions post-click.
Key capabilities within Juguang include:
• Feed Ads (信息流广告): Native in-feed placements that appear in users' discovery feeds
• Search Ads (搜索广告): Keyword-targeted placements appearing in XHS search results
• Campaign objectives: Including brand awareness, click-throughs, store visits, lead form submissions, private message conversations, and product purchases
• Bidding models: Pay-per-click (CPC) and pay-per-thousand-impressions (CPM), depending on campaign objective
• Creative formats: Image notes, video notes, and multi-image card formats
Juguang has a higher budget threshold than Shutiao or Juguang Lite, and is generally best suited for brands with dedicated marketing teams and a willingness to invest in systematic, data-driven campaign management. Crucially, Juguang accounts can only be opened under a Chinese business entity — a significant practical consideration for overseas brands, covered in detail below.
Chengfeng (乘风) — E-Commerce Performance Advertising {#chengfeng}
Chengfeng is Xiaohongshu's integrated e-commerce marketing platform, designed specifically for brands operating a Xiaohongshu in-app store. It focuses on driving measurable transactional outcomes — store traffic, product page visits, and direct purchases — and includes built-in performance guarantee mechanisms for qualifying campaigns. For brands with an XHS store who want to optimise advertising directly toward sales, Chengfeng is a purpose-built tool worth understanding alongside Juguang.
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XHS Ad Formats: Feed Ads vs. Search Ads {#xhs-ad-formats}
Regardless of whether you're using Juguang or Juguang Lite, the two primary paid ad formats on Xiaohongshu are Feed Ads and Search Ads. They operate at different stages of the user journey and are most effective when used together.
Feed Ads (信息流广告) — The Discovery Stage {#feed-ads}
Feed Ads appear natively within the XHS content discovery feed, blending with organic posts from accounts users follow alongside content surfaced by Xiaohongshu's recommendation algorithm. The defining characteristic of effective Feed Ads is that they are indistinguishable from high-quality organic content — they look, read, and feel like peer recommendations rather than advertisements.
The most important strategic principle for Feed Ads is this: promote content that has already proven itself organically. The most effective Feed Ads are built on notes that have already demonstrated strong engagement — measured by saves, comments, shares, and positive interactions — and then use paid amplification to extend that content's reach to new audiences with similar interests and behaviours. Introducing untested creative directly into a paid environment rarely produces strong results on XHS.
Feed Ads support image, video, and multi-image card formats. They can appear both in the main discovery (发现) feed and within the platform's video feed. Targeting options available through Juguang include demographics, interest categories, browsing behaviour, purchase intent signals, and look-alike audiences built from existing engagers.
Search Ads (搜索广告) — The Purchase Stage {#search-ads}
Search Ads appear within Xiaohongshu's search results when users actively look for products, brands, categories, or content. Because users who search on Xiaohongshu are typically in a research or purchase mindset, Search Ads capture audiences at the highest-intent point in their customer journey.
This matters enormously for competitive categories. With over 40% of XHS users actively searching for product reviews before buying, Search Ads ensure your content is present at the exact moment a potential customer is weighing up their options. Brands that invest in Feed Ads without running Search Ads effectively generate awareness and then lose the conversion opportunity when that same user goes to search for more information.
Search Ads target specific keywords relevant to your product or category. Within Juguang, keyword strategy and bid management can be optimised continuously based on search volume and conversion data — making Search Ads a compound investment that improves over time as you accumulate platform data.
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The KFS Model: How XHS Ads Fit Into a Full-Funnel Strategy {#kfs-model}
Xiaohongshu's KFS model is the platform's official recommended marketing framework, developed by its Inspiration Marketing (小红书灵感营销) team. KFS stands for:
• K — KOL/KOC content (达人内容): Creator-led posts that introduce the brand to audiences in an authentic, relatable way
• F — Feed Ads (信息流): Paid amplification of the strongest-performing creator or brand content to broader, interest-matched audiences
• S — Search Ads (搜索广告): Keyword-targeted placements that capture the purchase intent generated by awareness and discovery activity
The power of the KFS model lies in how the three components reinforce each other in a continuous loop. KOL and KOC content plants the initial seed of awareness, introducing the brand through voices the audience already trusts. Feed Ads take the best of that content and extend its reach to new users, accelerating visibility and driving more platform engagement. As exposure grows, users naturally move into the search phase — looking for reviews, comparisons, and social proof before committing to a purchase. Search Ads ensure your brand is present and prominent when that intent-driven search happens.
As one analysis of the KFS framework puts it, "more visibility leads to more searches, more searches lead to more content consumption, and more consumption leads to higher confidence and, ultimately, conversion." Each layer strengthens the next.
The practical implication for international brands is significant: running Feed Ads in isolation or Search Ads in isolation limits what either can achieve. The KFS model functions as a system, not a menu of optional components. Brands that treat it as always-on infrastructure — rather than a series of one-off campaigns — consistently outperform those that run fragmented activity.
For a deeper dive into industry-specific KFS applications, explore AllXHS's industry-specific Xiaohongshu marketing strategies across 20+ verticals.
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Can Foreign Brands Run Ads on Xiaohongshu? {#foreign-brands}
This is one of the most important practical questions for international brands, and the answer has a few layers.
On account registration: Overseas companies can register a Xiaohongshu Professional Account (专业号) directly as a foreign entity. Required documentation typically includes a valid overseas business licence (translated into Chinese by a certified agency), a trademark registration certificate, a responsible person's identification, and a Chinese phone number for verification. The annual verification fee is CNY 600, and review typically takes 5 to 7 business days.
On advertising access: This is where the limitation for foreign entities becomes critical. A functioning Juguang account can only be opened under a Chinese business entity. Xiaohongshu does not currently support foreign entities running ads through Juguang directly. The Juguang interface is also entirely in Chinese, adding an additional layer of operational complexity for teams without Mandarin proficiency.
The practical path for most international brands is to work with a local partner — an agency, distributor, or operating partner with a Chinese entity — who can open and manage the Juguang account on the brand's behalf. This is standard practice for overseas brands entering the XHS advertising ecosystem and is the approach that minimises delays, compliance risk, and operational friction.
Beyond the entity question, certain product categories require industry-specific certifications and licences before any advertising in that category can be approved. Healthcare, cosmetics, food, financial services, and other regulated categories all require corresponding documentation to be submitted and verified before campaigns can go live. Attempting to advertise regulated categories without the correct certifications is one of the fastest routes to account suspension.
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How to Set Up Xiaohongshu Ads: Step-by-Step {#how-to-set-up}
For brands using Juguang as their advertising platform, the setup process follows five sequential steps:
1. Register a Xiaohongshu Professional Account (专业号) — This is the foundation for all paid advertising activity. Overseas applicants need a translated business licence, trademark certificate, responsible person identification, and a Chinese phone number. The verification review typically takes 5 to 7 business days and costs CNY 600 annually.
1. Access Juguang and complete company verification — Once the Professional Account is verified, visit ad.xiaohongshu.com to access the Juguang platform. Complete company verification by submitting your business documentation. For overseas brands, this step is typically handled in partnership with a local Chinese entity or agency partner.
1. Complete industry and content verification — Depending on your product category, submit the relevant industry certifications and licences. This step is mandatory before campaigns in regulated categories can be approved. The specific documentation required varies by industry; a knowledgeable agency partner can advise on what applies to your brand.
1. Fund the account balance — Juguang operates on a prepaid model, meaning no campaign can go live until the account has sufficient balance. Overseas companies working through a local partner typically handle this through their partner arrangement.
1. Build and launch your campaign — With verification complete and balance loaded, campaigns can be created within Juguang. This includes selecting ad format (Feed or Search), defining target audiences, setting budget and bidding strategy, uploading creative assets in Simplified Chinese, and submitting for Xiaohongshu's review. All ads must pass platform review before going live.
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XHS Advertising Compliance: What You Must Know {#compliance}
Compliance is not a secondary consideration for XHS advertising — it is a first-order requirement. Xiaohongshu ads must comply with both China's national advertising laws and Xiaohongshu's own evolving platform policies. The consequences of non-compliance range from ad rejection and post removal to account suspension, permanent bans, and fines of up to CNY 2 million for serious or repeated violations of Chinese advertising law.
For international brands, the compliance challenge is acute. As one overseas market analysis notes, "there is a massive gap between the advertising regulations of overseas countries and the Advertising Law of mainland China; directly translating an overseas marketing kit will often lead you straight into the line of fire." The following are the most critical requirements to understand:
Prohibited language and claims:
• Superlative terms such as "best," "number one," "highest level," or "national standard" are prohibited in all ad copy unless backed by verifiable, officially recognised evidence
• False or misleading claims, unverifiable statistics, and implied efficacy claims are prohibited under Article 28 of the Advertising Law
• Overseas phrases like "100% guaranteed" or "full refund if ineffective" also constitute violating "guaranteed commitments" under Chinese law and must be removed entirely from XHS ad copy
Mandatory labelling:
All paid placements must be clearly identified as advertisements, distinguishable from organic content. Xiaohongshu requires sponsored content to display "广告" (advertisement) or "合作" (collaboration) labels. Failing to label ads correctly is a compliance violation in its own right.
Industry-specific restrictions:
Regulated categories — including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, health foods, cosmetics, financial services, and education — require regulatory approvals and specific documentation before advertising. Healthcare ads cannot include cure rates or patient testimonials; education ads cannot guarantee exam results. Since July 2025, Xiaohongshu's Commercial Risk Points Management Rules have also introduced stricter enforcement around "low-risk qualification, high-risk promotion" — attempting to advertise high-risk content using an account verified under a lower-risk category can result in immediate heavy penalties and permanent bans.
AI-generated content:
Since September 2025, China's Administrative Measures for the Labeling of AI-Generated Content require AI-generated material — including text, images, audio, and video — to be clearly labelled when distributed on Chinese platforms. Any XHS ad creative that uses AI generation must comply with these requirements.
Audit the full user journey:
Compliance obligations extend beyond the ad post itself. Landing pages, private messages, customer service scripts, and any follow-up touchpoints must all align with the claims made in the ad and contain no misleading promises. Platform reviewers assess the entire user experience, not just the initial creative.
For a full review of platform rules, XHS tools, and compliance considerations, explore the free Xiaohongshu resources available through AllXHS — including templates, compliance guides, and industry reports across 20+ categories.
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Best Practices for Xiaohongshu Ads {#best-practices}
Understanding the mechanics of XHS advertising is the foundation. Turning that understanding into campaign performance requires a set of practices that reflect the platform's unique content culture and user psychology.
Lead with proven content. The most reliable signal for Feed Ad performance is organic engagement. Before investing paid budget behind content, identify which notes — whether from KOLs, KOCs, or your brand account — have generated strong save rates, comments, and shares organically. Amplifying proven content consistently outperforms launching untested creative directly into a paid environment.
Run Feed and Search together. Feed Ads generate awareness and plant discovery. Search Ads capture the purchase intent that discovery creates. Running either in isolation limits what both can achieve. Think of them as two interdependent components of a single system, not competing budget lines.
Localise everything — do not translate. Xiaohongshu users have a very low tolerance for content that reads or looks like a traditional Western advertisement. All ad copy should be written natively in Simplified Chinese by someone with genuine platform fluency, not translated from English. Creative should match the aesthetic of high-performing organic XHS content: authentic, visually appealing, lifestyle-contextualised, and peer-voiced. Brands that align with trending themes and local consumer values consistently see higher engagement rates. Direct translations of English ad copy rarely perform.
Optimise for XHS search behaviour. Structure content so that titles, descriptions, and hashtags include the keywords your target audience actually uses when searching on XHS. High-performing content formats include problem-solution posts, tutorials, product comparisons, and seasonal recommendations. The platform's algorithm rewards informative content — posts that genuinely help users make decisions tend to rank higher in both organic and paid search results.
Monitor and iterate using platform data. Juguang's analytics suite provides granular performance data across impressions, click-through rates, engagement metrics, and conversion events. Use this data to identify which content angles, audience segments, and keyword clusters are driving results, and reallocate budget accordingly. Treat your first campaigns as structured learning exercises, not finished strategies.
Stay current on compliance. Xiaohongshu's platform policies evolve frequently. The Commercial Risk Points Management Rules introduced in mid-2025 added new high-risk advertising categories and escalating penalty mechanisms. New AI content labelling requirements came into force in September 2025. Compliance is not a one-time checklist — it is an ongoing operational responsibility for any brand running paid activity on the platform.
How AllXHS Can Help {#how-allxhs-can-help}
Xiaohongshu paid advertising offers international brands access to one of the most commercially powerful consumer audiences in the world — but navigating the platform's tools, frameworks, compliance requirements, and cultural expectations is genuinely complex. The gap between running ads and running effective ads on XHS is wide, and most of the traps that international brands fall into are avoidable with the right knowledge and the right support.
AllXHS is the #1 English-language resource hub for international brands marketing on Xiaohongshu. Whether you're evaluating whether XHS advertising is right for your brand, building your first campaign, or optimising an existing strategy, AllXHS provides the resources, tools, and expertise to help you succeed:
• 378+ data-driven industry reports covering 20+ verticals including beauty, fashion, F&B, and mother & baby
• A 21-module training academy covering every aspect of XHS marketing, from account setup to full-funnel campaign management
• 25+ ready-to-use tools and templates for ad planning, content localisation, KOL selection, and compliance review
• Expert consultation services for brands that need hands-on strategic support, not just information
From understanding the KFS model to navigating the Juguang setup process as a foreign entity, AllXHS bridges the gap between Western marketing knowledge and Chinese platform realities — so your brand can move faster, spend smarter, and build genuine traction on Xiaohongshu.
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